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Navin Ramgoolam

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The Honourable
Navinchandra Ramgoolam
GCSK FRCP
Ramgoolam in 2018
3rd Prime Minister of Mauritius
Incumbent
Assumed office
13 November 2024
PresidentPrithvirajsing Roopun
Preceded byPravind Jugnauth
In office
5 July 2005 – 17 December 2014
President
Preceded byPaul Bérenger
Succeeded byAnerood Jugnauth
In office
27 December 1995 – 11 September 2000
PresidentCassam Uteem
Preceded byAnerood Jugnauth
Succeeded byAnerood Jugnauth
7th Leader of the Opposition
In office
11 September 2000 – 4 July 2005
Prime Minister
Preceded byPaul Berenger
Succeeded byPaul Bérenger
In office
15 September 1991 – 20 December 1995
Prime MinisterAnerood Jugnauth
Preceded byPrem Nababsing
Succeeded byNicholas
Personal details
Born
Navinchandra Ramgoolam

(1947-07-14) 14 July 1947 (age 77)
Port Louis, British Mauritius
Citizenship
[citation needed]
Political partyLabour Party
SpouseVeena Ramgoolam (Brizmohun) (1979–present)
Parents
Residence(s)Riverwalk, Floreal
Alma mater
ProfessionPolitician, doctor
Signature

Navinchandra Ramgoolam (born 14 July 1947) is a Mauritian politician and doctor serving as prime minister of Mauritius for the third time following the 2024 general election, after the landslide victory of his coalition Alliance du Changement.[1][2] He is a prominent figure in the political history of Mauritius, having served multiple terms as the Prime Minister of the country. He is also the leader of the Labour Party.[3]

Following former Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth's resignation, Ramgoolam was sworn in as Prime Minister at the State House of Mauritius in the presence of President, Prithvirajsing Roopun.[4][5]

Ramgoolam was Prime Minister for the first time from December 1995 until September 2000 and then became Leader of the Opposition again from October 2000 to 4 July 2005. On 5 July 2005, he became Prime Minister for a second term after his coalition, Alliance Sociale, won the general elections. He was re-elected Prime Minister in 2005, serving until 2014.[6]

Early life and education

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Navin Ramgoolam was born on 14 July 1947 to Seewoosagur Ramgoolam (SSR) and Sushil Ramjoorawon in Port Louis. SSR was the 6th Governor General of Mauritius, as well as the first chief minister and Prime Minister of Mauritius. In the 1800s, his ancestors migrated to Mauritius from Harigaon in the Bhojpur district, Bihar. Immigration records indicate that they belonged to the Kurmi or the Koeri caste.[7]

Ramgoolam attended the Royal College Curepipe from 1960 to 1966 and then studied medicine in Ireland between 1968 and 1975, where he obtained the LRCP&SI from the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.

On 8 July 1979 Ramgoolam married Veena Brizmohun,[8] a Mauritian who grew up in England and was studying social sciences at the University of London. The wedding ceremony, held at Cinema BDC in Quatre Bornes, was attended by Governor General Dayendranath Burrenchobay, opposition leader Anerood Jugnauth, and others. The newly-wed couple returned to London where Veena planned to complete her studies, and her husband wanted to specialise in cardiology.[9]

Ramgoolam's early life was marked by significant personal and professional transitions. In December 1985, following the death of his father, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, the first Prime Minister of Mauritius,[10] Ramgoolam was on the verge of emigrating to Canada; however, he was persuaded by Sir Satcam Boolell, then leader of the Labour Party, and Paul Bérenger, leader of the Mauritian Militant Movement, to return to Mauritius. They encouraged him to assume the leadership of the Labour Party with the aim of forming a political alliance to challenge Anerood Jugnauth in the upcoming general elections.

During this period, Ramgoolam worked as a doctor at Dr A.G. Jeetoo Hospital in Mauritius from 1985 to 1987. In 1987, he moved to the United Kingdom to pursue legal studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science, part of the University of London. After completing his LLB degree in 1990, he returned to Mauritius and became the leader of the Labour Party, subsequently contesting the 1991 general election as its candidate.[11]

Navin Ramgoolam with former Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh.
Navin Ramgoolam with Obamas.

