Entries Tagged 'Mauritius' ↓

The cronies were gathered as usual every Saturday to spend time together and to keep abreast of the latest news. It was in the late 30’s. After their usual round of ‘Penkim’, the Chinese narrow card, they broke to have a sip of Chinese tea and some snack.

One of the members brought up the latest news: “I have been told by the ‘Moi ngin’, marriage broker that in a couple to weeks a new batch of girls is arriving by the next steamer. They are all from Moyen and have been selected for marriage”. That information started a round of exchange of leg pulling amongst the old friends.

-You should get a new wife as you have only one son and your wife has only produced girls since.

-Your business has grown so well, that it is time now to have another wife.

-Instead of producing half-breeds with the local women this is an opportunity to have well bred Chinese children.

– Did you attend the grand wedding of Ng Fuk Cheong: he married a Hakka and a Cantonese wife on the same day at the Koong Tine hall? That was a really great celebration; he surely is doing well, besides the wholesale business he now is striving with the retail store at Vacoas as he is now the main supplier to the British garrison.

-The Government of the Republic of China is sending in a consul to be stationed in Mauritius soon.

The China Institute was the social club where the well to do Chinese Merchants would meet regularly not only to socialise but more importantly to discuss issues that concerned their businesses before formulating them officially to the Chinese Chamber of Commerce. The China Institute was the forum outside the clan’s organisation where the different business men would meet.

L’Eglise de Maurice fête le même jour le 09 septembre ces deux saints. Est ce une coïncidence que notre apôtre mauricien  soit mort en 1864 le jour de la fête de Pierre Claver qui mourut le 8 Septembre 1654 plus de 2 siècles avant ?

Pierre Claver, représenté par une statue á la cathédrale St Louis à Port Louis sur l’allée centrale m’a toujours impressionné car la statue est accompagnée par des noirs. Qui était ce saint Pierre Claver ? Comme Jacques Désiré Laval, ils ont tout les deux consacré leur vie a la cause de esclaves et marrons, les laissés pour compte de la société. Les deux saints sont connus pour être l’apôtre des noirs.

Je pense bien que Jacques Désiré Laval avait une vénération pour Saint Pierre Clavier.

Lettre de saint Pierre Claver

Annoncer l’Evangile aux pauvres, guérir les cours blessés ; annoncer aux prisonniers qu’ils sont libres.

Hier, 30 mai 1627, jour de la Sainte Trinité, débarquèrent d’un énorme navire un très grand nombre de Noirs enlevés des bords de l’Afrique. Nous sommes accourus portant dans deux corbeilles des oranges, des citrons, des gâteaux et je ne sais quoi d’autre encore. Nous sommes entrés dans leurs cases. Nous avions l’impression de pénétrer dans une nouvelle Guinée ! Il nous fallut faire notre chemin à travers les groupes pour arriver jusqu’aux malades. Le nombre de ceux-ci était considérable ; ils étaient étendus sur un sol humide et boueux, bien qu’on eût pensé, pour limiter l’humidité, à dresser un remblai en y mêlant des morceaux de tuiles et de briques ; tel était le lit sur lequel ils gisaient, lit d’autant plus incommode qu’ils étaient nus, sans la protection d’aucun vêtement.

Aussi, après avoir enlevé notre manteau, avons-nous pris tout ce qu’il fallait pour assembler des planches ; nous en avons recouvert un endroit où nous avons ensuite transporté les malades en passant à travers la foule. Puis nous les avons répartis en deux groupes : mon compagnon s’occupa de l’un d’eux avec l’aide d’un interprète, et moi-même du second. Il y avait là deux Noirs, plus morts que vivants et déjà froids, dont il était difficile de trouver le pouls. Nous avons mis des braises sur des tuiles et avons placé celles-ci au centre, près des moribonds ; puis nous avons jeté sur ce feu des parfums contenus dans deux bourses que nous avons entièrement vidées. Après quoi, avec nos manteaux (ils n’avaient en effet rien de ce genre et c’est en vain que nous en avions demandé à leurs maîtres), nous leur avons donné la possibilité de se réchauffer : ils parurent, grâce à cela, retrouver chaleur et respiration ; il fallait voir avec quelle joie dans les yeux ils nous regardaient ! C’est ainsi que nous nous sommes adressés à eux, non par des paroles, mais avec nos mains et notre aide ; et comme ils étaient persuadés qu’on les avait amenés ici pour les manger, tout autre discours aurait été complètement inutile. Nous nous sommes assis ou mis à genoux auprès d’eux, nous avons lavé avec du vin leur figure et leur corps, faisant tout pour les égayer et leur montrant tout ce qui peut mettre en joie le cour des malades.

