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“We’ll always support India”
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 Prime Minister of Mauritius Navinchandra Ramgoolam was chosen as the representative of the 25 million strong Indian diaspora as chief guest at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2008. He took time out to speak with Editor Sayantan Chakravarty in what turned out to be an exclusive interview. The interview reiterated something we at INDIA EMPIRE have said all along, that Ramgoolam is a man whose articulation leaves everyone impressed
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The invitation extended to you by the Government of India to be the Chief Guest at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2008 is no doubt a recognition of the important position of Mauritius in the PIO world. Your comments…
You are right. Mauritius occupies a major position in the PIO community. Mauritius was the first country where the experiment with indentured labour from India was tried out. Only after this were people sent to work in other parts of the world. Our ancestors were treated like beasts of burden. They were given very little food, and a pittance as remuneration. When they disembarked after their journey in Mauritius, they were cleaned with water gushing out of hoses, just like animals would be cleaned. My grandfather (Moheeth Ramgoolam) was sent to work at an estate in Victoria, and due to the hard labour he put in, he was elevated to the rank of a Sirdar. His health, however, deteriorated very sharply.
As a Person of Indian Origin, you took the initiative to invite the Chief Minister of Bihar to the Bihar Week and Diaspora Festival in July / August 2007. What is your expectation from the people of Bihar?
I want the people of Bihar to believe that every obstacle can be removed. We would like to give back to the state as much as we can.
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PRESTIGIOUS AWARD: PM Ramgoolam receives the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award from President of India Pratibha Patil in the presence of Minister Ravi, and (on opposite page) during the inauguration of PBD 2008 and with Vice President of India Mohammad Hamid Ansari
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The Prime Minister of India Dr Manmohan Singh has said in the past that India wanted an engagement with Mauritius which is not ordinary or something that is merely an economic one. What are your views on this statement?
We are very grateful to the Indian Prime Minister. The late Mrs Indira Gandhi used to call Mauritius as Chhota
Bharat. Our engagement is not an ordinary one. May be it has something to do with the way my father (Sir Sewoosagur
Ramgoolam, the first Prime Minister of independent Mauritius) got involved with India. While a student of Harold Joseph Laski at the London School of Economics he became a great friend of Netaji Subhash Chandra
Bose. His interest in India deepened, and it led him to play a great role in the freedom struggle of Mauritius. Netaji presented him with an autographed copy of his book, The Indian Struggle, at Vienna.
Do you see the GOPIO International, of which you are a Patron, playing a decisive role in bringing People of Indian Origin in Mauritius closer to India, both culturally and economically?
The GOPIO's role is a very important one. There is an abiding Indian-ness in the activities of the
GOPIO.
What long term role do you envisage for the Africa India Chamber of Commerce inaugurated by you last year?
It has a very important role to play. We believe that our country should be used as a base since good infrastructure is available along with financial institutions. Mauritius is an active member of such bodies as the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC), Southern African Development Community
(SADC), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), catering to an African market of 500 million people. We are the gateway to the African region.
A fast track committee has been set up under your able chairmanship for fast processing and implementation of projects put forward by foreign companies. What is the response from the Indian side?
The response from the Indian side is very good. We have had good response from PIOs too from countries like Northern Ireland, Canada and South Africa.
What is the status of the Free Trade Agreement?
We need to sign on the FTA.
Also, what is your expectation from the Government of India in protecting Mauritian economic interests, as well as assisting in the growth of the Mauritian economy?
The Government of India has always looked at Mauritius with special consideration. The Government of India will not do anything that goes against the interests of Mauritius. India has played a very significant role in the development of the Cyber City in Mauritius as well as in strengthening the financial and ICT sectors.
As Prime Minister of Mauritius, what are the main areas in which you would like to focus to strengthen and sharpen existing
Indo-Mauritian relations?
We have had great cultural and emotional ties, we need to translate these, quite importantly, into economic ties. We need more investments. The joint venture opportunities we offer are win-win situations really. We always support India in every international
fora. We would continue to do so.
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February 2008
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