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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.

Koung Koung  gave me great lessons. My dad had acquired in the early 60’s the property of the Chan Kwan Tong at la Paix Street almost facing the residence of Ah Mee Koo and uncle Wong On Wing. Grandpa took charge to build garages for the vehicles of the cigarette department and to refurbish the house for renting out.

There I landed to be the apprentice under the wing of Grandpa to help him in his tasks. I guess that I might be around 14 years old. Grandpa always had a measuring meter with him, a beautiful leather case one which would roll out 30 or 40 meters. It was always stored in the last bottom drawer of this desk. First, we went on measuring the proposed site to erect the garages. Then he drew out a sketch of the proposed garage which will be able to hold three vans in a row. Together with a foreman, if I am not mistaken his name was Gaston, they worked out the materials required for the building. The concrete blocks, iron bars, sand and cement were ordered and delivered on site. The works started. I joined grandpa almost every afternoon on site, after the departure of the workers to work out the stock on materials used during the day. He told me that he had to be present for the departure time of the workers to make sure that they have accomplished their daily task and to make sure that they do not take away materials from the site. He held a close account of the materials as well as the number of workers that attended work daily. It was great observing the methodical way he noted every item. Every night after dinner he would work out at his desk the expenditure incurred and account for it in his book written in Chinese.

After the building of the garage, he undertook the repair of the house which required the replacement of some rotten wood planks and some pillars.

The greatest learning came when we proceeded to the painting of the house. He first negotiated the daily pay rate with the painter Antoine. Antoine was then instructed to remove the old paint using a paint stripper that would burn off the old paint. Together with the driver I went to take delivery of the tins of putty which was required to even out the wooden planks.

In those days, ready to use paint was not common. From uncle Yee Chin Koon’s hardware store; he bought tins of paint paste that had to be mixed oil and a thinner to make up the paint. Dyes were then added to the white paint to obtain the color required. Grandpa told me to stay and watch over Antoine for the day to make sure that he was working the whole day. I was  also asked to take note of the break time he took for lunch and pauses. Then in the afternoon after Antoine’s departure Grandpa asked me to measure the surface area he had painted during the day. He worked out the amount of paint paste used as well as the quantity of oil used. We did that for two consecutive days. Thereafter he told me that now we know how much paint is required for the area painted and how much area is painted by day there will be no need for you to watch over Antoine any more.

A smart Koung Koung I had isn’t it?

I love Ingrid’s story….her faith and determination!

During her almost seven years in captivity in the south of the Colombian jungle, Betancourt, who admits that she had a weak faith before her imprisonment, had two main activities: read the Bible and listen to the radio.

On June 1, a month before her release, she was listening to the Worldwide Catholic Radio and heard the promises made to those who would consecrate themselves to the Sacred Heart.

Although Betancourt could not recall them all, she mentioned some of the promises to journalists: that the Sacred Heart will touch the hard hearts of those who make one suffer, that he will bless the person’s plans, and that he will help the person carry the cross and await him or her at the time of death.

Strength to endure

When Betancourt heard those words she said to herself, “This is for me. I need God to touch the hard hearts of the guerrillas, to touch the hard hearts of all those who do not allow our freedom to take place.

“I need him to bless and make his own my undertaking to obtain the freedom of all of us, and that he allows this to happen. I need him also to accompany me in carrying this cross because alone I can no longer endure it.”

Betancourt then revealed what she promised to the Sacred Heart of Jesus: “Jesus, over these years I have never asked you for anything, but today I am going to ask you for something.

“As this is the month of the Sacred Heart, your month, I am going to ask you for a miracle for me, not for my release because I don’t think it’s possible, but let me know miraculously when I will be released because, if I know when, even if it is not for many years, so I will have the strength to endure.

“If you do this miracle for me, Lord, I will be yours.”

On June 27, a FARC commander said to Ingrid: “There is an international commission that visits prisoners; it is very probable that some of you will be released.”

Betancourt said Benedict XVI told her in the audience that Christ “brought about the miracle of your release because you were able to ask him. You didn’t ask him for your release, but asked that his will be done and that he help you to understand his will.”

The former prisoner told the Holy Father that she doesn’t know what it means to be Christ’s. The Pope replied: “He will show you the way.”

