Scroll down to read the PM's Message to students
Dear Students,
Each year I await eagerly the anniversary of our country’s independence, as it is an ideal time for me to get in touch with you directly.
I deem this a singular privilege.
This is a unique opportunity for me to share with you some of my hopes and aspirations for our country.
Your parents plan for a better future for you, as does the Government. It is our constant endeavour to facilitate your progression in life, to give you guidance and set you on paths that will lead to personal accomplishment and advancement.
You, for your part, need to know how to take advantage of the opportunities that are offered to you. Your success will depend on the attitude you develop to life and to work. There are millions of girls and boys in the world who would give their best to be in your place: you have the good fortune to attend school.
Learning is not a burden but an exciting journey of discovery. It brings you in communion with the greatest minds that have worked at science, literary and artistic creation, the humanities and the social sciences. Open yourself to the pleasure of learning and of acquiring knowledge. Learn to appreciate the beauty of a mathematical equation, the irrefutable logic of physics, the sublime charm of a verse well written and the magical rhythm of words that is poetry.
Education empowers you not only to be a productive part of society but, most of all, to be a better person within yourself and to be a responsible, amiable and fully integrated member of society. The institution you attend imparts to you the skills you will need throughout your life to educate yourself and to learn from your experience.
The hard work and sacrifice of your parents and grandparents mean that you have infinitely more prospects and a larger choice of career than they ever did. It is essential for you to realize the arduous road we have travelled and the part played by discipline, courage and perseverance in what has been accomplished. It will be up to you to draw inspiration from the achievements of the past and to take forward the work done.
We are a people that have never shied away from making sacrifices or avoided hard work. I would urge you, when you are faced with a choice, not to opt for the line of least resistance. The way that will take you to sunlit summits may be uphill but not insurmountable. It is a goal well worth attaining.
You must strive to be amongst the best and the brightest.
The struggles of life constantly challenged our ancestors but they were never defeated. I have no doubt you are of that same mettle. It is that mettle that we will be called upon to display as we face the most severe economic crisis the world has ever seen. We are in no way responsible for it but will inevitably feel its ripples, as we live in a globalised world. In the trying times ahead you, your parents and all of us will need to stand together to weather the crisis and display a unity of purpose as never before.
The stringencies of the present times mean that you may be called upon to make choices that are not necessarily to your taste, to shift from a materialistic culture of endless acquisition to one of discernment. It will be an occasion for you to discover that the possession of material wealth does not determine the person you are, that fashionable gadgets do not define you.
Over the last years, my Government’s actions were aimed at improving the lot of our people and ensuring your future.
Governance requires of us far-sighted and bold actions, the benefits of which may not be immediately apparent. The Equal Opportunities Act that my Government has passed, is transformational. It addresses a legacy of inequity that had, in the past, blighted too many lives. Our aim is to make sure that hard work, talent and merit receive their just rewards. This legislation opens up to you avenues for advancement which were denied to your parents.
The Public Health (Restrictions on Tobacco Products) Regulations have recently been promulgated. Contrary to what some may think, this is not a measure that restricts liberty. It is meant to free you from a scourge that was becoming far too widespread and wrecking innocent lives. Smoking, far from being a liberating act of defiance, is the first step to an addiction that enslaves you and destroys your health. Smoking is neither cool nor smart. Be resolute in resisting the pressure of your peers who would lead you astray.
We have also taken measures to restrict the consumption of alcohol in public places. Youngsters getting drunk is a behaviour that no civilized society can accept and which you will not tolerate when you become parents yourselves.
In the years to come we will do our utmost to open to you even more vistas and to empower you to take advantage thereof.
I have an unwavering faith in you: yours is a generation that is not mired in prejudice and entangled by outmoded traditions. I hope that the necessary sense of responsibility and seriousness of purpose will be bestowed upon you.
May you accomplish great feats in furthering the unity, progress and prosperity of this country.
May God bless you.
Long live Mauritius.
Dr the Hon Navinchandra Ramgoolam, G.C.S.K.
Prime Minister
10 March 2009