Plus tard, nous nous sommes mis à leur expliquer le catéchisme du baptême, leur disant quels étaient les effets admirables du baptême aussi bien pour le corps que pour l’âme. Quand ils nous parurent, à travers leurs réponses à nos questions, avoir suffisamment compris tout ceci, nous sommes passés à un enseignement plus approfondi, c’est-à-dire à leur parler d’un seul Dieu qui donne récompenses et châtiments selon ce que chacun mérite, etc. Nous leur avons demandé de dire leur contrition et de manifester combien ils détestaient les péchés qu’ils avaient commis. Lorsque, enfin, ils nous ont paru suffisamment prêts, nous leur avons expliqué les mystères de la Trinité, de l’Incarnation et de la Passion ; nous leur avons montré une image du Christ, fixé sur une croix où l’on voyait, des blessures du Christ, couler des ruisseaux de sang sur les fonts baptismaux ; nous leur avons fait dire avec nous, dans leur langue, un acte de contrition.

(Lettre du 31 mai 1627 à son Supérieur ; texte original espagnol dans A. Valtierra, s.j. : San Pedro Claver , 1964, pp. 140-141).

My wife is very concerned with saving energy. She prides herself to have lived in a small village lost in Rodrigues, La Ferme, where and when there was no electricity available and amenities, such as petrol, water, paper that we now take for granted as plentiful, were scarce. Having lived in such conditions, she can more readily part with them. She has naturally built up reflexes to use these modern facilities much more efficiently that I who have lived in opulence. No wonder she keeps on telling me to switch off the lights, or electric appliances when not is used.

Her biggest joke is: the settee sofa is enjoying the TV program!

We saved over 3000 rupees per month of electricity when we changed our fridge of equivalent size from the 60’s model to the new energy saver model. Can you image that?

In Your Home – Conserve Energy

1. Clean or replace air filters on your air conditioning unit at least once a month.
2. If you have central air conditioning, do not close vents in unused rooms.
3. Lower the thermostat on your water heater.
4. Turn down or shut off your water heater when you will be away for extended periods.
5. Turn off unneeded lights even when leaving a room for a short time.
6. Set your refrigerator temperature at 0 to 5 C and your freezer at -15 to -5C.
7. When using an oven, minimize door opening while it is in use; it reduces oven temperature by 25 to 30 every time you open the door.
8. Clean the lint filter in your dryer after every load so that it uses less energy.
9. Unplug seldom used appliances.
10. Use a microwave when- ever you can instead of a conventional oven or stove.
11. Wash clothes with warm or cold water instead of hot.
12. Reverse your indoor ceiling fans for summer and winter operations as recommended.
13. Turn off lights, computers and other appliances when not in use.
14. Purchase appliances and office equipment with the Energy Star Label; old refridgerators, for example, use up to 50 more electricity than newer models.
15. Only use electric appliances when you need them.
16. Use compact fluorescent light bulbs to save money and energy.
17. Insulate your home as best as you can.
18. Install weather stripping around all doors and windows.
19. Shut off electrical equipment in the evening when you leave work.
20. Plant trees to shade your home.
21. Shade outside air conditioning units by trees or other means.
22. Replace old windows with energy efficient ones.
23. Use cold water instead of warm or hot water when possible.
24. Connect your outdoor lights to a timer.

En parcourant les textes publiés par le supplément du journal L’Express tiré à l’occasion des 40 ans de l’indépendance de notre nation, j’ai retrouvé dans la contribution d’Armand Maudave la description de la vision d’exception de mon premier patron Amedé Maingard(AHMV).

Je me suis arrêté et pris quelques moments de silence après la lecture du récit cité. J’ai eu besoin de me recueillir et de revivre les moments que j’avais vécus au fil des belles années passées sous la tutelle d’AHMV au sein de Rogers. En effet, ce 13 décembre 1966, ma première rencontre avec AHMV m’a mis en route pour toute ma vie.

Papa était un ami d’AHMV, Rotariens du club de Port Louis. AHMV souhaitait mettre en place un corps de ‘ Young management Cadets’, il demanda à Papa de lui recommander de jeunes. Et voila comment, j’étais reçu pour un entretien. Petit de mes vingt ans, j’étais impressionné de ma première visite chez Rogers : le bureau d’AHMV était situé à l’étage et il fallait passer a travers la salle d’exposition de voitures BLMC pour y accéder. Après une très brève rencontre avec l’impressionnant personnage au regard perçant et de peu de mots, il me conduit au rez de chaussée chez Monsieur Ribet, le responsable du département de l’Aviation ou j’étais assigné pour mon premier poste, agent de réservation.

