No, it is not all doom and gloom. Yes, as a nation, we have exceeded the expectations of many. Those like economist and Nobel Prize winner James Meade who, in 1961, wrote that “the outlook for peaceful development was poor” for Mauritius have had a lot of time to swallow their inanities. We have managed to rise above our differences and forge a peaceful common destiny. No, one would not go to the extent of claiming that we have become a true nation of colour-blind Mauritians who are impervious to the different components of our society. No, oh no, Sir. Mention any important event – particularly an election – and you will see us dump our Mauritianism for a more tribal sense of belonging. The culture of noubanism (us against them) has become so entrenched in our psyche that we do not stop to question it often enough.

However, what we have achieved is worth celebrating: respect for each other’s religion, culture and identity. And that, in troubled times, is a good start. Admittedly, that respect has been based more on avoiding each other than on trying to understand what the other stands for. But, in spite of our living together more in ghetto-style cultures than as a melting pot, we have learnt so much from each other. More than we tend to think.

From her birth, a Mauritian child is thrust into an ocean of differences. Between the nurses, the doctors and the helpers she sees around her as soon as she has opened her eyes, the child has already visited the five continents. When she is of school age, she quickly learns the different languages and cultures which constitute the heritage of her classmates. When she is initiated to her own religion or the philosophy and code of ethics chosen by her family, she has already become familiar with the different places of worship her schoolmates go to and has learnt to accept the various ways of praying and the different names God is called by. That is a huge leg up over others of her generation who are brought up in monolithic countries or countries which trample on religious freedom and culture.

Politically, however, there is little to warm our spirits. Yes, we have free and fair elections every five years and if that’s what democracy is about, we would be the most democratic country in the world. Unfortunately, our political players have been the same since independence. Four or five names dominating a political scene defined by stalemate and mutual recrimination, alternating between government and the opposition and sharing the national cake with each other and with their cronies. In between elections, those who we have entrusted with running the country break every promise of honesty, transparency, meritocracy and good governance. We watch themwith an air of indifference, mingled at times with gross obsequiousness in the hope of receiving the crumbs left from their greed. This disease is called roderboutisme. It is not life-threatening. It’s a local infection that will probably have to run its course. Only then will we start to aspire to something better.

“Democracy”, some say, “is the freedom to choose who dictates.” That is the best we have achieved on our 47^th birthday. A dictatorship between two elections. Happy birthday all the same.