A call to believe

At the press conference Betancourt made a plea: “There are many people who are angry with God and don’t want to believe, and many people who are ashamed to believe in God.

The only thing I can tell you is that there is someone who hears us and speaks to us with words, and that if we understand how to speak to him, he will help us.”

After the audience, Betancourt said that Benedict XVI always prays for hostages. “The Pope bears the pain of those who suffer in his soul,” he is a “man of light.”

She also sent a message of encouragement to those who were her companions in captivity and who have yet to be released: “I know that this voice is going to reach the Colombian jungle. I know that I will soon embrace you in freedom.”

Betancourt also appealed to the guerrillas, who at present have some 3,000 hostages in their power. “You had me captive for seven years. I know you profoundly. I know your organization, your way of thinking and your objectives.

“Today I want to tell you that the world is waiting for you. The world wants you to make room in your minds so that you will achieve peace in Colombia. […] The answer is in your hearts, not in military and political calculations.”

(taken from Zenit the Vatican’s site)

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)

Everybody, I guess, has a quest for happiness. In the past I had blogged on the subject, a theme that sits in the back of my mind. I would like to share with you  more writing on the theme sent by my brother. Just like me I trust that you will be enlightened further. I am amazed by the thinking of philosophers from whom we can benefit. The text from Robert Spitzer is fitting for me as it spouses my beliefs. He puts in words what I have not been able to express. Happiness#4: a happiness that transcends.

The Four Levels of Happiness

REV. ROBERT SPITZER, S.J.

The Greek Philosopher Aristotle observed that all human beings wish to be happy and search for happiness.

Why happiness?: The Greek Philosopher Aristotle (394-322 B.C.) observed that no person deliberately chooses to be unhappy. So, if this is the case, then human beings wish to be happy and the search for happiness leads us to look at what kinds of happiness there might be and whether these types might be logically rank-ordered.

From reviewing Greek and later Christian writers it may be observed that happiness has four levels. These may be described as follows (in ascending order).

1. laetus: Happiness in a thing. Thus, “I see the linguini, I eat the linguini, it makes me feel good, I am happy.” This kind of happiness is based on something external to the self, is short-lived and, on reflection, we do not consider that it is all there is to human happiness.
2. felix: The happiness of comparative advantage. “I have more of this than X.” “I am better at this than X.” This kind of happiness results from competition with another person. The self is seen in terms of how we measure up to others. It has been called “the comparison game.” Such happiness is rather unstable and, if one fails, can lead to unhappiness and sense of worthlessness. Exclusive pursuit tends to oppress others. Most people would not imagine a world as satisfactory if it was composed of only happiness #2 type people.
3. Beatitudo: (Beatitudo = happiness or blessedness). The happiness that comes from seeing the good in others and doing the good for others. It is, in essence, other-regarding action. Happiness #3 is, in some sense, at war with happiness #2. One cannot be at the same time in competition with someone else and doing the good for and seeing the good in them. Most people would prefer a world (community, family, relationships) structured around the pursuit of happiness #3 than entirely based in happiness #2. Happiness #3 is higher than happiness #2. The problem with #3 is that it is necessarily limited. We cannot be someone else’s everything. For example, we or they, will die and if our happiness is contingent upon them, it dies with them. “There must be more than this.”
4. Sublime Beatitudo: (sublime = “to lift up or elevate”). This category, the most difficult to describe, encompasses a reach for fullness and perfection of happiness. The fullness, therefore, of goodness, beauty, truth and love. So we recognize in this category, those things that are, in a sense, beyond what we are capable of doing purely on our own.

This quest for fullness is pursued through the other happinesses but with a clear understanding that in the battle between happiness #3 and #2, happiness #3 must win out if we are to approach the transcendentals of this category:

(transcendental: from the latin words trans = above or over and scendere = to climb over or surmount). The transcendentals have traditionally included; truth, beauty and goodness. Note that all religions have some concept that they place in a position of ultimacy and fullness or completeness as well as some account of what keeps us from this condition of completeness (sin, desire, illusion etc.) and a remedy for it.