Political career

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1995 elections

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Main article: 1995 Mauritian general election

The Labour Party and the MMM went on to forge an alliance to contest the 1995 elections. The alliance won all 60 directly elected seats from the mainland (with Labour taking 35 seats and the MMM 25). Ramgoolam became Prime Minister with Bérenger as his Deputy. The coalition soon fractured and Ramgoolam dismissed Bérenger in 1997. Bérenger then became Leader of the Opposition and Ramgoolam formed a one-party government.

2000 elections

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Main article: 2000 Mauritian general election

Jugnauth and Bérenger formed a new alliance to contest the 2000 elections. Part of the agreement was to allow Jugnauth to serve for the first three years of the five-year term, then resign to assume the Presidency and allow Bérenger to complete his unexpired term. Ramgoolam, for his part, formed an alliance with the Mauritian Party of Xavier-Luc Duval (PMXD), a breakaway from the PMSD led by Xavier-Luc Duval, the son of Sir Gaëtan Duval. The MSM/MMM alliance won 54 of the 60 directly elected mainland seats. Ramgoolam, who had retained his own seat, became Leader of the Opposition.

2005 elections

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Main article: 2005 Mauritian general election

His Alliance Social won the general elections against the MSM/MMM outgoing government. He was again appointed as prime minister with a majority of 38 out of 60 seats. His alliance also won the local/municipal elections in 2006 where the MSM/MMM was severely defeated. These consecutive defeats and internal instability caused the break-up of the MSM/MMM coalition.

As the MSM had more seats than the MMM and Pravind Jugnauth was not elected, Nando Bodha was appointed as Leader of the Opposition.

2010 elections

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Main article: 2010 Mauritian general election

With the 2010 elections approaching, Ramgoolam decided in 2008 to support Jugnauth for re-election as President, to forestall a possible return by Jugnauth to parliamentary politics, where Ramgoolam viewed him as a potential threat. Jugnauth's condition for accepting the offer was an alliance between the Labour Party and the MSM. At Ramgoolam's insistence, the Alliance de L'Avenir also included the PMSD, into which the PMXD, and its leader, Xavier-Luc Duval, had merged; seven of the sixty parliamentary candidates would come from the PMSD).

The Alliance de L'Avenir won 41 of the 60 directly elected seats. Ramgoolam remained Prime Minister and Pravind Jugnauth, son of Sir Anerood Jugnauth, became his Deputy. Following the involvement of some members of the MSM in the Medpoint Scandal, however, Ramgoolam dismissed the MSM from the government.

2014 elections

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Main article: 2014 Mauritian general election

The general elections originally scheduled for 2015 were brought forward to December 2014. The Labour Party made a new alliance with the MMM, proposing a constitutional amendment to upgrade the Presidency to a less ceremonial role. Ramgoolam and Bérenger, the MMM leader, claimed that the election was a referendum on the proposal, which they called the Second Republic. If the alliance won more than 45 of the 60 directly elected mainland seats, the Constitution would be amended; Ramgoolam would run for the Presidency and Bérenger would succeed him as Prime Minister.

Ramgoolam and Berenger were opposed by the MSM-led Alliance Lepep, which also included the PMSD, which had been Ramgoolam's coalition partner, and a new party called Muvman Liberater, formed by a significant portion of ex-members of the MMM who were opposed to the idea of giving Ramgoolam more powers. The Alliance Lepep, which opposed the proposal for the Second Republic, won 47 seats out of 60. The Labour-MMM alliance won only 13 seats, 9 from the MMM and 4 from the Labour Party. Ramgoolam lost his seat for the first time in his political career. On 12 December 2014, he resigned as Prime Minister of Mauritius.

2019 elections

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Main article: 2019 Mauritian general election

Although he was not elected at the 2014 elections in Constituency No.5 Triolet, Ramgoolam retained leadership of the Labour Party and again presented himself as the party's leader at the November 2019 elections. Before the elections he made a coalition with the Parti Mauricien Social Démocrate and Mouvement Jean-Claude Barbier which became known as Alliance Nationale. Instead of choosing Constituency No.5 Triolet, this time Ramgoolam stood as candidate in Constituency No.10 Montagne Blanche and Grand River South East. He revealed that his change of constituency was the result of a consultation that he had with a Christian priest who believed that Constituency No.10 would bring him more luck as his grand parents lived there, and that Constituency No.5 Triolet brought him bad luck as his father Seewoosagur was cremated there. However, once again Ramgoolam was not elected to the National Assembly. He was so disgruntled by his second consecutive defeat at the 2014 and 2019 general elections that he publicly blamed women for their way of voting, he also legally contested the results and made the Electoral Commissioner (Irfan Raman) his main target of legal action.[12][13][14][15]

