Navin Ramgoolam Assures Labour Party’s Strong Future on 89th Anniversary

23rd February marked a poignant milestone: the 89th anniversary of the Labour Party, founded in 1936, celebrated with a solemn wreath-laying ceremony at Guy Rozemont Square. The event, attended by Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam, also the party’s leader, drew all key figures from the party hierarchy. During his speech, Ramgoolam paid tribute to the tireless efforts of Dr. Maurice Curé and other notable figures who have shaped the party over the decades.

Stepping forward as the sixth leader of the Labour Party, he expressed unwavering confidence in the enduring vitality of the party’s legacy and assured that the succession will be secure.

When pressed by journalists, Ramgoolam revealed that the Labour Party, alongside its allies in the Alliance for Change — including the MMM, ND, and ReA — is fully prepared for the upcoming municipal elections.

He remarked, “What we have witnessed in recent days from the opposition is merely the tip of the iceberg. There’s much more to come.”

Turning to the Maha Shivaratree pilgrimage, he confirmed that all is proceeding smoothly, save for “a couple of hotheads, driven by a certain political party that everyone knows, trying to stir communal strife.”

He cautioned, “Their plans will not succeed. Those who believe they can cause disruption need to think again.”

Regarding preparations for the forthcoming budget presentation, Ramgoolam reiterated the grim economic legacy inherited by the government:

“We’ve inherited a disastrous economy, with debts lurking everywhere, many concealed.”

He candidly stated, “The coffers are clearly bare. I shudder to think what would have happened had they won the elections.

Without doubt, if they had taken power, our country would have faced a downgrade from Moody’s ratings agency.

We would have been finished. It’s solely through our efforts, and those of our economic advisors — notably Gilbert Gnany — that we managed to avert this catastrophe.

That would not have been good for Mauritius. Moody’s has indicated they will be watching us closely, which means we cannot replicate the actions of the previous MSM government that led to economic ruin. We will act responsibly.”

Ramgoolam also commented on the impending visit from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“This is a significant gesture for Mauritius,” he noted, reminiscing that he was the one who first invited Modi, only to lose the elections shortly after.

“During Modi’s first visit, he was not permitted to meet with me or pay respects at the samadhi of SSR.

This time, following international protocol, he was supposed to visit India first, as he had extended the invitation.”

Ramgoolam reflected on the challenges he faced at the time:

“It was impossible for me to leave the country, having just assumed office.

There were schemers and tricksters everywhere. I told him it simply could not happen.

Then came the African Union summit, and it was vital for us to be present, as many nations on the continent felt abandoned by Mauritius.

We had also made financial commitments to SADC that we needed to honour.“

Moreover, the Prime Minister seized the opportunity to clarify confusion surrounding the African Union and Anil Gayan’s candidacy.

“We reached out to him but were unable to make contact. Our initial intention was to support the Kenyan candidate for the presidency of the African Union Commission.

However, upon our arrival in Addis Ababa, we felt it was imperative to back the Malagasy candidate, given our ties to SADC and the region.

Unfortunately, that candidate received limited support, prompting us to switch our backing to the Kenyan candidate.

As he failed to secure the necessary majority, we ultimately extended our support to the Djibouti candidate at the last moment.

Additionally, we backed the Algerian candidate for the position of Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission,” he explained.

Source: Le Mauricien