Opposition leader Joe Lesjongard advocates for Mauritian Creole in Parliament, citing democratic necessity and historical imperative
Opposition leader Joe Lesjongard has endorsed the introduction of Mauritian Creole in Parliament, describing it as a "democratic necessity" to connect Parliament with the public. He acknowledged challenges such as vocabulary standardization, Hansard, and simultaneous interpretation, but viewed them as organizational matters rather than insurmountable obstacles. Lesjongard called for financial resources for logistics and personnel, urging the government to recruit and train stenographers and interpreters. He argued that since Creole is taught in schools and recognized as a national language, it is inconsistent to deem it unsuitable for parliamentary debates. He also pressed the government to exceed the recommendations of the future committee by establishing a clear implementation timeline. Lesjongard stated that this reform, which he called a "decolonization of our Parliament," aims to elevate the status of the Mauritian people without diminishing English or French.