Un visionnaire d’exception

Il avait avec distinction servi les Alliés contre le Troisième

Reich. Sa connaissance du français avait été jugée utile par les

services secrets britanniques pour lui permettre de s’infiltrer dans

le maquis français et saboter les installations nazies. A la démobilisation

(1946), son palmarès et ses décorations lui valurent de précieux

et durables contacts dans les milieux de la haute administration

française et anglaise. Il s’en servit astucieusement pour

promouvoir et dynamiser, dès son retour à Maurice, des secteurs

encore embryonnaires chez Rogers and Co., notamment l’aviation,

l’hôtellerie, le shipping et le tourisme.

Amédée Hugnin Maingard de la Ville-es-Offrans, ou tout simplement

Dédé, demeure celui qui aura assuré les bases de l’industrie

du tourisme et prévu l’importance des liaisons aériennes qui

la sous-tendent. Dès 1948, des contrats furent signés avec Qantas,

South African Airways et BOAC. Une belle maison coloniale,

aujourd’hui hélas disparue, devint le Park Hotel en 1952. MTTB

(promotion) et Mautourco (transport) furent créés à la même époque.

Les bungalows de Morne Plage virent le jour en 1954 et

New Mauritius Hotels fut incorporé dix ans plus tard. Le slogan de

Hilton était Location, Location and Location, celui d’Amédée

Maingard Qualité, Qualité, Qualité. Le concept haut de gamme qui a

prévalu depuis remonte à son perpétuel souci de perfection.

« Hotels and tourism were, above all else, Dédé’s abiding business

passion », entendra-t-on dire de lui. Il sut en outre entretenir avec

les autorités des relations de confiance et d’amitié. Cela facilita

l’aboutissement de maints projets liés au tourisme. Bel exemple, s’il

en fût, d’un secteur privé avisé et entreprenant, maintenant avec

l’État nouvellement indépendant un partenariat fructueux.

In the Rotary club of Port Louis, whilst I was an active member, it was customary a few days before a holiday that a talk  be given on the essence of the festival. The organising committee wanted to achieve greater understanding of the varied culture of the country so that we may value our differences. I recall the brilliant speech  given by Shyam Seebun on Ganesh Chaturti. He did not restrict himself to commenting on the feast itself, he went on to give his understanding of the Hindu mythology which translated into habits and behaviours which could appear to be unusal  to others.

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Ganesha Chaturthi (IAST: GaṇeÅ›a CaturthÄ«, sanskrit: गणेश चतुर्थी) or Ganesha Festival is a day on which Lord Ganesha, the son of Shiva and Parvati, is believed to bestow his presence on earth for all his devotees. It is also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi or Vinayaka Chavithi in Sanskrit, Kannada, Tamil and Telugu, Chavath ( चवथ ) in Konkani and as Chathaa (चथा) in Nepal Bhasa. It is celebrated as it is the birthday of Lord Ganesha. The festival is observed in the Hindu calendar month of Bhaadrapada, starting on the shukla chaturthi (fourth day of the waxing moon period). Typically, the day falls sometime between August 20 and September 15. The festival lasts for 10 days, ending on Ananta Chaturdashi. This festival is observed in the lunar month of bhadrapada shukla paksha chathurthi madhyahana vyapini purvaviddha. if chaturthi prevails on both days, the first day should be taken. Even if chaturthi prevails for complete duration of madhyahana on the second day, but if it prevails on previous day’s madhyahana period even for one ghatika (24 minutes) the previous day should be taken. (Ref. Dharmasindhu and Indian Calendric System, by Commodore S.K. Chatterjee (Retd). Madhyahana is the 3rd / 5th part of the day (Sunrise-sunset).

Ganesha, the elephant-headed son of Shiva and Parvati, is widely worshipped as the supreme god of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune.

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Celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi in Mauritius dated back to 1896. The first Ganesh Chaturthi Puja was held at the height of the 7,Cascades Valley in Henrietta by the Bhiwajee family who is still celebrating this pious festival for more than a century.

My first visit ever to India in 1968, must have been during the festival of Ganesh. I recall that in company of Harry Saminaden and Guy Hugnin, we landed at Santa Cruz Bombay international airport and stayed at Nataraj Hotel on the Queen’s Collier area. We were watching the numerous processions God Ganesh all over town. The town of Bombay, the capital of Maharastra is the place of the highest worshippers of Ganesh, the elephant god. I was taken in the crowd to visit the elephant caves, an island off the harbor of Bombay facing the Gate of India monument, where worshippers flocked for the festival. Indeed as a very young traveler I was very impressed with the large crowd, the colorful scenery and the noisy and babbling population.

Some years ago, whilst I was actively involved with the project of ‘ecoles complementaires ’ directed by my dear friend Jean Noel Adolphe, I had to learn and to upgrade my knowledge in the subject. The ‘pedagogy of love’ used to be the theme developed by Jean Noel  as the differentiating factor between the normal school and ‘ecoles complementaires’ when presenting his project with the incompetent, non experienced volunteers that would ready commit to give in their time and energy to a great cause.