2024 elections

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Main article: 2024 Mauritian general election

The general election was scheduled on 10 November 2024, where the Labour Party together with the MMM, Nouveau Démocrate and Rezistans ek Alternativ formed the "Alliance du changement", to oppose the "Alliance Lepep" which composed of the MSM, Muvman Liberater and the PMSD. The Alliance du changement won the general election with a 60–0 in its favour.[16][17]

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1978 arrest by British police

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Navin Ramgoolam was arrested in the UK on 24 May 1978 in Wardour Street, Soho, London according to records of the Foreign Colonial Office (FCO). He was a student at University College London (UCL). British Police noticed Navin Ramgoolam driving dangerously as he committed a number of offences such as driving through a red traffic light, and performing an illegal u-turn where it was prohibited. Although he was not entitled to Diplomatic Immunity Navin Ramgoolam attempted to claim such protection after refusing to provide a breath specimen. When Navin Ramgoolam was subjected to a blood test the result was positive. As a result he was summoned for driving with excess alcohol in his blood, and was fined at Malborough Street Magistrate Court where he eventually pleaded guilty.[18]

1997 Albion Gate Macarena Party

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In March 1997 local residents of Albion village complained to the police about a noisy party held at a Labour Party political activist's bungalow. Several young women and even an under-age girl had been invited to the Macarena Private Party by the activist and they had to dance and undress to the tunes of Los Del Rio's song "Macarena". One woman escaped from the bungalow where former Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam and his close associates former MP Iqbal Mallam-Hassam, Air Mauritius executive Nash Mallam-Hassam, and optician Farouk Hossen were also partying and drinking heavily. A few days later Ajay Daby, the lawyer who later represented the young women, brandished a black underwear at a public meeting, claiming that it belonged to a well known politician and that it had been recovered on Albion beach. Los Del Rio's song "Macarena" was subjected to a ban by the state's radio station MBC following Navin Ramgoolam's orders. Within three months the Labour-MMM coalition collapsed. The political scandal was also known as Albion Gate and Affaire Macarena by the local press.[19][20]

2009 Varma tax evasion and conflict of interest

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In December 2009 Labour Party minister Vasant Bunwaree made revelations in parliament about Yatin Varma, who was then a close associate and campaign manager of then Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam. Bunwaree revealed that Varma had been receiving additional income as the legal counsel of several parastatal institutions although he was already being paid as a member of the National Assembly. Bunwaree added that Varma regularly emailed elected ministers which read «I would be grateful if you could kindly consider appointing me as legal advisor on a monthly basis to one of your institutions falling under your responsibility». Bunwaree also spoke about a well-known case of tax evasion involving Varma which had been known to members of the National Assembly. Despite all of Bunwaree's revelations, Navin Ramgoolam did not investigate or sanction Varma.[21][22]

Travel companion Jessica Weber

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In March 2015 Chief Whip Mahen Jhugroo raised a question in the National Assembly about Navin Ramgoolam's young travel companion Jessica Weber for whom the position of VIP Facilitation Organizer had been specifically created within the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) since 2013. Jessica Weber was recruited by Serge Petit, CEO of Airports of Mauritius Ltd (AML) without the board's approval. Although she benefitted from a government monthly salary of Rs 100,000, minister Xavier-Luc Duval discovered that there was no evidence of any events that she had organised, and there was no justification for her multiple trips with Navin Ramgoolam overseas.[23][24]

