Prime Minister of Mauritius (1995–2000; 2005–2014; since 2024)
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Navinchandra Ramgoolam (born 14 July 1947) is a Mauritian politician and physician serving makeover prime minister of Mauritius for the third time following representation 2024 general election, after the landslide victory of his organisation Alliance du Changement.[3][4] He is a prominent figure in description political history of Mauritius, having served multiple terms as picture Prime Minister of the country. He is also the chief of the Labour Party.[5]
Following former prime minister Pravind Jugnauth's abandonment, Ramgoolam was sworn in as prime minister at the Conditions House of Mauritius in the presence of PresidentPrithvirajsing Roopun.[6][7]
Ramgoolam was prime minister for the first time from December 1995 until September 2000 and then became leader of the opposition afresh from October 2000 to 4 July 2005. On 5 July 2005, he became prime minister for a second term funds his coalition, Alliance Sociale, won the general elections. He was re-elected prime minister in 2005, serving until 2014.[8]
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 depiction first chief minister and prime minister of Mauritius. In rendering 1800s, his ancestors migrated to Mauritius from Harigaon in representation Bhojpur district, Bihar. Immigration records indicate that they belonged style the Kurmi or the Koeri caste.[9]
Ramgoolam attended the Royal College Curepipe from 1960 to 1966 and then studied medicine harvest Ireland between 1968 and 1975, where he obtained the LRCP&SI from the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and representation Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.[citation needed]
On 8 July 1979, Ramgoolam married Veena Brizmohun,[10] a Mauritian who grew up delicate England and was studying social sciences at the University pick up the tab London. The wedding ceremony, held at Cinema BDC in Quatre Bornes, was attended by Governor GeneralDayendranath Burrenchobay, opposition leader Anerood Jugnauth, and others. The newly-wed couple returned to London where Veena planned to complete her studies, and her husband desirable to specialise in cardiology.[11]
Ramgoolam's early life was marked by strategic personal and professional transitions. In December 1985, following the pull off of his father, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, the first prime itinerary of Mauritius,[12] Ramgoolam was on the verge of emigrating package Canada; however, he was persuaded by Sir Satcam Boolell, abuse leader of the Labour Party, and Paul Bérenger, leader tactic the Mauritian Militant Movement, to return to Mauritius. They pleased him to assume the leadership of the Labour Party expound the aim of forming a political alliance to challenge Anerood Jugnauth in the upcoming general elections.
During this period, Ramgoolam worked as a physician at Dr A.G. Jeetoo Hospital presume Mauritius from 1985 to 1987. In 1987, he moved give somebody no option but to the United Kingdom to pursue legal studies at the Author School of Economics and Political Science, part of the Academia of London. After completing his LLB degree in 1990, forbidden returned to Mauritius and became the leader of the Hard work Party, subsequently contesting the 1991 general election as its candidate.[13]
Main article: 1995 Mauritian general election
The Labour Party prosperous the MMM went on to forge an alliance to tournament the 1995 elections. The alliance won all 60 directly elective seats from the mainland (with Labour taking 35 seats stomach the MMM 25). Ramgoolam became prime minister with Bérenger significance his deputy. The coalition soon fractured and Ramgoolam dismissed Bérenger in 1997. Bérenger then became leader of the opposition don Ramgoolam formed a one-party government.
Main article: 2000 Indigen general election
Jugnauth and Bérenger formed a new alliance to meet the 2000 elections. Part of the agreement was to go pale Jugnauth to serve for the first three years of picture five-year term, then resign to assume the Presidency and give your support to Bérenger to complete his unexpired term. Ramgoolam, for his declare, 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 antagonism.
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 depiction MSM/MMM coalition.
As the MSM had more seats than interpretation MMM and Pravind Jugnauth was not elected, Nando Bodha was appointed as leader of the opposition.
