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STRAIGHTTALK]Creole and Bhojpuri - do they have a place in education ? > pp. 40-41

Insert N°3 • Friday 16 JULY 2010 INTERVIEW] Satish Jha Editorial ] by Touria PRAYAG Social entrepreneur and CEO of One Laptop per Child. Being economical pp. > 34-35 with the truth ’m not an expert on Swine Flu and I’m not about to get in between some doctors and their minister who are butting heads with each other on a subject I Iknow little about. We are not into fear mongering or sensationalistic propaganda either. My concern stops at communication between those we have entrusted with the running of this country and us, poor mortals, seeking that precious thing which makes our job possible: information. “We have nothing to hide,” says Mrs. Hanoomanjee. Sadly, this reminds me of President Nixon’s historical statement in relation to the Watergate case, “I am not a crook.” More defensive than that, you die, as the French would say…. After the psychosis of last year, following half a dozen deaths due to the A (H1N1) virus, we now know that, though the speed of its spread is startling, Swine Flu is no more dangerous than the typical seasonal fl u. This does not mean that we underestimate it or that we want to catch it. What it means is that both types of fl u can kill and that the seasonal fl u appears to cause more deaths than Swine Flu. We also know, having gone through it once, that the psychosis which swamped the world last year is unlikely to get the better of us this year. Our heads have cooled off suffi ciently not to cross that fi ne line between reasonable elementary precautions –basically, wash your hands and stay home if you are feverish- and paranoia –someone sneezed, quick, call security. So, why is history repeating itself? Why does history always re- peat itself? Whether we are in 2006 facing the Chikungunya epide- mic, in 2009 facing both Dengue Fever and Swine Flu or in 2010 facing the same Swine Flu again but with a full understanding of it and a stock of vaccines which were in the realm of dreams in 2009, the pattern is the same: the minister gives fi gures which are systematically greeted by contest from the medical profession and cynicism from the public. The proliferating secrecy surrounding Swine Flu raises a lot of red fl ags and a lot of questions that have yet to be answered. Forget about whether the number of people contaminated with Swine Flu did actually grow from 0 to 124 cases almost overnight. Forget about whether the minister did or did not initially say that there were no cases of the virus before admitting to the 124 cases. What is more worrying is that the medical profession seems to be convinced that even the fi gure the minister eventually owned up to is grossly understated. The paternalistic (or should I say maternalistic) approach adopted by the minister (I won’t tell you the truth because you cannot handle it) coupled with the line of communication adopted by the ministry (if you want information go and fi nd it somewhere else) do not help the fi nger of blame to point elsewhere and the minister has missed her chance of making a good fi rst impression. We are in this for the long haul and there are no quick fi xes. So, we have every interest in putting an end to the misinformation cha- Swine fl u os. A properly informed population is a properly armed one. And we need every weapon we can use. The minister will not achieve a thing if she does not gain public trust. And public trust can only be Mishandling gained through clear, honest and ample information. Yes, of course, the fear of a psychosis is there. But avoiding that is also the minister’s responsibility. And that can defi nitely not be achieved through being economical with the truth. a dangerous virus [email protected] l’express [ Friday 16 July 2010 • Insert N°3 QUICKREAD] p. 30 The Week at a Glance] Events ] Waka waka: Do it, do it. Salon de la Santé Visit the third “Salon de la Santé, du Sport et du Bien Etre” on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th July at Swami Vivekananda Centre, Pailles. The fair will be open from 9.30am to 6.30pm on Saturday and from 9.30am to 7pm on Sun- day. The event is being organised by the Heart Foundation, the Mauritius Council of Social Services (MACOSS) and Editel, in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Tourism. This year, the fair will bring together about 100 exhibitors, including sports professionals. Tickets will be sold at the door at Rs. 25, and entrance is free for children under the age of 12. Free shuttles will be available from the Rose Hill and Port Louis bus stations to take visitors to Pailles. Recital Lovers of classical music will enjoy the recital by Vik- torija Kaminskaite, on Saturday 17th July at 7.30 pm. Or- ganised by La Fondation Spectacles et Culture, the event brings you the amazing voice of this Lithuanian soprano, accompanied by Paul Wilmot at the piano. Viktorija Ka- minskaite will perform German and Russian songs, on melodies by Schubert, Schumann, and Rachmaninov. She will also perform well-known operatic arias, including “Come Scoglio” from Cosi Fan Tutte by Mozart, and “Juliet” from Romeo and Juliet, amongst others. Tic- Nelson Mandela and his wife, Graca Machel, kets are available at Rs. 450, Rs. 400, Rs. 300 and Rs. 250 gracing the closing ceremony. through Rezo Otayo. Call 466 9999 for more information. pessimists, skeptics and naysayers who did not believe that Africa could do it and who expressed concern about its ability to host Glamour the world’s largest single event. And Africa did it! Nine out of ten was the mark awarded Prom Night 2010 to it by the FIFA, which boosted the morale of Celebrate the start of the school holi- Africa and highlighted the fact that there’s a lot days! Youngsters are invited to Keops more to South Africa than the doom and gloom pub, in Ebene on Saturday 24th July as we are exposed to through the foreign media. from 10pm. Organised by Dreamlive A big win also for the FIFA organization which, Ltd, the event will include a number for all its faults, had the vision to bring its signature of DJs who will have you dancing event to Africa. the night away. The only requirement What a great achievement! South Africa had is to bring out your most glamorous style one opportunity to prove its mettle and it did it. and dress up like a celebrity. A Prom King and The security, which was such a concern for thou- Prom Queen will also be nominated during this fantastic evening. Tickets sands of fans, was well-handled and there was are available through Rezo Otayo at Rs. 200 or at the door on the day of no outburst of xenophobia even after Ghana, the event at Rs. 250. Call Otayo on 466 9999 for more information. the last hope for Africa, lost its chance of writing history. The good vibrations lasted for the whole month and the closing ceremony was enhanced by the presence of the man Hiking who made it all possible: Nelson Mandela, The Tourism Employees Welfare Fund his smile, as usual, hiding grief and suffering, is organising an outing for nature lovers feelings which are not alien to him. on Sunday 18th July. People will have the Well, all good things have to come chance to visit Mare Longue, Brise Fer, Mac- Shakira to an end: our compatriots chabee and other magnifi cent spots where they at the closing are coming back to their can admire a variety of endemic plants. Transport ceremony of quiet island and joining will be provided from various pick up points: the the World Cup. those who were not as lucky central post offi ce in Port Louis at 7.30am, the but who, nevertheless, have Plaza, Rose Hill at 8am and the Curepipe town hall exhausted their sick leave at 8.30am. The outing costs Rs. 125 for adults and and local leave. Our nation Rs. 75 for children under the age of 12. Call is waking up to resume bu- 2114343 for reservations. ree siness as usual with a pinch Pizza in the heart as the hope of “Ffor Life if hearing the vuvuzellas Debate South Africa Wins the World may not occur again in Amnesty International Mauritius Section (AIMS) Cup,” read the promise on the wall outside a the lifetime of many of us. Yet, all may not is organizing a debate on the theme: Madagascar: an restaurant in South Africa before the World be lost. South Africa’s successful handling urgent need for justice in collaboration with the Mu- Cup began. Naturally, it was a safe bet as the of the World Cup has earned it more credibi- nicipality of Port Louis. The event will take place on Fri- “Bafana Bafana” failed to advance even to the lity and momentum, which greatly improves its day 16th July at 4.30pm at the Municipality. Speakers second round. However, if Africa lost the bet chances of winning a bid for the 2020 Olympics. will include Pov, who is from Madagascar and works of claiming football’s most prestigious trophy, It already has the backing of the president of as a caricaturist at l’Express, Kavi Payneeandy, the pre- it came out looking pretty good and proved that FIFA, Sepp Blatter. That’s something to look sident of AIMS, Dr Arvin Boolell, Minister of Foreign an African nation can host the World Cup with forward to. In the meantime, we reiterate the Affairs, and Paul Bérenger, Leader of the Opposition. resounding success. pride we have in Africa, the biggest winner of As the sound of the controversial “vuvuzelas” the 2010 World Cup. The aim of the debate is to raise awareness on human came to an end after the last whistle, leaving behind si- rights violations that may have taken place in Madagascar during the recent political crisis. lence in an empty stadium, so has the voice of the Afro- Touria PRAYAG

ILLUSTRATIONS : Stephane BENOIT p. 31 QUICKREAD Insert N° 3 • Friday 16 July 2010 l’express

The International Scene] Well said ] A centre for strategic studies

By Nad SIVARAMEN for the Indian Ocean

Dr Ahaad Abdool, Director of Health Services of the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life, about the H1N1 virus. “I have to emphasize the fact that the virus, though mild, is highly infectious. So it’s up to the population to stop its progress’’ Silence is golden]

The National Coast Guard of Mauritius contributes to maritime security.

