Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Johanne Prosper
Published on 2024-03-19 16:00:35
“We have the right and reason to be proud. We have built ourselves as a nation without shedding a drop of blood,” rejoices Bashir Nuckchady, social observer and former member of the Council of religions.
In the wake of the national celebration, he takes stock of the country’s success while also recognizing the challenges to be faced in the next 50 years. A return to basics is necessary, he believes. “Fifty-six years after acquiring a full identity, the country must rethink the social and moral values that are slipping away day by day and on which it has also built its reputation,” he says, urging the nation to reinvent itself for a “more just, more egalitarian society.”
Bashir Nuckchady looks with pride at his country, which has come a long way since its independence, contrary to the pessimistic and dark predictions of international experts at the time of independence. “We have managed to pull the country out of the doldrums by creating a conducive environment for investments, diversifying our economy, and creating jobs while maintaining, against all odds, the welfare state, particularly with free public health care, education, and old age pension. Compulsory and free education up to the age of 16 has allowed Mauritius, over the past 56 years, to position itself far ahead of many countries in Africa and Asia in terms of educated population,” he acknowledges.
This leads the former member of the board of the African Council of Religious Leaders to affirm that Mauritians have reason to be proud. “We have built ourselves as a nation in just 56 years without shedding a drop of blood. The country did not have to wait decades after 1968 to assert itself, all without the British crutches.”
He further states that Mauritius is often cited as a “miracle of peaceful coexistence” because of the way its inhabitants have roots in Europe, Asia, and Africa, living side by side in harmony and respecting each other’s culture and religion.
“We all love our country, and with what is happening elsewhere, we feel lucky to live here. However, we must instill the idea that we are all in the same boat and that we must cooperate, at home, at work, in our streets, and in our schools, as this is the key to instilling the spirit of tolerance and acceptance of others. We really need to teach our children to work in diverse teams in terms of socioeconomic and ethno-religious backgrounds, as well as academic levels and abilities,” he says.
Despite these positive points, according to Bashir Nuckchady, inequalities in the distribution of income and wealth are widening the gap between the rich and the poor. The eradication of poverty is a major challenge in the current situation. “Among other social ills are the proliferation of drugs, widespread crime, rising unemployment, declining values, etc. Other urgent problems include the increasing aging of the population, the housing crisis, the impact of climate change, environmental degradation, etc.,” he continues.
He strongly regrets that the democratization of the economy has not really taken place and that entrepreneurs still face major obstacles. “Corruption is another major problem. The youth seem disillusioned with politics, and young graduates are worried about their future, with brain drain happening rapidly. We have come a long way in the past five decades. It is now time to reflect on our past mistakes and shortcomings in order to ingeniously plan the next five decades,” he warns.
Bashir Nuckchady emphasizes that values are the foundation of a healthy society. “Times change. But not the values.” Fifty-six years after acquiring a full identity, the country, he continues, “must rethink the social and moral values that are slipping away day by day and on which it has also built its reputation.”
“The erosion of values that we are witnessing in all spheres of society must alert us. We cannot remain indifferent and silent in the face of the trivialization, even standardization, of incivilities that manifest everywhere, on the street, at work, at school, in hospitals, in all these public places we all frequent. If nothing is done to reiterate the importance and practice of values, a day will come when national awareness campaigns on the subject will be necessary,” he suggests in the current situation.
According to his observation, unlike 30-40 years ago, kindness and courtesy, two characteristics that defined the Mauritian, are no longer instinctive and spontaneous. “Yet it is within the walls of a training center that we relearn to say Hello, Thank you, Excuse me, or to smile at others,” he regrets. He thus invites the population, in the context of national celebrations, to take the time to stop and look back and try to understand how and why moral values, the principles that govern the life of a citizen of our Republic, are disappearing. “Why are courtesy and respect for the traffic code also escaping many drivers, increasingly irresponsible and disrespectful on the road? Why are incivilities taking over the daily lives of Mauritians? Why do ethical and human values seem incompatible with contemporary life, dictated by consumerism? Blaming anyone would be useless. It would be more logical for each of us to correct our course. And not make the mistake of believing that education will take care of it,” he wonders.
In addition to moral values requiring special attention, inequalities in our society must also be corrected, he believes. “There has been an ongoing struggle for equality for civil rights, the rights of disabled persons, and women’s rights, but this is about greater economic equality. It surpasses our imaginations to think that in a welfare state, workers have to go on hunger strikes to get a supposedly decent salary and obtain justice. This is a pure case of economic hardship, and the sad story is that the degree of inequality in a country is largely determined by cases of economic hardship. Greater equality does not mean that all people should live in the same type of house or do the same work, but that they should strive for more respect and be rewarded for the work they do.”
He calls on Mauritian citizens to prepare for the next 50 years by reinventing themselves. “This starts by thinking about a new social model and defining the appropriate directions and institutions for a new, more just, more egalitarian society, free from the barriers imposed by international institutions controlled by the West. We need concrete proposals, with practical methods of implementation and pedagogy, to explain simply and directly what needs to change, how, and why! It is only under this condition that we can overcome the obstacles that stand in our way,” he emphasizes.
Read the original article(French) on Le Mauricien