At the back stage of the organisation a fantastic team of committed real professional educationists ensured that the volunteers are trained fast and adequately to provide the learning that is expected. That slice of my life brought me to read and study Education, Pedagogy and learning. I avid read of methods devised by Jean Baptise de La Salle, Piaget, Montessori and many others. A new world was opened to me. I was introduced previously to this world through the opening of learning models of NLP. I was very keen on the accelerated learning methods developed following the discoveries of the brain.

For the reopening of the school year today in France, the French Radio in a talk show broadcasted the wonderful story of Maria Montessori. Did you know that in Italy of the 1890’s women were not permitted to study medicine in universities? Maria fought and managed to become a doctor. This has rekindled my interest in the marvellous life of Maria and the influence she had in the world of child pedagogy.

Aside from a new pedagogy, among the premier contributions to educational thought by Montessori are:

• instruction of children in 3-year age groups, corresponding to sensitive periods of development (example: Birth-3, 3-6, 6-9, 9-12, 12-15 year olds with an Erdkinder (German for “Land Children”) program for early teens
• children as competent beings, encouraged to make maximal decisions
• observation of the child in the prepared environment as the basis for ongoing curriculum development (presentation of subsequent exercises for skill development and information accumulation)
• small, child-sized furniture and creation of a small, child-sized environment (microcosm) in which each can be competent to produce overall a self-running small children’s world
• creation of a scale of sensitive periods of development, which provides a focus for class work that is appropriate and uniquely stimulating and motivating to the child (including sensitive periods for language development, sensorial experimentation and refinement, and various levels of social interaction)
• the importance of the “absorbent mind,” the limitless motivation of the young child to achieve competence over his or her environment and to perfect his or her skills and understandings as they occur within each sensitive period. The phenomenon is characterized by the young child’s capacity for repetition of activities within sensitive period categories (Example: exhaustive babbling as language practice leading to language competence).
• self-correcting “auto-didactic” materials (some based on work of Jean Marc Gaspard Itard and Edouard Seguin)

I am amazed with the number of gambling addiction cases I know of and the damages that such behaviours can bring to the lives of people. In the recent past I was very closely involved with a case which was about to turn to a dramatic situation. The guy later told me that he was so depressed that he spent the night on his own on the cliff of Gris Gris thinking of committing a suicide.

I was very pleased today, to have spoken to the person mentioned above and to learn that he has quited gambling, done his term of community service as ordered by the courts and is now slowing rebuilding his career and life.

I have heard of yet another case this last fortnight, perhaps not as devastating as the one mentioned but still as painful for the family of the addict. This affliction seems to be very frequent in the Chinese community, I have to admit that I have a cousin who has been an over gambling experience. The son of yet anotherdistant cousin had to be expatriated to another country to save him from bad habits. How does one prevent addiction to occur? How does detect the addiction n early enough? I went through the internet to look for possible answers.

Understanding gambling addiction and problem gambling

Gambling addiction, also known as compulsive gambling, is a type of impulse-control disorder. Compulsive gamblers can’t control the impulse to gamble, even when they know their gambling is hurting themselves or their loved ones. Gambling is all they can think about and all they want to do, no matter the consequences. Compulsive gamblers keep gambling whether they’re up or down, broke or flush, happy or depressed. Even when they know the odds are against them, even when they can’t afford to lose, people with a gambling addiction can’t “stay off the bet.”

Gamblers can have a problem, however, without being totally out of control. Long before an addiction has fully developed, gambling can have a negative impact. Problem gambling is any gambling behavior that disrupts your life. If you’re preoccupied with gambling, spending more and more time and money on it, chasing losses, or gambling despite serious consequences, you have a gambling problem.

There are two types of compulsive or problem gamblers. While their behaviors are similar, they gamble for very different reasons:

• Action gamblers are addicted to the thrill of risk-taking. Gambling itself is their “drug.” They usually gamble with others, since part of the rush is beating the house or other gamblers. Action gamblers usually prefer games of skill, such as card games, craps, and sports betting. They may also play the stock market.
• Escape gamblers gamble to escape emotional pain, worries, and loneliness. Rather than gambling to feel a rush, they gamble to feel numb. Escape gamblers prefer more isolated activities such as slot machines, bingo, and online poker. They also prefer games that don’t require much thought, so they can “zone out.”

Signs and symptoms of problem gambling

Gambling addiction is sometimes referred to as the “hidden illness” because there are no obvious physical signs or symptoms like there are in drug or alcohol addiction. Problem gamblers typically deny or minimize the problem. They also go to great lengths to hide their gambling. For example, problem gamblers often withdraw from their loved ones, sneak around, and lie about where they’ve been and what they’ve been up to.

Do I have a gambling problem?

