OBITUARY CLOVIS VELLIN Clovis Vellin has passed away at the age of 87 in Queensland, Australia. I learned of this loss to Mauritius through a friend living in England. Condolences are pouring in from his ex-students on facebook. This teacher of Geography was part of the community of Visionaries of the glorious sixties that were shedding light on the course that this tiny Mauritius should take. It was a time of uncertainty, unemployment was rife, the birth rate was 3% plus, all land suitable for agriculture was under king sugar and the prospect of Independence frightened a large chunk of the [...]

TRIBUTE MOHAMED VAYID C'est avec tristesse nous avons appris le décès de M. Mohamed Vayid, a l’âge de 78 ans en Afrique du Sud. Je voudrais rendre un hommage tout particulier a son immense talent de Capitaine du secteur prive, à sa génie de penseur et à la place exceptionnelle qu’il occupait dans le monde des affaires. Il a été acclamé dans tout le pays et l’Etat Mauricien lui avait élevé au rang de GOSK pour marquer la place aussi singulière qu'éminente qu’il occupait dans le progrès industriel du pays. Les années 60 étaient les années de braise. Le taux de [...]

TRIBUTE GAREEBOO HASSAM C’est un sms de Rafick Santally qui m’apprit le décès du Dr. Hassam Gareeboo ce Vendredi 24 Janvier. Il rentrait juste d’Angleterre après les funérailles de son gendre et était admis au centre cardiaque de Pamplemousses pour des pontages. Tout en sourire, il confiait a un ami que chez les Gareeboos on mourrait jeune. Hassam était a la retraite et passait le clair de son temps a la clinique Chisty Shifa qu’il fonda avec le concours de trois collègues. Apres un début difficile, ce centre hospitalier a pris son envol et propose des tarifs modérés aux moins fortunes [...]

1er Février 2009, 174eme anniversaire de libération de l’esclavage fut aussi la libération d’André Fanny de toute responsabilité mondaine. Nous sommes réunis dans l’église de St Malo autour du Père Fanchette pour rendre un hommage solennel a André qui nous quitte pour son dernier voyage, après une longue maladie. Pendant cette réunion ou ses amis expriment leur respect, mes souvenirs des années 60 reviennent au galop. 1968 était une date douloureuse lorsque les Musulmans et les Créoles, pris d’une folie, s’entretuaient. André et moi sillonnions à Vespa la Plaine Verte et Roche Bois pour participer aux comites de quartier afin d’amener [...]

Dr the Honourable Arvin BOOLELL, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Members of the Diplomatic Corps Distinguished guests, Ladies and gentlemen Good Evening I am very pleased to introduce you to Prof. Romeela Mohee, the first female Professor in Engineering and the first female Dean of Faculty of Engineering in Mauritius. Dr. Mohee, an environmental engineer, is Professor in the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering at the University of Mauritius. Her research is focused on waste conversion processes, bio-energy and solid waste management, beneficial re-use of waste materials, heat and mass transfer modelling. She has authored 7 [...]

    Au Père Souchon, Voici que s'approche l’heure du départ à la retraite d’un rassembleur du peuple Mauricien et pasteur d'une Eglise qu’il a voulue sans frontières, et ce, en son 86ème anniversaire. Il donne une coloration particulière à cette nation arc-en-ciel, où toutes les fois trouvent une place à l’autel de l’Immaculée Conception, pour révérer ce Dieu miséricordieux. Je crois que le Vatican permet la retraite à 65 ans, mais l’inlassable pèlerin que vous êtes a voulu prolonger au-delà de cet âge, son sacerdoce, appelant l'homme à sa dignité, à sa générosité, à sa grandeur pour qu’il œuvre pour [...]

Dear HC Matabane, You come from a continent that is the cradle of humanity, the custodian of a wealth of wisdom and culture that allows us to look upon modernity with different eyes. Your country is remembered as the place where humanity won victory over apartheid without bloodshed. South Africa is a respected member of the International community. When Nelson Mandela walked to freedom about 2 decades ago, that single act started a process of reconciliation and nation building. Your Freedom Day reminds us also the brutal assassination of one of the outstanding heroes of your struggle, Chris Hani, who died [...]

      SPEECH JACUES DUNIENVILLE. Excellency SA and Lady Jugnauth. I am delighted to welcome all of you to our dinner to-night. It is very heartening that there has been such an enthusiastic response to our invitations to honour a distinguished set of Mauritians. To start, I would like to say a special Hi to a Pakistani couple Adil and Zainab who have chosen to spend their honeymoon in our country. I would like to congratulate a lover of music, dance and books who enjoys collecting diplomas. Holder of an International Diploma in Compliance, a degree in Finance and Law, [...]

We have the privilege tonight to welcome the High Commissioner of India, H. E. Mr. Tanmaya Lal and Mrs. Sumita Lal. Excellency, welcome to Mauritius and thank you for spending this evening with us. Your presence among us is proof of the good relationship we have with your mission since years, a relationship which has a history, a present and a future. When talking of the land of the great grandfathers of 70% of the Mauritian population, one is baffled with ideas that one does not know where to start. Let us just say that India, home to 1.3 billion people, [...]

Alif would like to welcome H. E Mr. Abhay Thakur and Dr. Mrs. Surabhi Thakur to Mauritius. They come from a country whose National Flag speaks volumes on the philosophy of this country. The saffron colour denotes renunciation, the white represents light, the green shows India’s relation to the life giving soil, and the "Ashoka Chakra" denotes the wheel of the law of dharma. How significant! Excellency, you are now on the soil of Mauritius which is your largest trading partner, your single largest source of FDI and which is home to 11,000 Indians. Excellency, when many countries are struggling to [...]