Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11
NEWSLETTER
THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION
Mauritius Branch
Creating global understanding through English - Issue No. 39 Dec 2013
Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
ESU conveys its warmest
congratulations to Ms Sanjiveni
Veerasamy and Mr Kavin Poull
on the occasion of their
wedding
on
Wednesday
4/12/13. Ms Veerasamy is a
member of our Executive
Committee. We wish them both
a very happy married life.
- Congratulations also to Mr &
Mrs Deepak Maunthrooa on the
birth of their baby girl. We
wish them a happy parenthood!
Mr Maunthrooa is also a
member of our Executive
Committee.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
You must have welcomed the New Year in a fitting way and in the true Mauritian
tradition.
I wish you, though belatedly, the very best for 2014 and hope
that well have a fruitful year ahead as fruitful and
rewarding as 2013, which has been a very eventful year for
the ESU.
I assumed responsibilities as President of the ESU in June last at a critical period, as we
were, in the ensuing months, fully involved in planning and organizing a series of
activities to mark our 20th Anniversary. These culminated in September in two important
events, namely our being associated with the staging of Shakespeares play A MidSummer Nights Dream by The Troupe and Charles Telfair Institute. This was followed
by an enriching debate in the MBC studio and it is hoped that such an event will become
a regular annual feature. We also propose to contact the Mauritius Broadcasting
Corporation so as to get full coverage for two important events, namely the Public
Speaking Competition and the Spelling Bee. I do not propose to again enumerate the
other events held during the year, through they are no less important. These had
sufficient coverage in the speech which I gave at our Annual Dinner and which is
reproduced in this issue.
We shall in 2014 certainly consolidate on the regular events held at school level,
inclusive of the Commonwealth Essay Competition. However, stress will be laid on
innovation to cater for other age groups as well. The English Language Day will become
a yearly event and will be celebrated on the 23rd April, which is the date of the birth of
William Shakespeare. We also hope to enlist the help of the Mauritius Commercial Bank
and see how it could further support us.
We will pursue our efforts to upgrade teachers of English both at local level and
overseas, through the facilities provided by the United States Embassy and courses in the
United Kingdom through scholarships. It is imperative that we forge further links with the
outside world for closer global understanding through mainly the ESU Head Office at
Dartmouth House, London, which already hosts the finals of the International Public
Speaking Competition and enables our national winners to meet others from many parts
of the world. It will hopefully renew the Cultural Globe Seminar and the International
Relations Conference, in which some teachers have already participated. Mauritius
should henceforth also make it a point to be officially and regularly represented at the
ESU International Council Meeting and interact with other ESUs across the world.
The ESU has certainly carved itself a niche in the education sector in Mauritius. Our
membership, especially among teachers, is now increasing, whereas more outside bodies
and institutions are having recourse to our services and collaboration for various literary
activities, competitions and upgrading of teachers. This is an encouraging trend!
Another challenging year lies ahead of us. As usual, we are
grateful to all those who support us in our noble mission of
Creating global understanding through English. We are
confident that we can rely on their unstinting efforts.
With kind regards,
A. Prem Burton, CSK,
President ESU-Mauritius
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
PHOTO SOUVENIR
Cake cutting to mark the 20th Anniversary of the
ESU-Mauritius, with
Hon. M Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Sir Victor Glover, Patron of ESU-Mauritius
Mr Prem Burton, CSK, President of ESU-Mauritius,
and
H.E. Marie France Roussety, Ambassador of the Rep
of Seychelles & Vice-President of ESU-Mauritius
ESU was delighted that past participants of the Public
Speaking Competition also attended our dinner this year
Reema Chataroo (runner-up 2008), Advik Goorah
(National Winner 2010, Finalist IPSC 2010), Shaun Payen
(National Winner 2011), Sidharth Deepchand (National
Winner 2012, and Dipanjali Samoo (National Winner
2013). You will recall that Sebastien Ng Kuet Leong of
College du St Esprit, our National winner for 2009, won
the International Public Speaking Competition, held in
London.
SPEECH BY ESU PRESIDENT, MR PREM BURTON, CSK
1.
2.
3.
4.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
SUPPORT TO ENGLISH
TEACHERS
INTERVIEW OF ESU-PRESIDENT
MR PREM BURTON, CSK
(EXTRACTS APPEARED IN WEEKLY
MAGAZINE OF AUGUST 2013)
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
9)
Finally, you celebrated the 20th Anniversary of
the creation of the English-Speaking Union. How did
you mark this event?
We wanted to mark this event in a striking and memorable
way. First, we had our traditional Annual Dinner on Friday
23rd August at Indra Restaurant, Domaine Les Pailles. It
was attended, amongst other personalities, by Hon. M
Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture and Mrs Choonee. We
had this year a Guest Speaker, Mr Serge Rivire, Prof
Emeritus of the University of Limerick, Ireland, who spoke on
the subject The Irish contribution to the development of
Mauritius over three centuries.