You may have a gambling problem if you:

• Neglect work or family to gamble
• Gamble in secret
• Lie about how much you gamble
• Feel compelled to keep upping your bets
• Feel remorse after gambling
• Gamble until you’ve spent your last dollar
• Gamble with money you need to pay bills
• Steal, borrow, or sell things to get money for gambling
• Dream of the “big win” and what it will buy
• Gamble to escape worries
• Gamble in order to solve financial problems or win back losses
• Celebrate by gambling

While the warning signs of problem gambling can be subtle­, there are some red flags that should put you on alert:

• Secrecy over money and finances
• New desire to control household finances
• Overdue or unpaid bills
• Unexplained loans or cash advances
• Lack of money, despite the same income and expenses
• Unusual increase in credit card activity
• Asking friends and family for money
• Missing jewelry, cash, or valuables
• Dwindling savings or assets
• Missing bank or credit card statements
• Calls or letters from bill collectors
• Unexplained cash, especially when there are unpaid bills

The “four phases” of problem gambling and gambling addiction

People with gambling problems typically go through four phases, progressing from recreational gambling to problem gambling and finally to gambling addiction. Each phase can last from months to years.

• Winning phase – The winning phase often starts with a big win, leading to excitement and a positive view of gambling. Problem gamblers believe they have a special talent for gambling and that the winning will continue. They begin spending greater amounts of time and money on gambling.
• Losing phase – Problem gamblers become more and more preoccupied with gambling. They start to gamble alone, borrow money, skip work, lie to family and friends, and default on debts. They also begin to “chase” their losses: gambling in order to win back money that was lost.
• Desperation phase – Problem gamblers lose all control over their gambling. They feel ashamed and guilty after gambling, but they can’t stop. They may cheat or steal to finance their addiction. The consequences of compulsive gambling catch up with them: they may lose their jobs, get divorced, or get arrested.
• Hopeless phase – In the hopeless phase, problem gamblers hit “rock bottom.” They don’t believe that anyone cares or that help is possible. They don’t even care if they live or die. They may abuse drugs and alcohol to numb the pain. Many problem gamblers also consider or attempt suicide.

Treatment for problem gambling

Attitudes that get in the way of treatment for problem gambling:

• “I know I should quit, but I love gambling.”
• “Lack of money is the real problem, not my gambling.”
• “I can learn how to manage my gambling without stopping entirely.”
• “I’m only in treatment to appease my family or employer.”
• “I can’t imagine life without gambling.”
• “Quitting gambling is impossible.”

In order to overcome a gambling addiction, you must first admit that you have a problem. For many problem gamblers, this is the hardest part. But recovery won’t happen if you’re minimizing the addiction, making excuses, or blaming others.

Once you’re ready to own up to your gambling problem, the work of recovery can begin. Start by seeking professional help from an addiction specialist. This is also the time to come clean to your loved ones and ask for their support. Overcoming a gambling addiction or problem is never easy. But recovery is possible if you stick with treatment and seek support.

Treatment options for gambling addiction and problem gambling

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy for problem gambling focuses on changing unhealthy gambling behaviors and thoughts, including rationalizations and false beliefs. It also teaches problem gamblers how to fight gambling urges, deal with uncomfortable emotions rather than escape through gambling, and solve financial, work, and relationship problems caused by the addiction.
• Gamblers Anonymous is a twelve-step recovery program patterned after Alcoholics Anonymous. It is widely viewed as the most effective treatment for compulsive gambling. Gamblers Anonymous provides a supportive, non-judgmental atmosphere where you can share what you’re going through and get feedback and advice from fellow gamblers who understand your problem. To find a Gamblers Anonymous meeting in your area, click here.
• Medication won’t cure a gambling problem, but it may be helpful if depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, or another mental health problem is fueling the compulsive gambling. Medications used in the treatment of problem gambling include antidepressants and mood stabilizers. Naltrexone, a medication that reduces drug and alcohol cravings, may also reduce gambling cravings in action gamblers. Naltrexone must be carefully monitored because of serious potential side effects.

The Four Steps program: A gambling treatment that can “rewire” your brain

Jeffrey Schwartz has created a variation of a cognitive-behavioral therapy called The Four Steps Program. It has been successful in treating a wide range of conditions, including compulsive gambling. The Four Steps program takes advantage of neuroplasticity, the remarkable ability of our brains to change throughout our lives. The goal of treatment is to “rewire” the addicted brain by thinking about gambling in a new way. You can literally change your brain — developing new neural pathways and restoring brain chemical balance—by practicing the following four steps:

• Step 1: Relabel. Recognize that the urge to gamble is nothing more than a symptom of your gambling addiction, which is a treatable medical condition. It is not a valid feeling that deserves your attention.
• Step 2: Reattribute. Stop blaming yourself and try to understand that the urge to gamble has a physical cause in your brain. You are separate from the disease of addiction, but not a passive bystander. With practice, you can learn to control your unwanted thoughts about gambling.
• Step 3: Refocus. When the urge to gamble strikes, don’t wait for it to go away. Instead, shift your attention to something more positive or constructive. Do something else, even if the compulsion to gamble is still bothering you.
• Step 4: Revalue. Over time, as you practice the first three steps, you’ll gradually learn to revalue your flawed thoughts about gambling. Instead of taking them at face value, you’ll realize that they have no inherent value or power. They’re just “toxic waste” from your brain.