members of civil society to refl ect relations,”Amedée Darga told could be an oil spill in the re- collectively seemed natural to us,” L’Express Weekly this week in gion (off the shores of South Maya Hanoomanjee at said Mr. Amedee Darga, who is Dakar, Senegal. Africa, for instance). If this the National Assembly in currently in Dakar, Senegal, parti- It is a fact that we are not catastrophe happened, who answer to Paul Berenger’s cipating in the 4th US Africa Com- equipped as we should be, es- would then pay the bill? There question as to why the mand Academic Symposium. pecially in terms of maritime se- are many issues like this one number of cases of the He added that the center will be curity. No one island state alone that need to be discussed at a H1N1virus had not been launched before the end of 2010, can protect its Indian Ocean wa- regional level...And civil society disclosed, “No one asked for and that the fi rst conference will be ters from illegal fi shing, let alone is paving the strategic way, since this information.” hosted in Mauritius during the fi rst from pirates. the institutions seem to be fa- quarter of 2011. Another big potential risk cing their own issues! Jean-Luc EMILE ever-ending crisis in Security experts and prac- Madagascar, political titioners believe that presently Ninstability in Como- the “human security concept” ros, the piracy threat affecting (ranging from civil-military the Seychelles and the sub- relations and security sec- region, illegal fi shing in the tor reform to food security exclusive economic zones… and climate change) forces no doubt that the four island countries, organizations, and states of the South-West In- individuals to craft regional se- dian Ocean face common curity strategies for addressing security threats due to shared contemporary, multi-faceted vulnerabilities. security issues. Evidently, the To pool resources and harmo- state continues to have the pri- nize research on the development mary responsibility for security, of integrated strategies to address but more and more, traditional the security challenges, some citi- security sector institutions have zens from the Indian Ocean have to be revisited. Because of its decided to set up an Indian Ocean complex and wide dimension, Center for Strategic Studies. The human security implies the center – a non-profi t organization existence of linkages between - will be headquartered in Mau- security, good governance, re- ritius and will engage in research gional integration, political in- on security-related issues in the clusion and human rights. Indian Ocean. The emergence of regional The founding members are cooperation in the security sector Amédee Darga, researcher and – from non-state actors – recogni- former parliamentarian and Krish- zes the notion of collective security na Jugroo, Assistant Commissioner which is indispensable to confront of police (Mauritius), General Jean current threats, because informa- Adolphe Dominique and Inspec- tion can be shared. tor Jacky Rahaingo (Madagas- “The Indian Ocean Center car), Cheikh Ahmed Abdallah, for Strategic Studies will en- Defense Attaché (Comoros) and courage participation with a Michael Marc Rosette from the variety of stakeholders coming Seychelles Coast Guard. They from several perspectives. In decided to launch this center as our regional context, such representatives of civil society. “We collaborative relationships met in Morocco at a conference at and shared interests are vital the beginning of this year and we (…) Of course, we have the agreed upon the fact that there is a burning issue of piracy, but real need in the South West Indian we also need to focus on the Ocean for effective and integrated geostrategic importance of security strategies. Our countries our region, the serious issue of do not have the means to conduct drug traffi cking in our region these studies, so coming together as and the state of civil-military l’express [ Friday 16 July 2010 • Insert N° 3 ISSUES] p. 32 Left Field] Environment By Nicholas RAINER A Binani peel Pious wish

Political correctness dictates that some subjects If everything goes according to plan, are best left unmentioned. In Mauritius, the subsidi- Binani will build a cement factory in the zation of religious bodies is one such taboo. The mere mention of this sensitive issue is enough to give most port area. The project is far from enjoying politicians a cold sweat. Not Cehl Meeah and Eric unanimous support. Guimbeau though. In Parliament last Tuesday, they enquired as to whether the moment had not come to review the mechanism used to allocate funds to religious bodies or even to scrap this “long tradition of helping” these organizations altogether.

Whatever their intentions, the subject broa- ched by these MPs throws up a host of interesting questions. According to the acting Prime minister, Rashid Beebeejaun, funds are allocated on a per capita basis. This is calculated using fi gures contai- ned in the 1972 population census, which have been “corrected by the Central Statistics Offi ce” (CSO). When quizzed on how exactly the CSO goes about “correcting” the data, Rashid Beebeejaun merely affi rmed that the procedure is “reliable”. In other words, he’d like us to take his word for it. He also explained religious bodies are “requested” to spend 80% of their subsidies to “meet the salaries of priests”.

Yet the stakes are perhaps a little high to accept these assertions at face value. According to the Na- tional Human Rights Commission’s (NHRC) 2007 report, religious bodies receive Rs69 million annually. Another category, religious bodies and cha- ritable institutions, get an additional Rs8.4 million. To put these ﬁ gures into context, it’s perhaps worth mentioning that vulnerable groups and senior citizens receive a mere Rs16 million per annum.

Given that the welfare state costs us Rs20 billion annually, it can be argued that Rs69 million is a small price to pay to keep everyone happy. Reality however is rarely that simple. The NHRC’s report warns that “economic difﬁ culties threa- ten the maintenance of the welfare state”. This is made all the more worrying by the fact that, as the NHRC justly notes, the rights to education, health, housing, work and social security are not actually enshrined in the Constitution.

This means that the State can discontinue funding for these sectors if it so chooses. Although such an eventuality seems highly unlikely, the issue of the continued financial viability of the welfare state is a crucial one in a worsening economic climate. What will happen the day the State is no longer able to afford its customary largesse? Will government have the courage to cut funding to religious bodies rather than, say, to the poor and the disabled?

In its report, the NHRC pointed out that “the State grants subsidies to religious institutions though Mauritius is a secular state.” It also added that “a debate has been initiated as to whether such subsidies should be discontinued. They should not be withdrawn until and unless all parties have been consulted.”

What, if anything, has become of this debate? Must we accept the ﬁ nancing of religious bodies as a given? What about a system of performance- based budgeting? Or even a Trust Fund for Vulne- rable Religious Groups to ensure that only the neediest organizations receive funds? Is a storm brewing for Binani’s planned cement factory in the port area? p. 33 [ISSUES Insert N° 3 • Friday 16 July 2010 l’express for the authorities

inani Cement Factory Amongst the shortcomings It is understood, for instance, (Mauritius) Ltd’s plan he noted were the absence of that the raw materials, namely the to build a clinger grin- baseline data (air quality, noise cement clinker, will no longer be Bding plant in the port levels and traffi c fl ows, etc.) and unloaded and stored in the open area came under serious fi re an unconvincing Environmental air. Instead, they will be transpor- last Saturday when the leader Management Plan (EMP). It ted on covered conveyor belts of the opposition, Paul Béren- goes so far as to propose a “no and stored in sheds. Dust fi lters ger, lambasted the project as a development alternative,” for this will be installed along every step potential pollution threat during 6.5-hectare plot of land situated of the process. For some rea- his weekly press conference. He close to residential areas and son, the additional information also questioned the speed and the the Aapravasi Ghat UNESCO submitted by fi rms is not made timing of the granting of an En- World Site. “The socio-econo- public, contrarily to EIA reports vironmental Impact Assessment mic aspects of this project need to themselves. This lack of trans- (EIA) license to the promoters. be further elaborated and quan- parency is likely to fan rather Indeed, he pointed out that Bi- tifi ed to justify the advantages than assuage the public’s worries nani received its permit on May being claimed in terms of foreign about the project. 3, 2010, barely three days after exchange savings, increased port Another caveat is that the clin- the minister of Environment revenues and employment gene- ker grinding plant is the fi rst of its had green-lighted the project. Is ration,” he remarked. kind in Mauritius. Local expertise he simply scaremongering or is And it’s exactly these benefi ts in evaluating any environmental there genuine cause for worry? that the promoter is banking on. risks it might pose is thus limi- “The speed with which the The EIA report claims, for ins- ted at best. Tiberman Ramyead project was approved and ob- tance, that “a locally-based clinker affi rms that Binani will carry out tained its EIA license is a fi rst,” grinding plant for the production strict self-monitoring. “It’s a ques- seethed Paul Bérenger. In a lau- of cement is the ideal supply tion of professional integrity,” he dable attempt to dispel doubts source for a small developing is- believes. And it’ll be the ministry about the environmental sustai- land state like Mauritius,” before of Environment’s responsibility to nability and probity of the pro- adding that the project “does not verify that the company respects ject, the minister of Environment, involve high energy consumption all its commitments. Deva Virahwasmy, held a press and does not give rise to the high That, the former director of conference yesterday. This was degree pollution caused by inte- the Department of Environment a welcome change given that the grated cement plants.” Unsurpri- thinks, is the crucial part of the ministry has a habit of walling it- singly, Binani believes the project process. “The follow-up will be self in silence when it comes to is great, whereas one of its compe- very important. The good thing controversial projects. titors is dubious about its merits. is that monitoring is now a legal Part of the ministry’s Who to believe? obligation under the Environ- counterargument hinges on The author of the EIA re- ment Protection Act,” he re- the fact that the EIA license is port, Tiberman Ramyead, is ra- marks. More importantly, what contingent on the fulfi llment ther unimpressed by the barrage guarantees do we have that the of a string of requirements, 25 of criticism his work has come authorities will take the appro- to be precise. And unless the under. “You see what you want priate remedial and punitive ac- promoters adhere fully to these to see,” he says. The former di- tions in the event the factory does conditions, their license won’t rector of the Department of become a source of air pollution? be worth the paper it’s printed Environment also explains that However stringent Binani’s on. The authorities also aver it’s normal for the authorities to EMP may eventually turn out that the granting of an EIA per- solicit additional information on to be, it’s obvious that a clinker mit doesn’t give Binani the right an EIA report. “It’s a good sign; grinding plant a stone’s throw to commence construction on it shows that everyone’s doing from the capital will undeniably the plant that aims to produce their work.” Following the sub- have an impact on the region’s one million tonnes of cement mission of the additional infor- air quality. After all, the plant will annually. The company still has mation, Binani has had to make manufacture a million tonnes to obtain a development permit, its processes more environment- of cement annually, not daisy amongst other things. friendly. “The project will achieve chains. Yet, over and above its Yet, the controversy surroun- at least 80% environmental effi - environmental implications, it’s ding the project started well be- ciency, which is incredibly high,” also worth pointing out that the fore Paul Bérenger’s rant. Earlier promises Tiberman Ramyead. factory, which will run 24/7 all this year, Holcim (Mauritius) year round, will require 5.5MW Ltd, one of the country’s main of power and 125m³ of water importers of cement, commis- Monitoring every single day. The EIA report sioned a review of Binani’s EIA contains no confi rmation about report. Written by Toolseeram is now a legal whether the Central Electricity Ramjeawon, a professor of Board (CEB) will be able to meet environmental engineering at the obligation this demand. University of Mauritius, the do- And, given that other mega- cument was highly critical of the projects, such as Jin Fei, will soon EIA report. “Unfortunately, ac- under the go up in the vicinity, one does cording to me, this EIA report is wonder where the authorities are of relatively poor quality as it fails Environment going to get the required power to provide suffi cient information and water from. As is so often the for the approving authority to Protection case in Mauritius, time will tell. make a decision on whether to approve the project and, if so, un- Act der what conditions,” he wrote. Nicholas RAINER Private pensions becoming a must l’express [ Friday 16 July 2010 • Insert N° 3 INTERVIEW] p. 34