Christians believe that God is not only the Creator of the universe but is the One who keeps us all in being moment to moment by His Grace. According to the claims of the Christian faith, creation has a meaning and purpose and so do each one of us as creatures. The central aspect of God is love and this was the reason for the incarnation (literally “enfleshment”) of God in His son Jesus Christ. Only God in Jesus is perfect and, according to Christians, our ultimate happiness is found in relationship with God through Jesus (prayer, obedience to his teachings etc.) who overcame sin (separation from God).

Christians believe that the fullness of the beatific vision (seeing God, or perfection, face-to-face) is something that we strive to move towards in life but will only be granted completely, after death. We get glimpses of the sublime nature of beauty, truth and goodness at rare moments in, perhaps, the arts (music, story, film) or nature or when we are loved by or love others. These experiences are deep and largely beyond words. Clearly to develop this category and pursue the depths of each category in this fourth level of happiness, is the work of a lifetime of open-ness, honesty and living/loving well. But the life itself is a gift which we are given. At least, that is what the tradition says.

A wonderful “parable” of the shift from Happiness #2 to Happiness #3 (up the ladder of happiness to a “higher level” of happiness’) may be seen in the famous story of Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Scrooge begins in Happiness #2 and, though successful in business, is unhappy as a person. Fear of death and his unhappy state lead him to choose to move to Happiness #3 type actions (helping the Cratchetts and others, reconciliation with his niece etc.). His happiness is a result of a shift from resentment to gratitude. Happiness #4 type questions about purpose and meaning he previously refused to examine.

Such questions as “Why am I here?” “How can I be happy?” “How can I account for human suffering?” have to deal with purpose, meaning and the transcendentals and cannot be measured by scientific measurement or answered scientifically because they transcend them. They are properly the questions for religion in terms of what we are committed to (religio = to be bound), and philosophy which deals with the love of wisdom. Augustine describes this quest as fides quaerens intellectus: “faith in search of understanding.”

I am privileged to be the eldest son of the eldest son. I feel that this privilege gives me some responsibilities; I guess I have to be an example to carry the flag that Koung Koung planted, meanwhile I assume the responsibility to share some of the great experiences I witnessed during the days when I was with him.

I have the memory of a grandfather who all of us feared whilst being very respectful to, and more importantly he was the grandfather we cherished and loved for his great integrity and rightfulness. Grandpa was a wise with no time to fool around person. His stringent respect of his promises was known to all the persons that knew him. He had extraordinary capacity to analyze complex situations be it in business matters or be it in human relations. It is precisely for these charismas that many persons came to him for counseling.

Interestingly enough, I was told that he decided to retire from the business after  having paved the way and made sure that a structure was in place for his succession. For some time acting as the non executive chairman of the business, he used to run a meeting every Friday evening with the sons who were running the affairs of the company. To occupy himself, he undertook the responsibility of administrating the immovable properties. From memory, I can recall the building of the Ciel Bleu property, the upgrading of the bungalow at Baie du Tombeau, the reconversion of the back yard of Joseph Riviere property into two apartments, and the refurbishing of La Paix street property.

I was indeed very blessed to have been the teenager boy who had accompanied him in his work. Grandpa was very thorough in work. He was a hard worker and was very systematic and practical. Whilst the design and engineering works for building the ‘Ciel Bleu’ were assigned to Mr. Chuck and his then junior Frank AHKOON, Grandpa himself together with foreman Mr. Gaston undertook to build the 2 storey building. Several times I accompanied him to Mr. Chuck office which was at Desforges street where he discussed of the plans. For long hours, he sat at his desk, thinking and working out the details of the work as well as monitoring the costs. He was assisted in his task by Uncle Francis in this project. Hats off to the shopkeeper who graduated to builder at the late age of sixty over.

What was his secret?

He was an astute observer. No action was taken before a thorough thinking was done. He would analyze the consequences of any initiative he would take. He planned minutely before execution. He would draw and put on paper all his plans. He monitored his execution. He noted all details and compare with the plans. He reflected on his actions and though of possible improvements. He reflected and learned from his actions. He documented all his work and systematically and methodically filed all his work. He was always calm and serene as a good Chinese he showed little emotions. He lived and practiced the principles he learnt and believed – temperate and thoughtful.

