Draft Message of the Hon
Speech of the Hon. Minister
Finals ofSong Competition on Lord Murugan
Union Tamoule de Maurice
I am pleased to have been invited as Chief Guest at the finals of the song competition organized in the context of the 55th anniversary of the Union Tamoule de Maurice (UTM). At the very outset, I would like to congratulate the President and members of the association for this laudable initiative.
Song and dance competitions, especially on television, are presently very much in vogue.These programmes are attracting participants in different languages and styles and are bringing on stage a large number of participants with quite remarkable artistic potential.
It is a matter of personal satisfaction for me that the Ministry I am heading presently is offering several opportunities to Mauritians to develop their artistic skills. Let me enumerate some of them so that you may have an idea of the efforts being put up by the Government in that direction.
Two Centres de Formation Artistique are operational in Paillote and Plaine des Papayes where short term courses, open to all age-groups, are being run, free of course fee, in Guitar playing, Tabla playing, Kathak Dance,Modern Dance, Stage-Acting, Painting, Pyrography, amongst others. And I am inaugurating a third Centre in Mahebourg on Wednesday 21 January, i.e. in three days from now.
Now, you must surely be aware that the Mahatma Gandhi Institute and the Conservatoire National de Musique François Mitterand together with their regional centres are offering courses for the methodical study of music, dance and fine arts since quite a long time. Moreover, all lower-form students in our State Secondary Schools benefit from an initiation into the basics of music.
On the other hand my Ministry also provides, under the Assistance Scheme for Artists,a non-refundable grant up to a ceiling of Rs. 15,000 together with a recommendation for a soft loan up to a maximum of Rs. 25,000 for a new artistic project such as production of CD song /music album, mounting of exhibition or publication of book, every two years.
You would be pleased to learn that we also provide assistance to high level artists to participate in international programmes.
Those who are in Port Louis on Fridays between noon and 1.00 PM must have noticed a musical programme going on at the Le Jardin de la Compagnie. This weekly cultural event organized by my Ministry offers a platform to both upcoming and established artists to perform in public and market their cultural products. Any group can apply for participation. But the programme is so popular that the waiting list is quite long.
You must have also seen in the papers that my Ministry is proposing to recruit resource persons to start an initiation programme on artistic creativity and cultural values in all the 28 ZEP schools. The disciplines are : Music, Theatre, Song, Painting, Sculpture, Dance, Pastoral Care and Traditional Games.
Finally, my Ministry also gives away awards annually to winners of our various competitions so as to express our appreciation for their outstanding performance and also to encourage the artist community as a whole.
So, you have an idea of the wide opportunities Government is offering in the field of arts to Mauritians of all age groups. I would like to make a special appeal to all socio-cultural organizations like the UTM to ensure that the upcoming generation is given the opportunity to get acquainted with all aspects of culture and their importance in the overall development of character. It is in the interest of the youth to avoid falling into the trap of the numerous social evils we see around us by developing love for wholesome and sane art forms at an early age. Such practices will not only enhance and enrich their lives but will also contribute to make of them peace-loving people desirous of promoting the spirit of mutual understanding and harmony among all components of the population.
We, Mauritians, are fortunate to have inherited rich cultures bequeathed to us by our forbears. We are grateful to socio-cultural organizations like the UTM which have played a crucial role in preserving and promoting culture further. The contribution of Culture in the continuous development of our country at all levels has indeed been significant.
For a large part of our history, the common people have sung religious verses and devotional songs. Now and then, they also organized competitions which enabled participants to improve their level and be rewarded for their talent. Today, we should be thankful to the Union Tamoule de Maurice for organizing a song competition on Lord Murugan which has the merit of promoting Tamil culture, music and language all at the same time.
Before I leave the floor to the participants, I would like to thank again the president and members of the UTM for their devotion to the cause of Tamil culture in Mauritius.
Good luck to all competitors! May you all avail of the opportunities offered by the Government and become great artists!
18 January 2009
Dr. the Hon. Vasant K. Bunwaree
Minister of Education, Culture and
Human Resources
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