■ Mr. Jha, you’re known know how to live. We hve our own for using information tech- earnings, own savings and have nology for development- what our own way of surviving. does that imply? Technology is used by people ■ You all have other jobs, who understand technology and you mean? it remains with those that are af- Well, we all do other things, fl uent and who have the capacity whether they are jobs or not. to understand it; those who see tomorrow, who have vision. But ■ You do other things for most people don’t have that. profi t? They are busy living their lives Yes, we either have done it, or for today. They can’t visualize are doing it. technology; nor do they understand it or relate to it. ■ Tell us about this One- Laptop-per-Child organiza- ■ But to make technology tion. accessible to people who don’t In my opinion this is the know anything about it is a fi rst not- for- profi t organization huge challenge. doing technology that is ahead Exactly and it is not profi table of any commercial technology. for anybody, so why do it? (He opens the sample laptop; see photograph). This is the mother ■ So that’s where you of “netbooks”, a kind of miniatu- come in? rized laptop. That’s where some people like me come in. ■ What exactly is a “netbook”? ■ And how exactly do you A “netbook” typically is do this? something, which has no hard We try to create models for drive. It has a fl ash drive; it carrying out our business, for doesn’t have a moving hard drive. thinking of how to bring techno- And then there’s “Kindle”, an e- logy closer to the people who have book. You’ve heard of “Amazon no privileges and no opportunity Kindle”? This screen is for “Ama- to think about tomorrow, because zon Kindle”, so you can use this they are too busy with today. Most screen for reading. of us can do something new because we have the opportunity to ■ This was invented in the think about the day after tomor- Massachusetts Institute of row and move in that direction. Technology? Exactly. ■ Presumably, the people who do not have the oppor- ■ And the aim is to create tunity do not have the means something that is fi nancially either, so how do you make accessible? that jump? The aim effectively is poverty That is the challenge. In each alleviation, but through educa- context, you have to fi gure out tion. What we say is that there is which technology is applicable no other activity that has a higher and which technology can help return on investment than educa- at almost no cost and yet be pro- tion. Education transforms people fi table. For instance when cell beyond imagination. If everyone phones came out, in the begin- has education, they will not be ning, what did cell companies do? poor because they will fi nd a way They sold to affl uent markets. But to keep themselves out of poverty. at some point in time, they began But they can’t have education to see they had to create a model today, because they don’t have to expand the market. Today, In- money, they don’t have a struc- dia has 500 million cell phones. ture and they don’t have teachers. Almost every village has people Because the kind of education who have cell phones. they get in villages is as good as no education. Tomorrow’s edu- ■ And that’s what you are cation has to be based on tomor- trying to do with laptops? row’s technology. If today we use Ye s. computers to work, tomorrow INTERVIEW education without computers will ■ I saw somewhere that be meaningless. So children have you are the CEO of One Lap- to learn how to use computers. top per Child. Is that a com- WITH pany? ■ You are not concerned It’s a not-for-profit orga- with learning about compu- nization. ters. You are talking about Satish Jha learning how to use compu- ■ Does that mean you ters to learn? don’t take a margin? Yes, we don’t believe in com- Yes. We create things and puter education. We believe in whatever our cost is, we distribute using computers for education. The social entrepreneur and CEO things at the same cost. We make computers where you of One Laptop per Child recently gave a lecture don’t have to learn about using ■ And, forgive me for as- computers. You don’t have to learn at the University of Mauritius on his vision king this question, but how do anything. Assume I’m a four-year you live? old child. I don’t know the alpha- of the future of technology in education. We live because we already bet. So what do I do? I just hit an p. 35 [ INTERVIEW] Insert N° 3 • Friday 16 July 2010 l’express icon; it’ll do something and it’s very interes- no matter how much money it requires, who wants to learn English, French, Bho- can talk to them singly, as groups or all to- ting. It makes me very curious. we will fi nd it. jpuri or any other language on this can do gether. No technology in the world can do so. If you imagine that your laptop is like that. If you spend a billion dollars, you can’t ■ But surely you are not trying to ■ But my question is: how is this one hand, this laptop is a complete human create that technology. This thing has cost bypass teachers, are you? technology supposed to reach those being. So to say that they already have lap- us 200 billion dollars. 14 months went into You can learn all of the programmes villagers that you want to educate? tops and it’s a waste of money is thinking making it and it was designed as the next even if there is no teacher. Number one, education is a state with the experience of yesterday. Innova- century, next decade thing. It has created subject. The right to education. It is go- tion doesn’t happen by thinking in the past. a whole revolution called “netbooks”. The ■ But there comes a point when vernment’s job to give education. And go- It is about how the world should be. It is my “Kindle”, the e-books all came out of this you need to know exactly what you vernment is not doing its job. They spend slate, it is my copy book, it is my life. machine. This machine is a kind of trans- want to do. You can’t do that just by more money than I am asking for, but they formation machine. It has changed the pressing any button? spend it wrongly. ■ Is your visit to Mauritius in course of the computer. Children learn that way. At 5 years connection with marketing your pro- of age when children have only been at ■ They spend it on human re- duct? ■ Why are people still after their home, how much do you think they’ve sources and infrastructure. Are you I don’t market my product. I only share black executive type laptops? learned? A lot. But do they go to school for telling me this is going to replace the what I know. My point is this: do you want Children are not after those. Only that? No. They observe, they learn. And teacher and the school in a village? to get ahead? If you don’t want to get ahead adults are. just think of it this way: most homes have Today a typical village in India has you don’t need me. 10. 12, 13 year olds who become the tech- 1000 villagers and about 30 students from ■ You gave a lecture at the nology heads of that home. Parents don’t grade 1 to grade 4, sitting in one class with ■ What makes you the best way University of Mauritius which I teach them technology. Schools don’t one teacher. That is no education at all; it is for us to get ahead? was unable to attend. What did I teach them technology. What happens to a waste of resources. 96% of these children I’ll tell you why. This (pointing to his miss? them? How do they learn? They pick it up. don’t become more than domestic help. model) was designed for situations where You missed the experience of The idea is that you pick it up. children cannot afford the best of educa- fi guring out how you can change ■ So the Ministry has to buy a tions. It offers them the same education Mauritius with the help of something ■ And this is meant for children? laptop for all of the kids sitting there. children are getting in America and Europe like this. Whatever is happening in Children learn faster with this. This $300 multiplied by 30 per class? at one-hundredth of the price. We don’t go the world today didn’t germ in the laptop is good for even a 50-year-old per- Whatever it is. 40 countries are to those who are rich because they have world today. What you will be using son. It’s a very powerful machine. It’s more doing this. many options. You don’t. in 2030 is already in the labs today. powerful than any laptop you’ve seen in But not many countries or compa- your life. ■ 40 poor countries? ■ The design of this laptop, while nies are equipped to understand Yes, all poor countries. it is cute and all, looks more like so- that. Those who understand, go far ■ How is it more powerful than mething which was designed for chil- ahead. Those who don’t understand the one I use? ■ You may have heard that our dren. also keep on moving but when you It does more things. Minister of education wants to give We decided that children should not measure success, one key difference one laptop to every student in lower 6. be given the same machine as adults. This between success of an extraordinary ■ What do you mean it does more Yes, they discussed it with me before machine was designed for children. It’s kind and success of an ordinary kind things? the elections. been awarded the best design in the world is that those who succeed in extraor- This laptop is fi rst, waterproof. It is twice, in 2007 and in 2008. And The He- dinary ways think ahead. They know shockproof. It’s dustproof. The screen is ■ It this what they have in mind? rald Tribune talked about this as one of the what will be useful to them 20 years good for use under the sun and outside. This $300 laptop? two best products in the last decade.The from now. They begin planning for No laptop works like this. Yes. This is what they should have in Ipod and this. If you give children the same that today. mind. I hope they do. All I know is that they laptop as an adult, you are treating them ■ What does it work on? came to talk to me and said they would put like dwarfs. Children are not dwarfs. They ■ What are your wishes for It can use solar power. Right now, it’s it in their manifesto and they put it in their are children, who will become adults. This Mauritius as you leave tomor- electricity-operated because I don’t have a manifesto. This is not a laptop. This is a goes with them. Other machines will treat row? solar panel, but it can take solar power. This whole PC. them as dwarfs. I think Mauritius should allow laptop takes only one watt of power, com- every child from Grade 1 to 10 to pared to the desktop. It connects with ano- ■ But why should I pay for each ■ What about Lower 6 students? start learning on this laptop. ther machine, even if there is no Internet. child in Lower 6 to get a laptop? Can’t If you give our Lower 6 students so- So, offer them one for free! Every No laptop apart from this one does that. they share? mething like this, they will perhaps child should have one. The govern- It’s very simple. When there was no lap- feel belittled. ment school system must offer one ■ How does this connect with ano- top, there was a slate. You didn’t say share a Why? to every child. If they start learning ther machine without the Internet? slate, so why should you ask them to share on this, they will be very creative. Through what is called Mesh Networ- a laptop now? ■ Because If they work this way, they may king Protocol. it looks like a do even better than they are ■ Yes, but with a slate, you can’t child’s toy. doing now. The gap is between ■ And it can only connect with log on to undesirable sites. This is the doing fine and doing extraor- another machine like this one? Children can’t log on to undesirable world’s best desi- dinary things. Yes, because other machines are not sites on this either. Unless you want them gned laptop. This Interview by intelligent enough. They are not designed to. What happens in companies? We can all is the mother of all like that. log on to pornographic sites, but do we do laptops. You know, Touria PRAYAG that? No, because the company makes it a as a teacher, if I ■ How much would one of these policy to put a fi rewall. You can’t go there. have 30 students, cost me? I can see on the $300. But that includes 230 applica- ■ I still don’t want to pay projector which tions and 100 digital books. In fact, it is vir- for them because student is doing tually free. If you want to buy 100 digital most of these chil- what and I books, it would normally cost you about dren already have $500. laptops anyway. The normal laptop ■ But it’s still a lot of money for is not for learning; it’s for ac- a lot of people in many parts of the tivity. This is for learning. world. No. What we are saying is this: if ■ What is learning? you are a fi xed-income person, say Learning is when I try to fi nd out more you get Rs. 1000 a month and I ask and more and more. This laptop from the you to buy something that costs Rs. beginning is designed to challenge the 5000, you’ll never buy it. If you are a mind. It makes learning fun. It comes with 22-year-old boy who’s enterprising 230 applications. What I gave you was for and you only have $ 200 in your poc- 4 year olds. We have not gone into com- ket, you will fi nd another $ 100 to have plexity. This is the only laptop in the world it. If in my country (India), to educate where Wikipedia is preloaded. And lan- my people is an idea we believe in, then guages. Somebody, say a 17 year old child, l’express [ Friday 16 July 2010 • Insert N° 3 [COVERSTORY ] p. 36 Swine fl u Mishandling a dange LIBRARY PHOTOS LIBRARY

