Mauritian Creole in Parliament: Tourism Minister Richard Duval advocates for closer ties between institutions and the people

He emphasized that the initiative is not intended to impose a language or divide Mauritians, nor does it question the value of other languages. Instead, it proposes a calm and responsible discussion on integrating Mauritian Creole into parliamentary work. Duval highlighted that the Parliament, as the "house of the people," should reflect the language spoken by the majority of Mauritians, thereby making public policies more accessible.

He noted that Mauritian Creole now has standardized orthography, grammar, and a dictionary, is taught in schools, and studied at university, recognizing it as a full-fledged language. Duval acknowledged that constitutional aspects, Standing Orders, simultaneous interpretation, human resources, costs, and implementation timelines need to be examined, which is why a Select Committee is necessary. He countered critics by stating that the quality of debate depends on arguments and clarity of thought, not the language used, and that connecting citizens with their representatives is not a secondary task.

He cited Seychelles as an example where Creole is used in the National Assembly and expressed hope for the committee's work to be conducted with openness, transcending partisan divisions.