2014 Nandanee Soornack fleeing to Italy and daughter Xara Keiron Chandra

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Soon after the proclamation of the December 2014 general elections in Mauritius Nandanee Soornack (born Nandanee Oogarah), girlfriend and close associate of Navin Ramgoolam, fled to Italy with 12 suitcases. The former shop assistant and wife of a bus driver amassed substantial wealth and influence after becoming an activist of the Parti Travailliste and received preferential treatment in large government contracts, especially in the tourism sector and airport facilities. Investigations showed that a number of offshore companies and bank accounts had been set up in order to channel funds out of Mauritius. Investigators in Mauritius attempted to deport her back to Mauritius. Nandanee Soornack attempted to silence newspapers Le Mauricien and La Sentinelle by applying for a Gagging Order. She revealed that Navin Ramgoolam is the father of her daughter Xara Keiron Chandra who was born in 2009. Navin Ramgoolam's illegitimate love child was mentioned during public gatherings, for example by Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth on 19 August 2017 at the village of Circonstance in St Pierre.[25][26][27][28][29][30][31]

2010 purchase of Rs 40 millions bungalow using Super Cash Back Gold funds

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The former Minister of Financial Services (Roshi Bhadain) revealed that in 2010 Navin Ramgoolam had contracted a loan of Rs 40 millions from Bramer Bank to purchase a bungalow at Roches Noires. Bramer Bank was then part of Dawood Rawat's British American Insurance (BAI) group of companies. Instructions were given by BAI's management to its subsidiary Bramer Bank that BAI will fully guarantee Navin Ramgoolam's Rs 40 millions loan, given that Dawood Rawat was Ramgoolam's close friend and major sponsor of his political campaigns. The Rs 40 millions came from a pension fund called Super Cash Back Gold which was administered by BAI. By 2015 BAI had collapsed, contributors to pension fund Super Cash Back Gold lost their pension funds, and as part of a bail-out Bramer Bank was replaced by the National Commercial Bank. However to this date Navin Ramgoolam has not repaid any of the Rs 40 millions that he had borrowed. A seizure order for the repossession of his unpaid debt is what prompted Navin Ramgoolam to sell the bungalow.[32][33][34]

Awards and decorations

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Ramgoolam receives Pravasi Bharatiya Samman from President of India in 2008

Honours

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Navin Ramgoolam with former Prime Minister of United Kingdom, David Cameron.