Doctor and patients taking full precautions against infection.

ut of 124 people ti-viral drug. When the virus H1N1 pandemic. communiqué by the ministry. who tested posi- reappeared in February this It reads thus: “Today, The ministry of Health is the tive to the H1N1 year, it was kept as a closely- since the H1N1 pandemic only one to be blamed for Ovirus, only one guarded secret by the then mi- virus is now the dominant what has happened,” says a died of the disease, ac- nister for Health, Rajesh Jeetah. infl uenza virus circulating private practitioner. cording to the minister of Hiding facts and fi gures worldwide, most cases of in- He might not be totally Health, Maya Hanoomanjee. on chikungunya, dengue fever fl uenza-like illnesses are likely mistaken. The president of But make no mistake, this and swine fl u seems to be a pandemic infl uenza. Typical the Union of Private Prac- virus is highly contagious common feature in Mauritius, symptoms to watch for in- titioners, Dr Mohammad and is dangerous and very an up-market tourist destina- clude fever, cough, headache, Isshaq Jowahir, is not wrong virulent. It kills in a matter tion that does it level best not body aches, sore throat and a when he says that the case has of days. to scare visitors away. runny nose.” been handled lightly by the A peak of this pandemic, The black-out on this WHO advises health care ministry of Health. last year, left our hospitals year’s outbreak of swine flu providers to treat people with In fact, the University overcrowded and our schools has nevertheless been a ter- infl uenza-like illness based of Mauritius and some pri- had to close for weeks. There rible mistake and a case of on their symptoms and the vate companies have so far were also some deaths and a mismanagement of an on- progress of their illness, and handled the case with much rush for the Tamifl u, the an- coming sanitary crisis. But not to wait for laboratory more responsibility than the the ministry of Health is not confi rmation of pandemic in- ministry of Health. the only one to be blamed fl uenza. The pandemic H1N1 The university today has over what has happened in virus has already spread notices on most of its doors recent days. worldwide. Warnings posted asking students and staff How to behave if you have swine fl u “Had we been warned that on the 14th January this year members presenting swine swine fl u was again present in and still available at the fol- fl u like symptoms to stay at If you feel unwell, have a fever, cough or sore throat, the WHO Mauritius, we would have ta- lowing address: http://www. home. They are also advised advises you to stay at home and keep away from work, school ken our precautions. We are who.int/csr/disease/swinefl u/ not to overcrowd corridors or crowds;rest and take plenty of fl uids; cover your coughs and wondering if the life of Mr frequently_asked_questions/ and not to be more than fi ve sneezes. If using tissues, make sure you dispose of them care- White could have been saved what/en/index.html people in the elevators. fully. Clean your hands immediately after with soap and wa- had his doctors thought about Mauritius being what it is, This is not panic, but me- ter or cleanse them with an alcohol-based hand rub; if you do swine fl u and started the anti- neither private practitioners rely the protocol of the WHO not have a tissue close by when you cough or sneeze, coveryour viral treatment when antibio- nor most of the ministry’s addressed to all those having mouth as much as possible with the crook of your elbow; use tics failed the fi rst time,” said doctors were willing to take swine fl u-like symptoms. The a mask to help you contain the spread of droplets when you a private sector doctor. the blame on their shoulders. ministry of Health should have arearound others, but be sure to do so correctly; inform family This statement is a confes- “The ministry of Health come up with similar warnings and friends about your illness and try to avoid contact with sion that private practitioners should have warned us that at the beginning of the winter other people; If possible, contact a health professional before have made a lethal mistake there were cases of swine fl u in season. (See inset) travelling to a health facility to discuss whether a medical exa- by ignoring the World Health the country and the warning mination is necessary. Organization’s web-site war- you are talking about should ning doctors concerning the have been the object of a press Raj JUGERNAUTH p.37 [COVERSTORY Insert N° 3 • Friday 16 July 2010 ] l’express