Self-help for problem gambling and gambling addiction

Tackling a gambling problem is possible if you avoid tempting environments, give up control of your finances (at least at first), find exciting or enjoyable activities to replace gambling, and surround yourself with people to whom you’re accountable. It’s also important to keep stress in check, since stress can trigger compulsive gambling or make it worse.

Getting Control of Problem Gambling

One way to stop yourself from problem gambling is to analyze what is needed for gambling to occur, work on removing these elements from your life and replace them with healthier choices. The four elements needed for problem gambling to continue are:

• Decision: Before gambling occurs, the decision to gamble has been made. If you have an urge to gamble: stop what you are doing and call someone, think about the consequences to your actions, tell yourself to stop thinking about gambling, and find something else to do immediately.
• Money: Gambling cannot occur without money. Get rid of your credit cards, let someone else be in charge of your money, have the bank make automatic payments for you, and keep a limited amount of cash on you at all times.
• Time: Gambling cannot occur if you don’t have the time. Schedule enjoyable recreational time for yourself that has nothing to do with gambling, find time for relaxation, and plan outings with your family.
• A Game: Without a game or activity to bet on there is no opportunity to gamble. Don’t put yourself in tempting environments or locations. Tell the gambling establishments you frequent that you have a gambling problem and ask them to restrict you from betting at their casinos and establishments.

Helping a family member with a gambling problem

If your family member has a gambling problem, you can help by encouraging him or her to get treatment and by offering your support. This doesn’t mean bailing the gambler out of trouble or covering up the problem. It’s important to hold problem gamblers responsible for their actions—including the consequences. It’s also important to take care of yourself. You have a right to protect yourself emotionally and financially. Don’t blame yourself for the gambler’s problems. You don’t control your family member’s behavior; the choice to stop gambling is theirs alone.

Tips for family members of problem gamblers:

• Take over the family finances
• Review bank and credit card statements
• Request credit reports from the three main credit bureaus
• Monitor Internet use to see if the person is gambling online
• Be honest about how the gambler’s behavior makes you feel
• Get counseling or join a support group such as Gam-Anon
• Encourage the person to go to Gambler’s Anonymous

Tomorrow will be a very auspicious day according to the Chinese omen seekers. Indeed 8 being synonymous to prosperity at least in pronunciation in Mandarin, the many 8’s on the date should bring good omen and blessings. No wonder China has chosen 08.08.08 for the opening of its first ever Olympic games at 08 hours.

As for me, this date sends me back to twenty years back; 8.8.88 was the date the team at Rogers @ company chose to open the Freight Forwarders Centre( FFC) at the airport. Unfortunately we were not able to hold the date of the opening as the completion of the building was late. The FF C building was completed a few weeks after and the first operations started with the setting up of Plaisance Air Transport Services (PATS) .

Interestingly enough, FFC and PATS as well as the growth of ROGERS aviation activities overseas originated from a strategic exercise that started in 1986. Under the guidance of the planning department of Rogers Group, the team at ROGERS Aviation was asked to think and plan the future of the company. I recall vividly, coming back from my marketing studies, I got myself to strategically work on the issue. How do you expand and grow, when you hold almost 95 percent of the market of air cargo and you are the dominant player in the passenger travel market?

The investment in a building at the FFC was to provide facilities to Airlines beyond the General Sales agent’s contract we had with them. Our aim was to provide ground handling services to them. Rogers were thus expanding the services to their customer base. More spectacularly during this thinking process we also planned the deployment of ROGERS’ competence and know how to extend it to overseas region.

Looking back 20 years after, the team of the early 80’s should be proud for achievements. FFC is still the back bone of the Air cargo activities of the island. Offices as off shoots of Rogers Aviation are in operations in many countries: Reunion Island, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Comoros Islands, Mayotte, and France.

Why were Koung Koung and Popoh YIPTONG reluctant to the marriage of my father Pak Lin to my mother Cecette? To be able to answer the question, it would be necessary to get to the background story to situate the scene and place us in the context of the time and place.

We were just passed the 40’s war, time were tough for all the inhabitants of the island. Employment was scare, even food was rationed. Came the end of the war, in 1945 the troops were demobilized and the normal activities of the country restarted.

