trials & tribulations of a restless mind

Patriotism June 16, 2009

What makes one a patriot and what doesn’t?

Some time back, I was discussing government spending in Mauritius on a blog when someone told me that I should not worry about it since I don’t contribute any money to the government coffers. The person was implying that it was none of my business since I was not living in Mauritius. This has happened to me too often. People tend to think of me as a traitor just because I have studied and am now working abroad. They think I don’t have the ‘right’ to discuss Mauritian matters.

These people call themselves patriots. They are the ones who are working in Mauritius, helping the country move forward (apparently) and who, generally hate people who dare to move abroad for studies or work. But this is not patriotism, is it? What is patriotism? In the past, it used to be about fighting colonial rule to free your country from oppression. It was about revolution and about sacrificing your life for your motherland. This definition doesn’t strictly apply anymore. If you work in Mauritius, you are not more patriotic than someone who is working in Singapore. A Chinese factory worker in Mauritius is not more patriotic than I am because he or she is working in Mauritius and paying taxes! Yes, you might be a bit jealous. Yes, you are indeed contributing to the Mauritian economy indirectly. But patriotism is something entirely different.

Mauritius does not have a very high crippling emigration rate. These days it is even harder to move to another country, given the tougher immigration laws in Europe and it is getting more and more appealing to stay, study and work in the country. But if someone thought he or she wants to study abroad and probably work abroad for some time to get some valuable experience, why do people think that person is letting the country down? Most people emigrate due to financial incentives abroad which could improve their fortunes, a significant number of people really want to get the best education and best work experience possible. When confronted with this, most Mauritius-based Mauritians would immediately get on the high horse of pseudo-patriotism and childishly dismiss the emigrants as people who don’t give a damn about the country. This could not be further from the truth as it is pure ignorance.

Patriotism is not a competition. It is not a matter of ‘oh no you work abroad, I work on the Board of Air Mauritius in Mauritius and I am helping the country, what the hell have you done for your country?’ Patriotism is about changing things for the best. It is about making a positive impact in your own way. If you have to arm yourself with the best possible education and experience, then so be it. If you have to live in France for 10 years and then come back better equipped to make a difference, then so be it. Do not judge someone prematurely. Do not view temporary emigration as a sin. Sure, some people will not come back, but why don’t we look at the people who will help? When would we stop whining about those leaving and start taking action or atleast suggest ideas? Why do you want to blacklist people who are abroad? Can’t they help at all? Can’t they initiate a debate or propose an idea? Hell, they could be more patriotic than the person shouting about the glory of the Motherland from the rooftops, clad in the national flag! They could be more patriotic than the person who will tell them not to worry about the future of the country but then would be complaining like bored housewives hooked on Tulsi-related banter!

As a slight variation to JFK’s famous words, ask not what other people are or aren’t doing for the country; ask what you can do for your country. Do not accuse someone else of being unpatriotic until you have accomplished something for your country, and even if you have achieved something, does it make you right or more patriotic to call other people unpatriotic? No it doesn’t!

Patriotism is not what it used to be. It either is too strong and powerful a word to be usable in this day and age or now has a considerably changed definition. Either way, everyone at some point in their life do something good for their country, whether directly or indirectly. Studying or working abroad has absolutely no bearing on how patriotic you are. After all, you might be working in Mauritius in a manner, destructive to the country’s well-being or indeed in a stagnant way. It is all about making a difference when you are best able to do it. Be YOUR best before you can do YOUR best for your country. And if you can’t do it, then no-one should begrudge you. Do you think when Gandhi, Bhagat Singh and Nelson Mandela were campaigning for the end of oppression in their respective countries, they were thinking about those damned people who had ‘abandoned’ the struggle? I don’t think so…

Rant over… I need a cup of very strong tea, no sugar please…

Mauritius 2030 March 12, 2009

When our tiny island of Mauritius acceded to independence on that fateful day of the 12th of March 1968, exactly 41 years ago, probably no-one would have imagined the economic and social miracle which would unravel. It has not been all rosy though. In the 21st century, Mauritius has been facing new challenges, ranging from economic to security challenges and without forgetting political headaches. The textile boom is well and truly over and it’s time for other pillars of the economy to carry the country with a horrid global recession in full force. Many will testify to the fact that Mauritius is not as safe as it used to be. The rise in life expectancy is also less and less pronounced with Mauritius achieving notoriety as a hotspot for people with non-communicable diseases, NCD’s.

But the positive factor in all this is that Mauritius has the resources to overcome these hurdles and hold its own in an increasingly competitive world. We have a relatively skilled population with a high literacy rate for a developing country and decent infrastructures in place. Above all, we have a good track record.

The purpose of this article is to set out how I want Mauritius to be in 2030, approximately 20 years’ down the line. My personal vision of Mauritius is as follows:

• To be in the top 25 least corrupted countries in the world (currently at No.41)
• To have a population well-informed about nutrition, thus decreasing the prevalence of cardio-vascular diseases and other NCD’s.
• To have a revamped political system which engenders greater belief from the population.
• To be a premier financial services hub in Africa and have a much smaller dependence on textile and sugar. To have an increased influence of our local companies in the African and world market.
• To have a deserved image as a cyber island (and not by building pretty buildings only), which would include having widespread high-speed internet at our fingertips with non-existent dial-up connections. To have ICT as one of the main pillars of the economy.
• To have an education system which not only gets you into university but also moulds your character as a whole and imparts essential non-academic skills. To also have a literacy rate of 95+%.
• To be one of the safest countries in the world and have a more effective and cleaner police force.
• To have a fairer distribution of wealth and a reduction in poverty, with people having the minimum basic access to water, electricity, food, education and various infrastructures.
• To be able to recognise the environmental changes which threatens our planet and our island, in particular our tourism industry. Also, to have a cleaner air to breathe and have a reduced number of vehicles on our roads or to have cleaner vehicles.
• To be less dependent on fossil fuels and to be exploring new sustainable ways to cater for our energy needs (like ethanol).
• To have an efficient and safe public transport system.

There are a lot more issues which I might have missed and I might also be asking for too much. You could even accuse me of being in wonderland. There is no way we are going to achieve everything we set out to achieve, but if the minds come together and resources are invested, we can achieve a lot more in the next 20 years than we have in the last 40 years to make our mark in the 21st century, not only for the world to see but for our own people to enjoy and marvel at our accomplishments.

Let me know what your vision is for Mauritius 2030.