Throwing our High-Heeled] vaccines down the drain

Mauritius will probably have to throw erous virus away most of the swine fl u vaccine available since the beginning of By Deepa BHOOKHUN this year. According to the minister of Health, Maya Hanoomanjee, Bravo! 171, 387 doses of the vaccine are available in the country. But only So it’s not that hard, is it to be efficient and 5, 613 persons have re- to do a good job? Before I get any more caustic, ceived the jab. let me start by saying a huge bravo to the police It is most probable that force for the prompt and competent way they the country will have to have managed to capture the 34 escaped priso- throw away most of these ners. They have done everything right- they have doses, as was the case in communicated with the press and the public; France. Not only because they have come to terms with the fact that they of the expiry date, but needed the public’s support if they were to do a also because of problems good job and they have kept an open mind about in the cold chain. the whole situation. What’s more, they have Why have only 5, 613 shown us that the police force that we often de- people been vaccinated ride has the resources to be professional. so far? The answer lies In return the police have gained something in the fact that when they were fearfully in shortage of- the respect of vaccination started for the public. senior citizens, it was Isn’t that wonderful? accompanied by a very Well not exactly. Human nature being what it low profi le campaign. is, the dizziness of the glory will soon fade, the po- It was mostly through lice officers who have been the press’ best friend press communiqués these past weeks, will soon wake up to realize that that people were infor- we’re on different sides and life will take over. med about the date and This is precisely what shouldn’t happen. Be- Above: Advice to students at the University of Mauritius. place of the vaccination. cause when everything is said and done, we are Below: The anti-viral drug used to treat swine fl u. Nothing more. on the same side. The police needn’t be and Minister Hanoomanjee shouldn’t be at the beck and call of politicians. is perhaps not to be The police needn’t have agendas, political or blamed on this count. otherwise. When the campaign The partnership shouldn’t be with the politi- started, she was a new- cians but with us, the public. After all, they do ly-appointed minister their job on our behalf. Our taxes pay their sala- and should have been ries (and I say this with the utmost respect for the briefed by the mi- dignity of our civil servants), the service they give nistry’s staff. to the country is in our name. In fact, the Com- Communication in this missioner of Police, though under the direction of ministry is also a huge the Prime minister, doesn’t- and shouldn’t- take problem. L’express orders from the PM in the day-to-day running of Weekly sought details the police force. The head of government is only and asked to talk to the supposed to give directives of a general nature minister on Tuesday. to the police. We have seen these past weeks that Her secretary told us where the leadership is competent, the system that she was taken up in works. parliament and asked So let’s empower our police officers. Let’s stop us to talk to one Gérard treating them like the politicians’ little helpers- in Naina who she said is the hope that they can stop acting in this way. It The WHO protocol on swine fl u the newly-appointed is also to be hoped that if we give police officers press attaché. This gent- their due recognition and the means to do their The World Health Organisation (WHO)published, in January leman was never avai- job, they will stop acting like brutes towards those this year, in its global alert and response, an updated protocol lable on the phone. in their custody. Much is not know about the ex- for protection against swine fl u. It highlights that the main route Then the minister’s se- tent of police brutality in the country but there’s of transmission of the infl uenza virus seems to be similar to that cretary told us that she one inalienable fact: the oppressed will become of seasonal infl uenza, via droplets that are expelled by speaking, had made a mistake, the oppressors. sneezing or coughing. that Mr Naina is only And then maybe we need some political will to The following measures are prescribed to avoid infection: an adviser (we still do make things work. The National Human Rights keep your distance from people who show symptoms of not know on what mat- Commission is, to all intents and purposes, in infl uenza-like illness, such as coughing and sneezing (try to ter) and that the minis- limbo. At this point in time, it has only a Pre- maintain a distance of about 1 metre if possible); ter would also not be sident for member. Its entire work is shrouded clean hands thoroughly with soap and water or with an available the next day in secrecy and opacity. Its independence is ques- alcohol-based hand rub on a regular basis (especially if touching for she would have to tionable; it has limited power and an even more surfaces that are potentially contaminated); meet her mandates on limited will to do things properly. avoid touching your mouth, nose and eyes as much as possible; Wednesday at Chemin Seeing as we don’t even know that politicians reduce the time spent in crowded settings if possible; Grenier. The secretary even want to do well, our best bet is the police improve airfl ow in your living space by opening windows; promised to send a themselves. We don’t ask for much; just that they practise good health habits (including adequate sleep, eating message to the minis- work conscientiously. nutritious food, and keeping physically active); and ter and that the latter They’ve just proved that they are perfectly get yourself (or family members aged 6 months and older) would certainly reply. competent to do just that. vaccinated against the pandemic infl uenza, if possible. We are still waiting. l’express [ Friday 16 July 2010 • Insert N° 3 THIS IS MAURITIUS p. 38 Horse Racing in Mauritius A magnet for gamblers and horse-lovers, the race itself is only one of the attractions at the Champ de Mars, where there is something for everyone on a Saturday. LIBRARY PHOTOS LIBRARY

t is common knowledge: people in the hillside stand, and intelligible pitch of the commen- if, during the racing sea- 12,000 in the free access centre tator, this tension transforms into son (from late March to of the track. However, on days excitement, which, mirroring the Iearly December), you when “classic” races are held, former tension, rises as the race have business in Port Louis attendance can skyrocket to develops. In the fi nal home run, on a Saturday, and especially a crowd of 50,000 people. In near everyone is at it, urging on if you have to get there by such cases, it is not rare to see their favourites and cursing those car, you’d better leave earlier onlookers on the roofs of cars or who should not be in the lead. In than expected and arm your- even nearby houses so that they scant minutes, the race is over, the self with patience. Indeed, will not miss the big race. One excitement dies down; the win- Saturday is racing day, and might argue that they would be ners congratulate each other, the the streets of the capital are better off watching it on televi- losers think they’ll do better next crowded by the multitude of sion from the comfort of their time. And in between the races, in people that converge from all homes, but the atmosphere at between the moments fi lled with parts of the island to attend the Champ-de-Mars is so unique, strong emotion, the crowd goes races. Thus, roads get blocked, so electrifying, that it is absolu- and fi nds something else to do. nerves are tried, but the fact tely worth it to be there. Maybe one of the biggest remains; rain or shine, a racing reasons for the high rate of atten- day will attract a large number What to expect dance is that there is something of spectators to Champ-de- for everyone at the race track. Mars, the one – and the only at the races People of all ages, cultural and – race track in Mauritius. The typical race meeting social backgrounds make the Horse racing can boast of consists of eight races, with a half trip to Champ-de-Mars for a being the most popular sport in hour interval in between. The variety of reasons. Some make Mauritius, with a vast gambling lead up to each race is characteri- it a family outing – an occasion choice, important media cove- sed by a matching rise in tension; to introduce the children to the rage, and an extraordinarily high gamblers rush to place the last world of horse racing, the fasci- level of attendance. The sport bets, there’s a bustle as the crowd nation of watching the noble ani- has been growing in popularity moves back to their seats or tries mals strain to be fi rst to cross the since its institution in 1812 and to fi nd the best vantage points. line. Others, somewhat oblivious the main changes to have been The horses, glossy and chomping to the specifi cs of the sport itself, brought to the track have been at the bit, seem to feel this tension come for the gambling; whether better facilities to accommo- when getting on to the race track. on their own or with friends, date race-goers. Whilst initially As they begin entering the star- they impatiently await each race, it had no permanent stands, ting blocks, everyone anticipates hoping that the next will bring some were built in 1909 and up- the race ahead. The horse owners them luck and fortune. Those graded in 1927, 1939 and 1954. are anxious for the race to start yet with more direct connections to In 1986, new stands were built apprehensive of the results. The the races are there too, of course on the hillside to accommodate gamblers hold on to their good – horse owners and trainers are an ever growing crowd. As a luck charms. Tension reaches its left to run each possible outcome result, on an average race day, apotheosis in the seconds before of the race in their minds, hoping around 24,500 people are in the opening of the starting blocks’ – sometimes against hope – that comfortable attendance - 9,000 doors. And once they’re off, fol- their horse may (fi nally) win. The Under starters orders. people in the grand stand, 3,500 lowed by the familiar yet barely interest of a day at the races is not p. 39 THIS IS MAURITIUS Insert N° 3 • Friday 16 July 2010 l’express Horse Racing

limited to the horses, however; in select few that have access to the open area at the centre of the these lodges, the race course is a race track, there exists a myriad social tool, too. Each race is fol- of things that can be done. In lowed with attention, and then fact, amidst all the food vendors, discussed; it is an opportunity to artisans showing their wares trade the latest racing gossip, to and other activities available, it make new connections, to mingle would be quite possible to go with others from the milieu. to the races, and not see a single In short, a day at Champ- bit of the action, because there de-Mars has this little Mau- is enough side-entertainment ritian touch that racetracks to distract from the sport itself. of other countries cannot ap- Even though the centre open area proach. It is not a place reser- may take on the look of a “fancy ved for a certain, privileged part fair” sometimes, the atmosphere of society, but is something that is completely different in the pri- everyone can enjoy. We’ll see Early morning exercise. vate lodges. Here, the dress code you next Saturday! is formal, the stakes somewhat higher. For the comparatively R.L

Champ-de-Mars: A history The Champ-de-Mars racing track is a well-known of the oldest in the world. On the 25th June 1812, landmark for Mauritians; situated in the capi- the racecourse was inaugurated and the ﬁ rst race tal city, it houses, apart from the races, political meeting ever carried out in the island was held. meetings and other events that have nothing to do The Mauritius Jockey Club was founded in 1904 with the sport. However, few know of the colourful by Raoul Gufﬂ et, George Rougier Lagane and history behind the construction of this racetrack Willy Dawson and contributed to the promotion and the foundation of the regular race meetings. of horse-racing in the island. The Mauritius Jockey It was in 1810 that British Army Colonel Edward Club and the Mauritius Turf Club merged in 1958. Alured Draper reached the island, not long after Since the inauguration of Champ-de-Mars, races the conquest of Mauritius by the British in August have been held regularly, with special meetings of the same year. Aware of the tensions between commemorating notable events in the country. the new British occupants and the French popula- For instance, special meetings were organized tion, the Colonel believed that, if brought together for the visit of King George VI and Queen Eliza- in such a leisurely activity as horse racing, the ri- beth (then the Duke and Duchess of York) in 1927, valry between the two groups might ease. Sir Ro- the Bicentenary of the city of Port-Louis, and the bert Farquhar, then governor of the island, backed victory in both world wars. Renowned visitors to the idea, and two years later, in 1812, the Mauri- the island, such as Mrs. Indhira Gandhi and Mr. tius Turf Club was founded. It is the oldest racing Léopold Sedar Senghor, also attended racing days. club in the southern hemisphere, and indeed one l’express [ Friday 16 July 2010 • Insert N°3 STRAIGHTTALK] p. 40 Creole and Bhojpuri - do they

We offer diametri- cally opposed view- points in our debate this week about the use of the mother tongue as a medium of instruction. Some see it as the solution to the learning difficulties some children face while others feel that the problem may be elsewhere and that the use of Creole and Bhojpuri may make things worse.