Ramgoolam has received several accolades and honours. In 1998 he was made an Honorary Fellow of the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), Dr Honoris Causa by the University of Mauritius, Dr Honoris Causa from Aligarh Muslim University, India and Dr Honoris Causa by the Jawaharlal Nehru University, India in October 2005. Other awards he attained are the Grand Officier de la Legion d'Honneur from France in March 2006, the Honorary Freeman of Rodrigues from Rodrigues Regional Assembly in March 2007, The Wilberforce Medal from Wilberforce Lecture Trust, Hull, United Kingdom in June 2007, The Rajiv Gandhi Award from Mumbai Regional Congress Committee, India in August 2007, The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award from Government of the Republic of India in January 2008 as well as Grand Commander of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean (GCSK) from the Government of the Republic of Mauritius in March 2008. In Paris, Ramgoolam received the Prix Louise Michel, awarded generally each year to a high personality in recognition of his or her outstanding contribution in the political field. He was made Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) by the Padmashree Dr D. Y. Patil University, Mumbai, India in February 2009, Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (FRCP) of the Royal College of Physicians, London in May 2009, Honorary Doctor by Staffordshire University, United Kingdom in July 2010, Order of the Rule of Law by the World Jurist Association, Bethesda, Maryland, USA in April 2011, Overseas Bencher by the Inner Temple, United Kingdom in April 2011 and Doctor of Laws (Honoris Causa) by the Kurukshetra University, Haryana, India in February 2012.[36]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ AFP (13 November 2024). "Mauritius gets new PM after a clean-sweep election win | New Straits Times". NST Online. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  2. ^ "Île Maurice : après sa large victoire aux élections législatives, Navin Ramgoolam prête serment | TV5MONDE - Informations". information.tv5monde.com (in French). 13 November 2024. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  3. ^ "Législatives à l'île Maurice : le chef de l'opposition revendique la victoire" (in French). 12 November 2024. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  4. ^ "Navin Ramgoolam Appointed as Prime Minister of Mauritius – GKToday". www.gktoday.in. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  5. ^ "Mauritius opposition leader Ramgoolam sworn in as PM after election rout". ddnews.gov.in. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  6. ^ "New broom's promise to sweep clean". The New Humanitarian. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  7. ^ "Politics here is spelt with a capital 'C' – Indian Express". archive.indianexpress.com. Archived from the original on 29 September 2022. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  8. ^ "Bio-data of Dr The Honourable Navinchandra Ramgoolam". Government of Mauritius. Archived from the original on 15 November 2012. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
  9. ^ "Il y a 38 ans le 8 juillet 1979: Navin Ramgoolam se marie (08-July-2017)". L'Express. 8 July 2017. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
  10. ^ Zuber, David (4 April 2022). "Seewoosagur Ramgoolam (1900-1985) •". Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  11. ^ Ethan, S. Ren Jehoiakim (October 2011). Navin Ramgoolam. Volvpress. ISBN 978-613-7-83168-7. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  12. ^ Luckoo, Priya. "Ramgoolam: «Bann madam pa konn voté»08 March 2020". L'Express. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  13. ^ Ahmed Khan, Iqbal. "Election petitions: why Navin Ramgoolam and Suren Dayal were fighting two different issues? 12 December 2022". L'Express. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  14. ^ Ramdin, Al Khizr. "Ramgoolam révèle que c'est un «prêtre» qui lui a conseillé de se porter candidat au no 10". Defimedia. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  15. ^ "Ramgoolam explique pourquoi il est candidat au n°10 21-Oct-2019". L'Express. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  16. ^ "Mauritius's opposition coalition wins legislative election". global.chinadaily.com.cn. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  17. ^ Mohabuth, Yasine; Kupemba, Danai. "Mauritius government suffers electoral wipeout". BBC. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  18. ^ "Independent Mauritius 1968–2016 : The State, Nationhood, Realm Republic and Dynasties". Le Mauricien. 6 March 2016. Archived from the original on 11 December 2021. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  19. ^ "Cela fait tout juste 15 ans: L'Affaire Macarena Party". www.lemauricien.com. Le Mauricien. 15 April 2012. Archived from the original on 23 October 2022. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  20. ^ "Dans la presse le 9 avril". L'Express. Archived from the original on 23 October 2022. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  21. ^ Oodunt, Sunil (30 January 2021). "Yatin Varma: reculer pour mieux sauter ! 30-January-2021". L'Express. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  22. ^ "Je réserve des surprises aux Jeannot 23-June-2013". 5Plus. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
  23. ^ "Jessica Weber: la demoiselle dans l'ombre de l'ex-PM". L'Express. 12 March 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
  24. ^ "ENJEU : L'ombre de Ramgoolam sur les 100 jours de SAJ !". Le Mauricien. 15 March 2015. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  25. ^ Samoisy, Laura. "Nandanee Soornack en Italie: Elle dévoile la paternité de sa fille pour éviter la déportation". 5Plus. Archived from the original on 13 March 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  26. ^ Wan, James. "Changing fortunes of Mauritius' ousted leaders". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 7 June 2021. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  27. ^ Moonien, Vel (6 March 2015). "Scandale à la MDFP: Rakesh Gooljaury devra s'expliquer". L'Express. Archived from the original on 13 March 2023. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  28. ^ "Révélations de Soornack". L'Express. 14 December 2015. Archived from the original on 13 March 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  29. ^ "Nandanee Soornack: Et elle se métamorphosa au contact de la politique". Le Mauricien. 30 December 2012. Archived from the original on 13 March 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
  30. ^ Peerbaye, Nafisah (19 August 2017). "Pravind Jugnauth : «Linn fer piti li pann decklaré 19-August-2017". L'Express. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  31. ^ Moris, E. "Voici les photos de Nanadanee Soornack dont tout le monde parle". Zinfos Moris. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  32. ^ "Bhadain: Le campement de Ramgoolam a été acheté avec l'argent de Super Cash Back Gold". Ion News. 13 April 2015. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
  33. ^ "Roches-Noires: Ramgoolam devra rembourser Rs 40 M à l'ex-Bramer Bank". L'Express. 19 September 2015. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  34. ^ St Pierre, Patrick (30 August 2023). "Bhadain vs Ramgoolam Guerre Ouverte". L'Express. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  35. ^ "List of Previous Pravasi Bhartiya Samman". 28 December 2014. Archived from the original on 28 December 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  36. ^ "CURRICULUM VITAE". Government of Mauritius. Archived from the original on 17 March 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
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Political offices
Preceded by Prime Minister of Mauritius
1995–2000 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Prime Minister of Mauritius
2005–2015


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