Koung Koung YIPTONG was amongst the notable of the Chinese community and had done economically well for himself and his lot. He was a merchant, owning a high street wholesale business. In those days the wholesalers were not only the suppliers of goods of the retailers, they were also the fund provider (almost the banker) of the retailers. He himself started off in 1907 as a countryside retailer attached to a wholesaler until he had enough capital to open shop as a wholesale trader. Having saved enough wealth, he was about to fulfill his mission: a return back to China to resettle with his family.

Koung Koung YIPTONG was owner of several properties which were rented; was a prominent member of the community and was part of the Chinese unofficial leaders’ club: he commanded respect and was in the lime light of the community as an example of success and wisdom to follow. He was often called to arbitrate on litigious issues between members of the community, which in a way was a sort of arbitration court of the community.

To grow his business, on the recommendation of another wealthy merchant Chong Kwan, Koung Koung employed as correspondence clerk the latter’s relative: Ignace AHLIM an ex army sergeant who was recently demobilized. Ignace, though educated, came from a poor family background. Of Chinese Cantonese father and half Chinese mother, Ignace was orphan at age 16 and had to work to look after his mother, brother and sisters. Koung Koung liked the industrious qualities and the honesty of Ignace and later recruited his younger brother Laval to work in the business and her younger sister Cecette to help on a part time basis his growing children in their schooling. The duties of Cecette demanded that she spent long hours at the YIPTONG’s house.

With time and frequent meetings love between Cecette the learning tutor of the family and the eldest son, Pak Lin of the family developed.

How could the model Hakka family allow his eldest son marry a non Hakka?

It was traditional in those days that Chinese parents would select their daughter in law for acceptance by their son. Could the family accept a departure from the tradition?

Besides there were practical aspects to the issue: Popoh did not speak any other language than Hakka, Cecette could not communicate with her; how would her future daughter in law survive when they will be settled back in China and further more Cecette did not have the Chineseness expected from the traditional Hakka family.

Soon as the news of the love affair of the tutor of the house with the eldest son broke, Cecette lost her employ. Pak Lin was  told to severe the relationship. The lovers continued to meet in spite of the restrictions. Koung Koung even threatened to disinherit him if he would dare marry his love one. Pak Lin would not change his mind: he even left his job in the family business to become a taxi driver to the horror of his father.

Seeing that Pak Lin will not change his mind, Koung Koung in his wisdom finally gave in: he accepted the marriage under the condition that the married couple would settle in China soon after. Meanwhile, the 3^rd son Yook started dating another Chinese girl which did not receive the consent of Popoh as the tradition would dictate.

QUELS CAPITALISMES POUR LE 21ème SIECLE ?

Déclaration finale du Cercle des économistes
Aix-en-Provence,

Le capitalisme a triomphé. Saura-t-il surmonter sa victoire ? Les rencontres économiques d’Aix en Provence 2007 se sont interrogées sur l’existence ou non de capitalismes divers, sur leur convergence éventuelle et les modalités de cette cohabitation. Le cercle des économistes juge que la domination du capitalisme anglo-saxon n’est pas une certitude. Bien au contraire, c’est une pluralité de capitalismes qui s’imposera. Les économistes se doivent donc de s’interroger sur les conséquences de cette diversité durable. Même si les capitalismes, aujourd’hui comme hier, se nourrissent de valeurs communes, rien ne permet d’assurer que leur concurrence ne créera pas de tensions difficiles à surmonter. C’est à la recherche d’une gouvernance mondiale, de règles du jeu efficaces et équitables, tant dans les domaines économiques, financiers, sociaux et environnementaux que cette déclaration tente d’apporter des réponses.

I. LES CONSTATS

Le capitalisme a pour noyau dur la propriété privée des moyens de production, la coordination par les marchés et le respect des droits de propriété. Au-delà, il prend des formes très différentes ainsi, l’économie sociale de marché, longtemps caractéristique de l’Europe continentale, donne un rôle aux parties prenantes – Etat et syndicats notamment – dans la conduite des affaires et attend de l’Etat qu’il corrige les inégalités. Le libéralisme anglo-saxon, lui, met l’accent sur la responsabilité de chacun – y compris dans la richesse ou la misère – et sur la liberté de circulation des hommes, des biens et des capitaux. Le contrôle de l’Etat sur les entreprises est faible dans les pays anglo-saxons, important en France, très fort en Russie ou en Chine, deux pays qui ne s’affichent pas comme capitalistes mais qui, de fait, le sont devenus.

Les rencontres d’Aix-en-Provence ont permis de dégager cinq constats dont certains sont inattendus.