The Mother Tongue as Medium

Let’s get to the science rents – though, the science of our children. But the other of “bred”, let alone “bred of the matter. Introducing of a thorough survey says, part of language acquisition, tufe” or “buyon bred”. But the mother-tongues “as op- only one-third of parents are “Cognitive-Academic Linguis- these terms, like tens of thou- tional subjects” as Minister against Kreol as medium. tic Profi ciency” (CALP), cannot sands of others, are sources Bunwaree proposes, is beside Human language, what be acquired through a language of immense cultural riches the point. If on a par with we speak naturally, otherwise that is not the mother-tongue. to us and our children, and “ancestral languages”, then known as the mother-tongue, And CALP is necessary for the they evoke dozens of cultural that is positively bizarre. But is no longer merely a “policy abstract level of thinking requi- variations in our minds. Si- there’s no harm discussing it option”. It is now known to be red in higher education. And, milarly, the terms “fatchak”, in a National Forum. our means of understanding the wonderfully, as this high-level “anba labutik”, “dispanser” However, what is essen- world. It is our natural thinking- capacity is acquired in Kreol or or “spesyal rut” are all compli- tial is immediately to begin tool as human beings. It is our Bhojpuri, it is easily transferred cated social realities, well-nigh to introduce Kreol and Bho- children’s natural thinking tool. to English, French, Hindi, etc, un-translatable, but known Lindsey COLLEN jpuri as medium for teachi- What happens is that our chil- when they are learnt as subjects. intimately to children from a ng of content subjects. This dren’s means of understanding young age. An entire heritage means text-books, teachers, the world, their thinking tool, is Emotional Harm is destroyed by suppressing students, headmasters, ins- harmed when it is suppressed these concepts in schools. And pectors, teacher-trainers, in schools. These were the fi n- Second, we do emotional then they are replaced by a trainers of trainers, exami- dings of a high level Internatio- harm by suppressing the mother bland, unidimensional “vege- nations, must begin to move nal Hearing held in Mauritius tongues in school. Children are table”, “splat”, “at the shop”, into the language they should in 2009. Schools are harming in touch with their own feelings “dispensary” (whatever that always have been in at scho- our children. Now, however through their mother tongue. might mean), or “rented bus” ol i.e. the mother tongue. hard it is for us to face this dif- Suppressing the mother tongue – the empty terms of some The core content subjects in fi cult fact, we will have to do so makes children unhappy, inse- cultural desert. school world-wide are much in order to stop harming them. cure, ashamed and ill-at-ease. So, once we know we are the same: science, social We as parents, we as teachers, They lose out on wit, as well as on doing harm, it is politically science, history, mathema- we as policy-makers. all the asides, the tenderness, the and philosophically impera- tics, computer science, and irony, the mild disapproval, the tive that we immediately be- so on. These must be learnt Intellectual Harm gentle encouragement, the puns, gin the process of stopping in the child’s language. The the different registers, all of which doing this harm. There are other core subjects are rea- First, we are doing intellec- are transmitted naturally through no two ways about it. Kreol ding, writing, spelling and tual harm. We are damaging the a common mother tongue from and Bhojpuri need to be in- grammar, which are col- supple, natural, subtle, multi- teacher to children. troduced for content subjects lectively called “language dimensional natural intellectual and language arts, and the arts”, obviously the arts of tool of our children. Scientists Cultural Harm process of introducing them the child’s own language. inform us that there are two must begin now. We cannot, Which does not mean other levels of language acquisition Third we do cultural harm once harm has been proven, languages cannot be intro- at school: There are “Basic In- to our children by suppressing continue, ostrich-like, as if it duced as subjects. Nor does terpersonal Communication the mother tongues. There had not. So a National Forum it mean banning English Skills” (BICS), which can be is no word, for example, in by all means, but introduce textbooks; they can remain acquired in a foreign language. English or French, that ex- the mother tongues as me- alongside, for reassuring pa- They are acquired by 30-40% presses the cultural concept dium from now. p. 41 STRAIGHTTALK ] Insert N° 3 •Friday 16 July 2010 l’express have a place in education ? The issues behind the failure rate

The high rate of failure, year environment’ as Mauritians who Empowerment has a lot on its the medium of instruction can be in, year out, at the CPE exam is a have in the past emigrated to other plate to deal with the issue of Chinese, Malay, Tamil or English matter of concern for policy ma- countries can testify how their poverty and unemployment. . in pre-school and lower primary kers, educationists and social wor- children picked up the language of But let us come back to the education, English is the medium kers, not to mention employers their new environment in no time. question of Kreol and Bhojpuri. of instruction at the upper prima- and others. But the solution to the We have to be clear about how ry stage and beyond. problem is neither simple nor easy. Social and economic they should be utilized and for It would be wise on our part The problem of failure is in- conditions how long. Medium of instruction to study the Singaporean mo- deed a complex one and is not due or subjects to be studied on their del, which can help us make the to one factor only. Is it a question Coming back to the issue, own in the school curriculum or appropriate decision. We should of the medium of instruction? Is the root cause of failure may be both? To address these issues pro- also be aware of the advantage we the curriculum overburdened and found in the situation in which perly, we have to look at the larger have over other countries by ha- Surendra BISSOONDOYAL too academically oriented? Is the children start learning two or picture ---the place of Mauritius ving easy access not only to En- pedagogy to blame? Do the socio- three new languages as from in the global village. glish and French but also to other economic status of the parents and the age of fi ve. But is language languages which are making their their environment infl uence the the only barrier to progress The Singapore mark on the international scene children’s progress in the educatio- and success? Why is the rate model like Chinese, Arabic and a num- nal fi eld? The reasons are complex, of failure so high among the ber of Indian languages. and we should refrain from making children of the underprivile- Kreol is the undisputed lingua We are living in a world which hasty and partial judgments about ged classes of society? These franca of all Mauritians and this has already become a global vil- the causes of failure. children come from families has happened without it being lage but is also evolving in a way Commonsense however dic- who have to worry about the imposed on anybody. Singapore which will make Mauritians who tates that that the transmission conditions under which they wanted Singaporeans to choose can master different internatio- of knowledge has to proceed live rather than the schooling from among English-medium, nal languages have an edge over from the known to the unknown. and education of their children. Chinese-medium, Malay-me- others. Without, of course, forget- There is no quarrel about that These social and economic dium and Tamil-medium schools. ting that in the end it is the child and the language of the envi- conditions have made them But the overwhelming majority of who should be at the centre of our ronment has to be utilized in the despair of seeing a brighter Singaporeans (75% of whom are concern and how s/he will relate to early years during which a child future for themselves and their of Chinese origin) chose to have tomorrow’s Mauritius and tomor- is being educated. children. The Ministry of So- their children educated in English- row’s world, not the CPE which, I use the term ‘language of the cial Integration and Economic medium schools. Today, whilst hopefully, is on its way out …