There was the reading of an English Language Day
Message in all secondary schools on Monday 26th August,
to create awareness on the importance of the English
Language. Heads of Schools had been encouraged to
organize activities to promote the English language on that
day. The response was encouraging.
The ESU, together with the Charles Telfair Institute (CTI)
supported the production of a Shakespearean play A
Midsummer Nights Dream to be staged by The Troupe
a non-profit organization of amateur dramatists.
The ESU also organized a debate, on the Doha style,
shown on MBC television in September on the topic
Mauritianism.
In a bid to provide more activities to our adult members,
we will consider making some of these events a regular
feature.
The ESU would like to thank the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
the Ministry of Education, the British Council, the British
High Commission, the US Embassy, the Mauritius
Broadcasting Corporation, the Municipal Council of
Curepipe, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, The Troupe, all host
and participating schools & participants, for their help
and support throughout the year.
Thank you also to all members who helped us in our
various competitions, and a very special thank you to
Messrs Sanjit Teelock and Barlen Vyapoory, our Masters
of Ceremonies. Without them, it would have been very
difficult to successfully run our activities.
Our thanks and gratitude also go to our well-wishers:
HSBC Global Education Trust (UK), HSBC Mauritius, MCB,
Reinsurance Solutions, Ken Lee Export Services Ltd,
Currimjee Foundation, Schindlers Mauritius, La Bonne
Marmite Lte, Food Canners Ltd, Mauritius Eagle
Insurance, Scott & Co Ltd, Air Mauritius Ltd, Shareef
Ramjan & Associates.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
Across the world, parents who are keen for their children
to succeed in life are encouraging them to study English.
Indeed the worlds most popular second language is
English. According to the British Council, within a decade
the number of people in the process of studying the
language will reach the staggering figure of two billion
and the number of people who would actually be
speaking the language will reach three billion, thats
nearly half the world population.
In Mauritius we are fortunate that, through the course of
history, English has been established as our official
language, the language of Government and that of
education. However, it is sad to say that, despite the fact
that English is taught at all levels in the education system,
the level and quality of spoken English leaves much to be
desired. The adverse consequence of this weakness,
though not yet quantified by systematic research, is quite
real. Mauritians lose that advantageous edge they would
have had on the international arena.
It is our firm belief that if we can capitalise on our English
language heritage, we would be able to derive much
personal benefit and we would improve our competitive
edge on the world scene. There is therefore a dire need
for sustained efforts on the part of everybody, at the
collective level as well as at the individual level, to
enhance our command of the language, especially of
spoken English.
Greater efforts should be made for Mauritians in general
not only to have greater exposure to standard spoken
English through radio, television and the internet, but also
to practise speaking the language as much as possible at
school, at the workplace and at home.
Today, the English Language Day, is a welcome occasion
to kick-start this progressive habit. We urge all of you to
dedicate this day to the language by speaking in English
throughout the day, by participating in activities, at school
and at home, in which English is the language of
communication. Such activities would include film watching,
talks, story-telling, drama and singing.
What about tomorrow? Well, why not continue the good
habit you would be starting to-day?
With time you will
definitely be very
effective
at
expressing yourself
in
that
global
language and that
will open many
doors of success for
you.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
10
The English-Speaking Union was delighted to be associated with The Troupe, a non-profit
organization of amateur dramatists, and Charles Telfair Institute for the production of a
play Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream., which is one of the classics of English
Literature and which will be on the Cambridge syllabus for next years HSC examinations.
The Troupe had taken the liberty of making a few changes to the play in order to make the story more accessible to a
contemporary audience. However, they did not tamper with the plot or the major themes. The audience was able to sit
back and enjoy the story of a reluctant bride, four confused lovers, a bunch of bored domestics and the machinations of the
Fairy world.
Most of the performers were on stage for the first time and were students from Charles Telfair Institute, University of
Mauritius, Royal College, Curepipe, College du St Esprit, Northfields International High School and Universal College.. They
worked very hard to produce the show and were helped by Mr Barlen Vyapoory, member of the Executive Committee of
the ESU, for the language delivery.
Owing to the enthusiasm and interest received from schools, three live performances were staged at the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute auditorium on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2013 for students of Form 1 to Form 6. A gala show was held in the
evening of 6th September for the public.
ESU conveyed its warmest congratulations to the cast and to
Director of The Troupe, Mrs Soraya Sayed Hassen, daughter of
our past President, Mr Mohamad Vayid, for her brilliant
performance as Producer. The success of the play was a well
deserved reward for her relentless effort and the hard work put
in by the Troupe.
ESU MAURITIUS 6TH FLOOR, KEN LEE BUILDING, 20 EDITH CAVELL STREET, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
TEL: (230) 208-8591 FAX: (230) 213 6543 EMAIL: esumau@intnet.mu Web: esumauritius.org
11