1. Il n’y a pas de capitalisme sans valeurs
Ces valeurs sont diverses : le capitalisme n’a pas grandi dans un terreau unique qu’il soit religieux ou laïc. On peut en déterminer trois catégories :

• Les premières, dont la diversité doit être respectée parce qu’elles n’affectent pas les autres. Un bon exemple en est le poids de l’Etat dans le capital des entreprises.
• Les deuxièmes, dont les différences peuvent nuire aux autres. L’absence de transparence des entreprises et des marchés l’illustre bien.
• Les troisièmes que nous considérons comme des valeurs universelles avec lesquelles il n’est pas possible de transiger, par exemple le respect de la personne humaine et de l’environnement. Ces valeurs sont d’autant plus indispensables que le capitalisme, quelle que soit sa forme, est créateur d’inégalités, particulièrement élevées aujourd’hui. Dans les sociétés démocratiques, le processus politique fondé sur des valeurs partagées permet de déterminer le degré acceptable d’inégalités et donc le niveau de la protection sociale. Ceci n’est pas le cas ailleurs.

2. Les formes de capitalismes sont diverses.
Elles mutent dans des directions que personne n’avait anticipées. Contrairement aux attentes, le capitalisme de marché n’est pas devenu le seul modèle. Le capitalisme familial prospère, de l’Europe du Sud au Mexique. En Chine, en Russie, au Moyen-Orient naît un nouveau capitalisme d’Etat, financé par les excédents des paiements courants, qui jette son dévolu sur les entreprises européennes et américaines.

3. Les capitalismes devront coexister.
La coexistence des capitalismes est régie par des dynamiques complexes. Certes, il y a des forces de convergence, notamment sous la pression des marchés financiers. Mais, il y a aussi, évidemment, une concurrence entre capitalismes et une forme de sélection naturelle. Le modèle dominant ne sera pas forcément le plus efficace, ni le mieux accepté socialement.

4. La coexistence pacifique des capitalismes n’est pas garantie.
Parce que le progrès naît de la différence, parce que l’économie doit respecter la diversité des valeurs, parce que nous croyons au rôle positif de la concurrence, nous pensons que la diversité des capitalismes est une chance. Mais nous craignons que leur coexistence ne suscite des tensions croissantes et peut-être un jour ne déclenche des conflits. La première mondialisation, qui avait vu un développement sans précédent des échanges et du bien être, s’est brisée en 1914.

5. Il n’y a pas d’autorité supranationale pour organiser cette coexistence.
La gouvernance mondiale est aujourd’hui, on le sait, cruellement insuffisante. Dans nombre de domaines, comme l’environnement, la concurrence ou la propriété intellectuelle, il n’y a pas d’autorité globale. Et les institutions existantes – Fonds monétaire et Banque mondiale notamment – manquent de légitimité politique. Au total, il n’y a pas de règles du jeu communes aux différentes formes de capitalisme. Une entreprise chinoise peut lancer une OPA hostile avec de l’argent public ; en Europe, c’est presque impossible. L’Europe s’interdit de manipuler la valeur de sa monnaie, le Japon ou la Chine le font en utilisant leurs réserves de change, les Etats-Unis avec les déclarations de leurs dirigeants.

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La lecture du document cité ci haut m’a permis de réfléchir sur le cas de notre Maurice. Ma compréhension de la vision des dirigeants politiques semble ne pas être clair ou définissable. L’incompréhension du capitalisme même à l’intérieur du parti politique au pouvoir serait il la source des conflits continuels apparents des différents factions du gouvernement ? Ou serait- il le manque de cohésion de éléments divers du gouvernement et le manque de cohérence du leadership des capitaines qui dirigent, les causes d’un parcours en zig zag dans l’action ? Des quels capitalistes le parti Labour prône t il ? Qu’il existe à Maurice un capitalisme familial sur lequel le pays a progressé pendant des siècles, personne ne peut nier. Que le parti au pouvoir veut mettre en place un capitalisme de l’état pour une meilleure répartition de la richesse, c’est son droit. Mais bon sang dites le, clairement et ouvertement. En France, pour corriger le poids une richesse historique, sa transmission est lourdement pénalisée par les taxes de succession. En tout cas, nous resterons dans le capitalisme en recherche d’un modèle hybride à mettre en place pour convenir au contour d’une meilleure repartition de richesse. Nous savons à l’avance que la gestion et la création de valeur par les entreprises d’état ont été jusqu’à ce jour un échec. La voie d’un capitalisme d’état ne sera réalisable que quand la compétence de gestion de l’état soit à un niveau acceptable et une gouvernance sans faille en opération. Il reste du chemin à parcourir.

D’autre part, J’ai un trop plein de cette segmentation de richesse par groupe ethnique que je lis sur le media. Ne sommes nous pas tous Mauriciens à part entière ? Pourrions nous dorénavant être segmentés pour les besoins d’analyse par notre quantité de richesses sans référence à notre origine ethnique ?