Final

LAUNCHING OF THE BOOK

“ON THE WINGS OF DESTINY”

ORGANISED BY

ÉDITIONS DE L’OCEAN INDIEN AND

MUNICIPAL COUNCIL OF QUATRE BORNES
AT
MUNICIPAL RECEPTION HALL
QUATRE BORNES

WEDNESDAY 15 SEPTEMBER 2010

17 00 HRS

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SPEECH

BY

DR THE HON NAVINCHANDRA RAMGOOLAM, GCSK, FRCP

PRIME MINISTER
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Colleague Ministers,
Former Presidents of the Republic,
Members of the National Assembly,
Former Vice-Presidents of the Republic,
Excellencies of the Diplomatic Corps,
The President and Members of the Organising Committee,
Distinguished Guests,

I am pleased to be associated with the launching of the biography of Mr Raouf Bundhun

entitled “On the Wings of Destiny” written by Mr Bhishmadev Seebaluck.

I have known Raouf Bundhun as one of my father’s young lieutenants in the 60’s. He has
had a long career in politics.

But throughout he has been steadfast in his conviction and his dedication to the national
cause.

Raouf Bundhun, born in the small village of Amaury in the North, in 1937, had a unique
destiny that led him up to the Office of Vice-President of the Republic in 2002.

Raouf Bundhun epitomizes patriotism, perseverance and courage, as illustrated by his long
career in the political arena and his involvement in social life.

His dedication to public affairs led him to patiently climb all the rungs of the ladder from the
regional to the national level.

His official debut in politics dates back to the municipal elections of December 1963, at
which he was narrowly defeated. In spite of that, he persevered. He was eventually elected
Municipal Councilor of Port Louis in 1969.

His election as Mayor of the Municipality of Quatre Bornes was the crowning moment of his
career in Local Government.

In parallel to his municipal career, he became active in national politics in the years leading
to independence.

He was elected member of the Legislative Assembly in 1967 in Constituency No. 4 Port
Louis Nord/Montagne Longue. Two years later he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary
by Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam and he was attached to the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

In 1976, he was appointed Minister of Power, Fuel and Energy. I am glad that in his
biography, he gives a lie to those who say that free education was a political bribe before
the December 1976 elections. Mr Raouf Bundhun, was not returned to Parliament at the
general elections of December 1976. He gives a vivid and telling account of how one of his
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own colleagues stabbed him in the back ! What he calls the “great betrayal”. This story is
similar to what happened to Professor Lim Fat in 1976 who was also defeated for the same
selfishness of one of his colleagues. And times have not changed, some people never
learn. There is nothing worse than such a breach of trust and betrayal.

However, nineteen years later, Mr Raouf Bundhun made a remarkable come back when he
was returned to Parliament for Constituency No.13 Souillac/Rivière des Anguilles.

This too, is an example of what can be achieved when you behave according to your
conscience not according to political opportunism and persevere.

He reached the pinnacle of his career when he was called upon to assume the Office of
Vice-President of the Republic in March 2002 – quite unexpectedly as he was our
Ambassador in France at the time.

Charles de Gaulle Airport “une fois PM, vous êtes toujours PM” others shun you.

Raouf Bundhun has also been a great social worker. Notwithstanding the time constraints
imposed by his political responsibilities, he has always made himself available on the social
front: he was the President of the Port-Louis Youth Federation as early as 1961.

In the aftermath of cyclones Alix and Carol of 1960, he joined the “Compagnons
Batisseurs”, a movement set up by the great social worker Edwin de Robillard. They toured
the island and offered victims of the cyclones, assistance with resettlement.

Prior to Independence, there was a shameful and despicable attempt to get all the
minorities to vote against the freedom of our country. Raouf Bundhun carried out a tireless
campaign across the island together with Sir Abdool Razack Mohammed and others to
explain to the Muslim community the importance and significance of independence and to
rally members of the community to the cause he wholeheartedly espoused.

His appetite for social work has not waned with time. Even today, he is the Vice-President
of the World Islamic Mission in Mauritius.

For all his contributions to our nation, Raouf Bundhun was elevated to the rank of Grand
Officer of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean in 2002.

He was bestowed with the titles of “Officier de l’Ordre du Mérite” and “Officier de l’Ordre de
la Francophonie” by the French Government, while his guide and mentor,
Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam was made “Grand Officier de la Légion d’honneur”.

Here I have to put on record that Raouf Bundhun was the parliamentarian who proposed
that Mauritius should host the General Assembly of the ‘Association Internationale des
Parlementaires de Langue Française’.
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This became a reality in September 1975, when he successfully organized the one and only
Assembly of French-speaking parliamentarians in Mauritius.

I have noticed that Raouf is still very busy even during retirement.

He is, I understand, an active member of ‘Democracy Watch’.

I would like to seize this opportunity to invite him and other members of Democracy Watch
to take a critical look at what is being published in some quarters of the press daily, and to
ask themselves whether the innuendos and fabricated allegations that characterise the
views of a handful of notorious journalists do justice to the basic tenets of democracy. This
very morning we have seen an example of this.

NGO’s like Democracy Watch should demonstrate objectivity in their analysis of events for
their own credibility.

The life and trials of Mr Raouf Bundhun is a reminder that: “ footprints on the sands of time
are not made by sitting down”. I sincerely wish that Mr Raouf Bundhun continues to be
active for a long time to come.

I am now pleased to launch the book “On the Wings of Destiny”.

I thank you for your attention.

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