Bhojpuri not comparable with Creole

Bhojpuri is not a ‘Creole lan- language, “langage bitation”, fessor John McWhorter is promo- dead slave language by grafting guage’ born in slavery. It belongs which some also referred to as ting a “Creole Genesis Theory” it on to the evolving Mauritian to the Indo-European/Iranian/ “Motia Hindi” (vulgar Hindi), according to which the fi rst patois, which they call “Kreol”, Aryan group with Bihari lan- while “Broken French” was human language was a Creole written by systematically butche- guages like Maithili, Magahi and promoted as a town’s “modern” and that there is allegedly a bit ring academic orthography and Bhojpuri as a sub-group. It is language under the name of of Creole in all of us, without phonology through the use of a spoken in Western Bihar and Eas- Creole of European/Haitian any empirical evidence. ‘new’ script called tantôt “Gra- tern Uttar Pradesh with around import. Urban folks and villa- Creole is necessarily based fi larmoni” tantôt “Grafi Ar- 150 million speakers worldwide. gers fell victim to such propa- on a European language, such as moni”, now acclaimed by some Bhojpuri is a dialect of Hindi and ganda and shunned Bhojpuri in English, Spanish, Portuguese and as “prestigious” and allegedly it also interacted with several other public while ignoring the politics French. In freedom, liberated deserving to be used and taught languages such as Bangla and behind it all. Indo-Mauritians slaves left behind the language of in our primary education system M. Rafi c SOORMALLY Persian and has a huge and rich started to lose their identity. slavery and moved on. They also where children are at their most vocabulary shared with Sanskrit, interacted with other Mauritian vulnerable. The Seychelles tried Hindi and Urdu. It is written in Defi ning Creole non-African immigrants. The a similar experiment but it failed the Devanagri script like Hindi. lingua franca that emerged was dismally. Although the term Politicians Lal Bahadur Shastri But, the Portuguese/Spanish not Creole anymore but a Mau- Creole is still used in common and Chandra Shekar, and writer term Creole is faced with a huge ritian “sabir” or “patois” enriched parlance, Creole was a spoken Viveki Rai are famous Bhojpuri defi nition problem. A Creole can with Hindi, Bhojpuri, Urdu, Tamil language of slaves local to the personalities. Bhojpuri cinema refer to ethnicity - a White Euro- and Mandarin vocabulary and colony and rejected in freedom. ranges from Gunga Jumuna (Di- pean born in slave colonies such as expressions, spoken differently A fabricated language (since lip Kumar & Vyjayanthimala) Martinique, Guadeloupe, Mau- in different parts of the island, the 1960’s), called by any name, and Ganga (Amitabh Bach- ritius. It also refers to plants and but still French-based. It can be which teaches a child to spell chan & Hema Malini) to Sasura animals in those colonies. Creole phonetically written in any script “l’éducation” as “ledikasyon” Bade Paisewala (Manoj Tiwari) was also the spoken language (Latin, Devanagri, Arabic). and which butchers the French and Udit Narayan’s fi lm ‘’Kab imposed by the Slave Masters language can never be benefi - Hoii Gawna Hamaar’’. Bho- on African slaves in those colo- A Risky Experiment cial for the child and should ne- jpuri words have always been nies, language which they trea- ver be introduced in the school part of the Bollywood lexicon. ted with contempt and through Academically speaking, a pa- curriculum, even as an option. Had Mauritius distributed the which they became known as tois is spoken but not written and Bhojpuri and Creole are not hundreds of fi lms produced in Creoles, meaning those who does not form literary works. By comparable languages. Bhoj- Bhojpuri and also attempted to speak Creole. Alternative names stripping it of most of its Asian puri is a fully-fl edged ancestral make its own, the culture would for Creole language in Mauritius ingrowths and outgrowths “épu- language of around two-thirds have fl ourished. are mind boggling – Morisyen, ration linguistique”, an ethno- of the Mauritian population, The 1960’s Mauritius saw Kreol, Kreole, Mauritius Creole political movement has, since with a script and literature which Bhojpuri catalogued as a village French…African-American Pro- the 1960’s, tried to revive the date back several centuries. l’express [ Friday 16 July 2010 • Insert N°3 BUSINESS] p. 42 In brief ] Zambia cuts call charges by 40% MTN Group will slash international call rates by about 40 percent in Zambia after the southern African country opened up access to and cut the licensing fees for international gateway facilities. Zamtel, the country’s fixed-line phone opera- tor, used to control the Gold set sole gateway and char- ged private operators high fees for using it, but Zambia last week allowed other operators to to reggain allure set up their own facilities and cut the five-year old edged up this responding to lessening investor see some gains,” said Phillip Fu- international gateway week after China’s interest in taking on risk after a tures’ Ong Yi Ling. licensing fee to $300,000 growth data for downbeat assessment of the “The pace of the economic from $8 million. Gthe second quar- U.S. economic recovery by the recovery is slowing. This is rein- ter was slightly weaker than Federal Reserve. forced by the Fed’s minutes and Puma has expected, helping revive the Technically, it is expected weak retail sales fi gures yester- business leaping precious metal’s allure as a to rise to $1,223 as the second day and also the weaker than hedge at a time of economic upward wave “c” is unfol- expected Chinese economic German sporting goods uncertainty. ding within a rising channel. fi gures. This may drive inves- maker Puma sees good Meanwhile, economists Thursday’s data showed China’s tors to seek out gold as a form prospects in Africa and expect Beijing to make no dra- economy slowed in the second of portfolio insurance.” expects the World Cup to matic policy response to Thur- quarter as the government stee- In other financial mar- boost sales of its soccer sday’s data, which is seen as red monetary and fi scal policy kets, the Australian dollar business, Chief Execu- positive for the precious metal’s back to normal after a record jumped about 0.3 percentage tive Officer Jochen Zeitz demand in China, analysts said. credit surge last year to counter point, paring earlier losses, said this week. Puma, “The GDP fi gure is still the global crisis. while U.S. S&P stock fu- the world’s No. 3 behind relatively good, and that could China’s annual gross do- tures erased earlier losses on U.S. sporting giant Nike prompt the Chinese to buy mestic product growth mo- Thursday after a series of and German rival Adi- some amount of gold. So I see derated to 10.3 percent from Chinese data eased worries das, equips seven teams an up trend in the gold-friendly 11.9 percent in the fi rst quar- about a slowdown in China. -- including Italy and country,” said Ong Yi Ling, in- ter. The reading was slightly The pace The world’s largest gold- four African teams -- in vestment analyst at Phillip Fu- below the market forecast of backed exchange-traded fund, the World Cup currently tures in Singapore. 10.5 percent growth. of the the SPDR Gold Trust, said hol- taking place in South Spot gold was at $1,212.45 U.S. gold futures for dings stood at 1,314.819 tonnes Africa. Zeitz said in an per ounce- up 0.4 percent August delivery rose $5.10 as of Wednesday, unchanged for interview that Puma’s from late New York levels of or 0.4 percent to $1,212.10 economic the second day in a row. business in Africa, with $1,207.50. It rose to a one-week per ounce. The contract fell The holdings managed the main market South high of $1,217.85 an ounce on $6.50 to $1,207 on Wednes- recovery is to rise earlier this week, re- Africa, has been growing Wednesday. But it later succum- day. versing a downtrend from consistently since the bed to profi t-taking as the euro “The downside for gold ap- slowing. a record 1,320.436 tonnes group first entered the and the U.S. equity markets fell, pears to be capped and we may marked in late June. African market. “We have been growing our business (in Africa) in double-digits ever since we entered Africa,” Zeitz World Bank freezes said. Egypt sees high funds to Central African bank FDI in 2010/11 Egypt aims to attract The World Bank has frozen African Republic, Chad and said this week it had halted funds about $8 billion in funds to a regional bank used by Congo Republic, known as the to BEAC because of its failure to foreign direct invest- Central African countries after Economic Community of Cen- clear up concerns over its ac- ment (FDI) and boost fraud and corruption concerns tral African States (CEMAC). counts that surfaced during an economic growth to 5.8 raised by the International Mo- The World Bank provides investigation into irregularities percent in the fiscal year netary Fund, a spokeswoman support to the BEAC under at its Paris offi ce last year. that begins July 2010, the said on Wednesday. a $50 million regional project The IMF, in response to Economic Development The spokeswoman explai- to strengthen institutions. The inquiries by Reuters, said it Ministry announced ned that further disbursements BEAC’s share of that is about was working with BEAC to this week. Figures pu- for the Bank of Central African $14.5 million of which $9 mil- help “address the underlying blished by the ministry States (BEAC) would be frozen lion has already been disbursed. issues that allowed the fraud in a report on its website “until concerns over BEAC’s ac- The World Bank’s lending to take place.” projected foreign direct counts have been resolved”. “We for development projects do not In a letter to BEAC in May, investment would reach take these issues very seriously,” fl ow through BEAC and there- IMF Africa Director Antoinette $5.5 billion this fiscal she said. fore are not affected. Sayeh, an ex-fi nance minis- year, which ends June 30, The BEAC acts as the cen- The development insti- ter for Liberia, questioned the and gross domestic pro- tral bank for Gabon, Equatorial tution’s actions follow an an- “lack of receipts for transactions duct (GDP) would grow Guinea, Cameroon, Central nouncement by the IMF which worth nearly 5 billion euros”. by 5.2 percent. p. 43 L’EXPRESSYOURSELF] Insert N° 3 • Friday 16 July 2010 l’express Anecdotes from a Football Pilgrimage (Part 1) Column] Thank you, Africa. Olá Brasil. By Dr Zina VALAYDON

