Navin Ramgoolam

Navinchandra Ramgoolam^[1] (नवीन चन्‍द्र रामगुलाम), GCSK,MP (born 14 July 1947) is the current Prime Minister of Mauritius. He first held this office from 1995 to 2000, and was reappointed in 2005, after his Alliance Sociale (a coalition including his own Mauritian Labour Party, the Mauritian Party of Xavier-Luc Duval, and several smaller groups) defeated the Mauritian Militant Movement-Militant Socialist Movement coalition of then Prime Minister Paul Bérenger in the 2005 general elections.

Biography

He is the son of the late Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam. He trained as a doctor in Dublin, Ireland and achieved full registration with the General Medical Council of the United Kingdom in 1977. He later converted to Law by achieving a Master of Laws qualification at the London School of Economics before starting a political career.

His first prime ministership was marked by two by-elections that he won and marred by island-wide racial riots after the death of Reginald Topize (a famous Seggae singer of creole origin) in prison. In 2000 he was defeated by two political leaders, Paul Bérenger and Anerood Jugnauth, who joined hands to oust him in 2000.

Between 2000 and 2005, Navin Ramgoolam was Leader of the Opposition. In 2005, a coalition the Social Alliance led by Labour Party won the elections. Navin Ramgoolam kept his promise to introduce free transport services for the elderly as a tribute for their efforts to bring Mauritius to where it stands and students for they are the future of the nation. He also specified tight deadlines for achieving various other (short-term) macroeconomic measures to ensure the country sustains development. These involved tax reform amongst others.

References

v • d • e Prime Ministers of Mauritius Commonwealth realm, 1961-92: S. Ramgoolam* • Jugnauth • Republic, 1992-: Jugnauth • N. Ramgoolam • Jugnauth • Bérenger • N. Ramgoolam *Chief Minister, 1961-68; Prime Minister, 1968-82