An unforgettable incident

One day we were being driven in the Rover car C141 to the bungalow at Baie du Tombeau by Bye Mamode, our faithful driver. We were late as grandpa requested Bye Mamode to speed up. On the road towards Roche Bois, a herd of goats crossed the road, Bye Mamode braked. He knocked down a goat causing a dent in the grill of the car. After the accident, Grandpa told Bye Mamode: Excuse me for having caused the accident, the next time I ask you to drive fast, just say yes to me and keep on driving slowly as usual. This is my permanent instruction.

The world’s attention is now turned to the Democratic Convention happenings in Denver. The nomination and later on the 4^th November, the election of the president of the US will impact on our life whether you like it or not. The dominant influence of the largest economic country definitely affects all of us. For this very reason, I took the trouble to document myself and to listen to the speeches delivered at the democratic convention. I must admit that I have already made my choice when I listened to Barack Obama’s address in Berlin earlier. Yes I am a partisan of the Obama’s.

And now, I am eagerly reading the speech of Michelle OBAMA, where she puts in her contribution as the next first lady to be. Let us hope that the 4 day’s convention will bring the democrats nearer to take over the presidency for the next term. The official nomination of Joe Biden as vice president reinforces the case for the Democratic Party and the final success of OBAMA. It is reported that Joe Biden, the experienced senator of Delaware brings to OBAMA the supposedly short comings in Obama’s experience and competence in foreign politics affairs whilst it rallies the votes of the low and medium class white blue collar workers.

The big question still to be answered is: how would the Hispanic voters react to OBAMA’s nomination? How would the Hispanics accept a black President?

All in all, President OBAMA at the head of the richest country of the world will make history. It will once again confirm that the US is the land of opportunities for all those who are willing to work hard enough. Judging from Bill Clinton’s past policies, it would appear that the Democrats at the helm of the US would be more favorable to Mauritius.

OBAMA from New York times

Born to a free-spirited white mother and a black Kenyan absentee father, Mr. Obama spent his childhood in Hawaii and Indonesia. As part of a younger generation of black leaders, he represents the success — but not the historic struggle — of the civil rights movement. And his upstart campaign for the Democratic nomination, using a mantra of hope and change combined with tech-savvy, unconventional organization, helped him surpass one of America’s most prominent political establishments, the Clintons, to become the first African-American to lead a major party ticket.More »

Between earning degrees at Columbia and Harvard, Mr. Obama spent two years as a community organizer on Chicago‘s impoverished South Side. Left frustrated by the experience, he decided to pursue change as an insider and won a seat in the Illinois state senate. Mr. Obama has written of his “spooky good fortune” in politics, but his career includes one glaring political miscalculation — an ill-fated bid to unseat Bobby L. Rush, a former activist and a hero to black voters, in Congress.

Some accused Mr. Obama of impatience when he chose to seek the Democratic nomination just two years into his first U.S. Senate term. He faced a difficult decision after his keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, when his proclamation that “We worship an awesome God in the Blue States, and we don‘t like federal agents poking around our libraries in the Red States” propelled him to party stardom. Armed with his charisma and his public stance against the Iraq war before the 2003 invasion, Mr. Obama chose to run despite his comparatively little experience on the national stage.

Mr. Obama, known for his emphasis on the big picture and a tendency to delegate, has been called “post-racial” and “post-partisan.” “I am like a Rorschach test,” he said in an interview with The New York Times this past summer. “Even if people find me disappointing ultimately, they might gain something.” Mr. Obama has carefully eschewed identifying too closely with his party, despite a fairly liberal voting record. His campaign‘s innovative internet organization both dovetailed with his call for a new kind of politics and helped him raise record amounts of money from small and large donors alike. He is a regular on the basketball court and at the gym, and his comparative youth and lofty oratory inspired comparisons to John F. Kennedy.

Despite his focus on unity, his victory over Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton caused lingering resentments among her supporters. Critics call him an empty vessel, a charge fueled by his decisions to decline public financing and support an expansion of government surveillance powers after the election, both shifts from earlier positions.

Mr. Obama lives with his wife, Michelle, and two daughters in the Chicago neighborhood of Hyde Park.