Blood Pressure: What is the fuss all about? ypertension (or high blood pressure) is a common medical preoccupation. There is a lot of anxiety around blood pressure- the highs, the Hlows, the fl uctuations, the drugs and so on. In fact, the treatment of hypertension is the most common cause of private doctors’ visits and is likely to remain so as the population ages. First,F let us get some fi gures straight: the optimum bloodbloo pressure is 120/80. Anything greater than 140/90 is consideredcon high. The diagnosis of hypertension cannot be madema based on one single measurement at the doctor’s or the pharmacist’s due to the phenomenon of White CoatC Hypertension (and no, this is not a clever joke I World Cup fever was high in South Africa this past month justju made up). It is a mechanism whereby blood pres- and gave Mauritian fans a once-in-a-lifetime experience. sures increases as a result of anxiety. This happens in abouta 25% of patients so to truly diagnose hypertension, theth blood pressure should be recorded on three separate ❏ Brazilian for a night decisive goal in injury time), occasions.occ Whilst this may sound impractical, accuracy is Thiago’s English was as bro- I felt a little like Paul the Octo- imperativeimp as a false diagnosis means a lifetime of unne- ken as my Spanish, but with a pus, and I wished I was in Pre- cessarycess pills. generous dose of sign language toria. And when I found myself KeepK in mind also that hypertension is rare in youn- and spanglish, we established humming Shakira’s wonderful ger persons (<50). Young hypertensive patients should be a conexión in the wee hours at waka waka at a high-profi le university, Texas A&M. Talking investigated thoroughly to look for an underlying cause. O.R. Tambo International in meeting, recalling the synchro- of a small world. Eva, a Ger- Risk factors for developing hypertension are: genetic Jo’burg, my stopover between nicity of the intoxicating tune man, was spending six months (one more thing you can blame the parents for), obesity, Mauritius and Cape Town. with her non-lying hips, I star- in South Africa, working at the high cholesterol, excessive alcohol intake and perhaps a Thiago was from Brazil, the ted thinking what to pack. Also, lodge to pay for the trip. She high salt intake. Hypertension can also be secondary to only country on the American I found comfort and inspiration was not supporting Germany other medical problems such as renal problems, certain continent to speak Portuguese, in my colleague Kevin’s words though. “Too mechanical: they tumours, sleep apnea and so on. but he spoke Spanish too. The of wisdom: it’s now or never! don’t play; they work soccer”. Hypertension in itself is NOT a disease but it can lawyer from São Paulo seemed Prices are “tuant, tuant, je te dis,”,a I showed off my multi-lingua- cause serious problems. Perhaps the most dramatic pleased that Brazil has such a travel agent told me. She hinted that lism given half a chance, until I and justifi ably feared consequences are cerebrovascular following in Isla Mauricio. And I should get real about flying within met Andreas, who spoke English, events- strokes and cerebral bleeds. Other equally sinister impressed when I showed off the next few days to catch second French, Spanish, Italian and even complications include cardiac complications (heart fai- my knowledge of the minutia round games - without digging too Japanese – only to realise that lure, heart dilatation) and kidney failure amongst others. along Brazil’s path to glory or deep in my pockets. “People have he was actually German. Or the Therefore, anyone with hypertension should have rou- tears in world cup history. Dun- booked 6 months in advance,” she Portuguese I befriended on the tine blood tests to measure kidney function and choles- ga’s seleção just ousted Chile said. She misjudged my determina- way to the Victoria & Alfred Wa- terol levels, an electrocardiogram to detect any cardiac (3-0) for the third time in the tion. After a long night online, I was terfront (the most visited place in dilatation and a urine test (to check again for renal dys- world cup, and crazy Brazilian all set for a weeklong pilgrimage South Africa) - I thought he knew function) as baseline. supporters swarmed over the for the beautiful game – keeping all European languages, only to The treatment of hypertension can be complex and impressive airport like noisy my budget sane by backpacking, fi nd him casually switch to Zulu, sometimes confusing but the general guidelines are as yellow wasps, with vuvuzelas dormitories and bus travels. Doing to greet friendly hosts. follows: in lieu of antennas. With this as three cities in six nights, with copious I was glad when the Spa- Lifestyle changes: Before you start popping pills, cut backdrop, I was ceremoniously walking, I stretched the limits of niards in the airplane told back the alcohol, get your weight in the normal range, adopted in Thiago’s home town light travel – everything with a slight me “no inglés”, for it was a start some regular exercise. There is some fi erce debate following of the proud fi ve-time chance of underutilisation got the chance to practise my Spa- about cutting back salt in the diet but this can work for world cup winners. I was gifted axe, except for underwear and an nish. But when I turned out some people and not others. And quit smoking while you a splendid yellow Brazilian jer- unfittingly fat 600-page Dan Brown. to be among the few English are at it! This will not really improve your blood pressure, sey and promised free accom- speakers and thus an obliga- to be perfectly honest, but it will decrease your odds of a modation for 2014 edition, in ❏ The backpackers’ spirit tion to be seated at the exit stroke or a heart attack. Brazil. Obrigado amigos! of Ubuntu door in case of emergency, I If despite all of the above, the blood pressure is still ho- In hindsight, I was glad ho- panicked a little bit and won- vering at >140, then it’s time for medication; often a com- ❏This time for Africa tel prices were outrageous. So, dered what the Spanish ver- bination of two tablets will be required to achieve good I have been watching dorms and bathrooms were not sion of “how the hell do we blood pressure control. Be guided by your doctor and as a the availability of tickets on the only things that were shared: get out of here?” was. money-saving tip, generic medication is exactly the same fi fa.com fl uctuate like stock va- backpacking was the chance The whole week felt like as popular brands of tablets but much cheaper. lues for weeks. I initially plan- to meet real people looking, a cheerful UN gathering, So, as a simplistic summary: Make sure your hyper- ned for USA-Algeria, after speaking and behaving so diffe- with encounters of people tension has been properly diagnosed (not your anxiety), predicting that the qualifi ca- rently – but all eager to share, of all colours of the rain- change your lifestyle but don’t obsess over the salt and you tion of the Yanks, my favourite given prevailing Ubuntu. It’s no bow, including the Trinidad- may need to try a few tablets before fi nding the right one team, would narrowly hang cliché: sports unite and level. born Canadian, married to and more importantly, remember that hypertension is a on in that ultimate fi rst round Joe, my room-mate at a Spaniard and cheering risk factor for disease, so by all means treat hypertension game. But when I watched the Riverlodge Backpackers in for Argentina. aggressively but don’t lose sight of the big picture. actual drama unfold at Lof- Cape Town, was a longhorn I should point out that this article is not applicable tus Versfeld Stadium (Landon (i.e. alumnus from University (To be continued) to pregnancy, which has its own guidelines for blood Donovan scored the only and of Texas), archrivals of my own Kreshna GOPAL pressure management. p. 44 [ WE MARK THE SPOT] Insert N°3 • Friday 16 July 2010 l’express Kreol korner] [Book review Relationships and psychology If you are looking for a book to read for pure, simple and un- diluted pleasure, then you really should look no further. Stephen McCauley’s “The Easy Way Out” is one of those books whose story you will forget after a while but what you will not forget is how much pleasure you derived from reading it and how much you laughed at the subtle, tongue-in-cheek, typically British humour. The narrator, Patrick O’Neil is a travel agent living a homo- sexual relationship with Arthur to whom he cannot commit. But the book is not about homosexuality. It is not even about the relationship Patrick has with his parents and his two brothers. It is about human relationships in general between ordinary people. It is about you and me, our squabbles, the pleasures and guilt which inform our love. And it is McCauley’s ear for the language of family squabbles and his consummate understanding of relationships, his shrewd empathy with and insight into people and the great visual and psychological accuracy with which he describes his characters which make the book a masterpiece. His characters are plausible, lovable and forgivable. The story line weaves through a mesh of modern alliances and the humour and attention to detail makes an otherwise simple plot irresistible and the novel so engaging. The novel begins with a phone call, in the middle of the night, from Patrick’s brother, Tony. Patrick reacts to the phone call with plea- Kamarad kamaron – false friend sure as “I was always thrilled to hear the phone ring, the smoke alarm The concept of the false friend who doesn’t have your best interests at heart is a universal one. Yet kreol is probably the sound, a picture fall from the wall or anything that gave me an excuse only language to associate that person with a delicious freshwater critter. Believe it or not, “kamarad kamaron” translates to get out of bed.” Tony was having second thoughts about his en- into “shrimp friend”. A tasty expression indeed… gagement to Loreen. Hardly surprising, “the problem wasn’t that he N.R and Loreen were a mismatched couple; in my opinion, the problem was that they were not a couple at all….their only interest was Tony.” The reader is then treated to a detailed description of Tony’s house which “did not even have the advantage of being dirty.” Through the same tongue-in-cheek humour, we discover the other characters and their relationships and towards the end of the Dinner in Canton novel, they fl are to life with such poignancy and warmth that they become unforgettable. Dive head fi rst into the exquisite fl avours of Can- clay pot or the sizzling Cantonese style bean curd, right The narrator spares no one. He talks with the same humour tonese cuisine, simply by stopping at the Grand Can- off the grill! You are a vegetarian? No problem. The about his own love affairs, “the last of these three entanglements ton Restaurant, situated in Port Louis. The restaurant restaurant has a wide range of vegetarian delicacies. was a three-month-long parody of romantic love with a nonentity opened its doors in May this year, in all its oriental The Grand Canton Restaurant is open from whose name I could never remember. This meaningful relationship charm and splendour, and it specialises in Cantonese 11am to 3pm for lunch and 6pm to 9.30pm for dinner ended when I phoned him one night, got a busy signal and decided cuisine and Dim Sum. If the name is not familiar to everyday, except Tuesday. Evening guests will have the he wasn’t worth the effort of redialing. The feeling was obviously you, Dim Sum is the Cantonese term for a type of privilege of a private parking space that can accommo- mutual, as I never heard from him again. I’d been more remorseful dish that involves small individual portions of food, date around 20 to 25 vehicles, complete with a security about setting mousetraps than I was about ending it with what’s- usually served in a small steamer basket or on a small guard to ensure that you can enjoy your meal with full his-name…” plate. The owner of the restaurant, Mr Lai, is originally peace of mind. The New York Times Book Review describes Stephen Mc- from China and was trained in Hong Kong, where he With its sober yet chic décor, the restaurant is a Cauley as “the secret love child of Edith Wharton and Woody specialised in Dim Sum. He came to Mauritius in the pleasure for the eyes and the palate. The warm and Allen.” I cannot not agree. When you read the book, you will un- late 1970s and in the 80s, he opened the Restaurant friendly service will assure you that you have made derstand why. Canton, also in Port Louis. The Grand Canton Res- the right choice. taurant, which opened 24 years later, is being managed Tel: 2173715, 2173724 Touria PRAYAG by his son Christopher. “Managing the restaurant is a full-time job, with long working hours, but it is worth Melissa LOUIS the sacrifi ce,” says Christopher.

While you can get a small variety of Dim Sums BEEKASH ROOPUNB E E

at the restaurant every day, Sunday is the moment to K A S

enjoy this dining experience. Mr Lai explains that this H R is true to Chinese tradition. Dim Sum is more than O O P

food in China. It is a custom, observed every Sunday U when Cantonese families get together to enjoy Dim N Sum with Chinese tea. A way of bringing the family together for a cheerful and tasty meal. You are more than welcome to do the same at the Grand Canton Restau- rant, but you are advised to reserve beforehand. The delicious Dim Sum treats can be made of vegetables, meats, or seafood, each presented in their respective baskets. Prices vary from Rs. 55 to Rs. 75 per basket, depending on the contents of your choice. The restaurant’s menu also includes unique en- trées, like an unusual jellyfi sh salad. You might want to try the fi sh maw soup, considered a delicacy in Chinese cuisine on par with shark fi n, though less ex- pensive. Alternatively, you can choose from a range of meat dishes, including beef, pork, chicken and fi sh, all served with white rice. If you are into clay pots and sizzling dishes, how about the aubergine and salt fi sh Dim Sums in their traditional Chinese steamers. L’EXPRESSL’EXPRESS WEWEEKLYEKLYG GRAPHICSRAP : NICOLAS SYDNEY