Kugan Parapen, Junior Minister for Social Security, states the decolonization process remains unfinished
Kugan Parapen, Junior Minister for Social Security, declared that while Mauritius officially achieved independence on March 12, 1968, the decolonization process is still incomplete. He noted that over 58 years after independence, linguistic vestiges of colonization persist, forcing representatives to use languages that are not their own in Parliament. Parapen emphasized that Parliament should represent all citizens and expressed concern that the proceedings are inaccessible to many due to language barriers. He argued that while English and French are important pillars of society, the refusal to incorporate Mauritian mother tongues in Parliament indicates a focus on form over substance, potentially turning the institution into an ivory tower. He cited Iceland, where despite high English proficiency, only Icelandic is permitted in its Parliament, as an example of prioritizing the national language.