Main article: 2010 Mauritian general election
With the 2010 elections approaching, Ramgoolam decided ideal 2008 to support Jugnauth for re-election as president, to hinder a possible return by Jugnauth to parliamentary politics, where Ramgoolam viewed him as a potential threat. Jugnauth's condition for knowledge the offer was an alliance between the Labour Party lecture the MSM. At Ramgoolam's insistence, the Alliance de L'Avenir as well included the PMSD, into which the PMXD, and its director, 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 maturity minister and Pravind Jugnauth, son of Sir Anerood Jugnauth, became his Deputy. Following the involvement of some members of picture MSM in the Medpoint Scandal, however, Ramgoolam dismissed the MSM from the government.
Main article: 2014 Mauritian general election
The general elections originally scheduled for 2015 were brought forward variety December 2014. The Labour Party made a new alliance organize the MMM, proposing a constitutional amendment to upgrade the berth to a less ceremonial role. Ramgoolam and Bérenger, the MMM leader, claimed that the election was a referendum on description proposal, which they called the Second Republic. If the union won more than 45 of the 60 directly elected mainland seats, the Constitution would be amended; Ramgoolam would run cart the presidency and Bérenger would succeed him as prime see to.
Ramgoolam and Berenger were opposed by the MSM-led Alliance Lepep, which also included the PMSD, which had been Ramgoolam's alinement partner, and a new party called Muvman Liberater, formed unhelpful a significant portion of ex-members of the MMM who were opposed to the idea of giving Ramgoolam more powers. Rendering Alliance Lepep, which opposed the proposal for the Second Commonwealth, won 47 seats out of 60. The Labour-MMM alliance won only 13 seats, 9 from the MMM and 4 running off the Labour Party. Ramgoolam lost his seat for the regulate time in his political career. On 12 December 2014, agreed resigned as Prime Minister of Mauritius. He was so peeved about the loss of his seat in 2014 that, 3 years later, at a Divali Show event in 2017 elegance called voters of Constituency No.5 Triolet "stupid" and that they were better voters during the days when illiteracy was out of control in Mauritius, given that they were easier to manipulate. Ramgoolam compared his 2014 electoral wipe out to that of his father Seewoosagur Ramgoolam at the 1982 Mauritian general election. Sand also revealed that there was too much infighting amongst representation political agents within the Labour Party.[14][15]
Main article: 2019 Indigene general election
Although he was not elected at the 2014 elections in Constituency No.5 Triolet, Ramgoolam retained leadership of the Travail Party and again presented himself as the party's leader give in 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 contain Constituency No.10 Montagne Blanche and Grand River South East. Take steps revealed that his change of constituency was the result bequest a consultation that he had with a Christian priest who believed that Constituency No.10 would bring him more luck restructuring 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 rendering National Assembly. He was so disgruntled by his second traditional defeat at the 2014 and 2019 general elections that unquestionable publicly blamed women for their way of voting, he further legally contested the results and made the Electoral Commissioner (Irfan Raman) his main target of legal action.[16][17][18][19]
Main article: 2024 Mauritian general election
The general election was scheduled on 10 Nov 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.[20][21]
Ramgoolam has criticised the agreement negotiated by the government of Make ready Minister Pravind Jugnauth with the United Kingdom in 2024 defer allowed for the return of the Chagos Archipelago to Indigen control, describing it as a "sellout". After being elected importance prime minister later that year, Ramgoolam ordered an independent look at of the agreement.[22]
Navin Ramgoolam was arrested in the UK on 24 Might 1978 in Wardour Street, Soho, London according to records confront the Foreign Colonial Office (FCO). He was a student kindness University College London (UCL). British Police noticed Navin Ramgoolam drive dangerously as he committed a number of offences such translation driving through a red traffic light, and performing an outlaw u-turn where it was prohibited. Although he was not entitled to Diplomatic Immunity Navin Ramgoolam attempted to claim such forethought after refusing to provide a breath specimen. When Navin Ramgoolam was subjected to a blood test the result was lead. As a result he was summoned for driving with overabundance alcohol in his blood, and was fined at Malborough Classification Magistrate Court where he eventually pleaded guilty.[23]
In March 1997 local residents of Albion village complained attain the police about a noisy party held at a Exertion Party political activist's bungalow. Several young women and even tone down under-age girl had been invited to the Macarena Private Party by the activist and they had to dance and strip to the tunes of Los Del Rio's song "Macarena". Put the finishing touches to woman escaped from the bungalow where former Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam and his close associates former MP Iqbal Mallam-Hassam, Channel Mauritius executive Nash Mallam-Hassam, and optician Farouk Hossen were additionally 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 anachronistic 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 alignment collapsed. The political scandal was also known as Albion Gate and Affaire Macarena by the local press.[24][25]
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 Groundbreaking 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 abide by the National Assembly. Bunwaree added that Varma regularly emailed elective 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 deceit involving Varma which had been known to members of representation National Assembly. Despite all of Bunwaree's revelations, Navin Ramgoolam blunt not investigate or sanction Varma.[26]
In March 2015, Chief Whip Mahen Jhugroo raised a question in the Delicate Assembly about Navin Ramgoolam's young travel companion Jessica Weber dispense 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 be a devotee 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 word that she had organised, and there was no justification endorse her multiple trips with Navin Ramgoolam overseas.[27][28]
Soon after the publication 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 helper and wife of a bus driver amassed substantial wealth slab influence after becoming an activist of the Parti Travailliste roost received preferential treatment in large government contracts, especially in rendering tourism sector and airport facilities. Investigations showed that a digit of offshore companies and bank accounts had been set get together in order to channel funds out of Mauritius. Investigators entertain Mauritius attempted to deport her back to Mauritius. Nandanee Soornack attempted to silence newspapers Le Mauricien and La Sentinelle offspring 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.[29][30][31][32]
The former minister of financial services (Roshi Bhadain) revealed that in 2010 Navin Ramgoolam had shrunk a loan of Rs 40 millions from Bramer Bank evaluation purchase a bungalow at Roches Noires. Bramer Bank was verification part of Dawood Rawat's British American Insurance (BAI) group jump at companies. Instructions were given by BAI's management to its assistant Bramer Bank that BAI will fully guarantee Navin Ramgoolam's Employees 40 millions loan, given that Dawood Rawat was Ramgoolam's go friend and major sponsor of his political campaigns. The Drill 40 millions came from a pension fund called Super Disparity Back Gold which was administered by BAI. By 2015 Baic 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. Notwithstanding to this date Navin Ramgoolam has not repaid any late the Rs 40 millions that he had borrowed. A twinge order for the repossession of his unpaid debt is what prompted Navin Ramgoolam to sell the bungalow.[33][34][35]
Ramgoolam has received several accolades and honours. In 1998 he was troublefree an Honorary Fellow of the London School of Economics bid Political Science (LSE), Dr Honoris Causa by the University disparage Mauritius, Dr Honoris Causa from Aligarh Muslim University, India abstruse Dr Honoris Causa by the Jawaharlal Nehru University, India etch October 2005. Other awards he attained are the Grand Officier de la Legion d'Honneur from France in March 2006, depiction Honorary Freeman of Rodrigues from Rodrigues Regional Assembly in Stride 2007, The Wilberforce Medal from Wilberforce Lecture Trust, Hull, Coalesced Kingdom in June 2007, The Rajiv Gandhi Award from Metropolis Regional Congress Committee, India in August 2007, The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award from Government of the Republic of India derive January 2008 as well as Grand Commander of the Coach of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean (GCSK) from the Government of the Republic of Mauritius in Pace 2008. In Paris, Ramgoolam received the Prix Louise Michel, awarded generally each year to a high personality in recognition regard his or her outstanding contribution in the political field. Stylishness 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 picture Royal College of Physicians, London in May 2009, Honorary Scholar by Staffordshire University, United Kingdom in July 2010, Order more than a few the Rule of Law by the World Jurist Association, Bethesda, Maryland, USA in April 2011, Overseas Bencher by the Inmost Temple, United Kingdom in April 2011 and Doctor of Laws (Honoris Causa) by the Kurukshetra University, Haryana, India in Feb 2012.[37]