Motee Ramdass: "Activism is not a Power Calculation"
Motee Ramdass, 83, embodies the social promise that the MMM held at its inception. In an interview with Le Dimanche/L’Hebdo, this former minister reflects on half a century of commitment, with an underlying question troubling the MMM today: have the founding values stood the test of time?
The story of the MMM is not just that of a collective movement born from the protests of 1968-1969; it is also about individual destinies. Former minister Motee Ramdass, at 83, belongs to this latter category.
Born into a resource-poor family—his father was a laborer, his mother unemployed, and he was the youngest of three children—he never attended primary school, which required fees that his family could not afford. His older sisters were able to attend briefly before dropping out due to financial constraints. He never set foot in a school.
At the age of 9, he began taking odd jobs for individuals: running errands, cleaning homes and yards, and lending a hand. "As a handyman, I earned Rs 10 a month. It was a significant amount in 1955. I gave it to my family to help meet our needs."
He then undertook every manual job available: tea picking, selling bread and cakes, and running small street businesses. "I took on the responsibility of supporting my parents and sisters from an early age."
It was not until he was 15 that the need to learn became clear to him. He started from scratch, taking private lessons for five rupees a month from primary school teachers. By 17, he passed the Certificate of Primary Education (CPE) exam after only two lessons, achieving 2 A's, 1 B, and 1 C. He continued to study independently, learning English, French, mathematics, English and French literature, and even Religious Knowledge from teachers at the colleges of the time, eventually obtaining the Cambridge School Certificate.
At 19, he joined Nestlé as an Advertising Officer—a rare position for a young Mauritian of Hindu descent in a private sector then dominated by whites. The atmosphere was challenging. He remained there for 32 years, rising through the ranks to become the sales director. Nestlé sponsored him for a marketing degree at the University of Mauritius through the Mauritius Employers Association. "I, who had never set foot in primary school, ended up with a university degree, the result of my extraordinary will."
Encounter with the Left
It was during these years that his political consciousness was shaped. In a time without television or the internet, he read. Along with a few comrades, they pooled resources to buy books to share and discuss: Frantz Fanon, Mao Zedong, Marxism, liberation struggles in Algeria, Vietnam, Biafra. They also devoured classical literature: Shakespeare, Molière, Corneille, Milton, Tagore, Gandhi, Mandela. "I attended youth clubs and participated in organized debates. It was these discussions, this thirst for knowledge, and the critical thinking developed through comparative literature that shaped my political consciousness."
Initially, he followed the Labour Party, admiring the passionate and ideological speeches of figures like Guy Rozemont, Emmanuel Anquetil, Sookdeo Bissoondoyal, or Satcam Boolell. However, it was the militant left that truly attracted him. In 1969, a year after independence, he followed the Militant Student Club without being a member yet. He participated in the protest against the visit of Princess Alexandra of Kent, perceived as a remnant of colonialism and British sugar interests through the Lonrho company.
He also recalls the press conference scheduled on the theme "Independent Mauritius Facing Its Destiny," which was canceled at the last moment by the mayor of Quatre-Bornes; dissatisfaction was high. It was in this ferment that the MMM was born, founded by students and young intellectuals: Dev Virahsawmy, the Jeerooburkhan brothers, Heeralall Bhugaloo, Paul Bérenger.
"I was captivated by its ideology of class struggle rather than racial struggle, of social justice, worker emancipation, and the rejection of communalism and neocolonialism," he explains.
When Paul Bérenger founded the General Workers Federation and the large strikes of 1971 paralyzed the country—dock workers, laborers, and many sectors—leading to a state of emergency and the imprisonment of numerous MMM leaders for nearly a year, Motee Ramdass campaigned externally for their release, notably participating in hunger strikes.
In 1976, the MMM won thirty seats and became the main opposition force. In 1982, in alliance with the PSM, it achieved the famous 60-0 victory. Paul Bérenger became Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance while Anerood Jugnauth was Prime Minister. The break in 1983 between the two men gave rise to the Militant Socialist Movement. Motee Ramdass remained loyal to the MMM.
He ran for office several times before being elected in 1995 in constituency No. 11, Rose-Belle/Vieux-Grand-Port. At about 40, he became Minister of Cooperatives and Fisheries in the MMM-Labour alliance. In 1997, he resigned with other comrades following disagreements within the alliance and remained an opposition MP until 2000.
Re-elected that year within the MMM-MSM alliance, he was appointed Minister of Culture and Arts, then transferred to the Ministry of Commerce at the end of his term. In 2005, after the electoral defeat, he chose not to run again. "At nearly 60, I preferred to make way for the youth."
An Apostolate
For Motee Ramdass, the MMM is not just a political party; it is almost an apostolate. He cites the values that the party has always defended: social justice, equal treatment for all men and women, better working conditions, decent wages, honesty, patriotism, and an absolute refusal of corruption, sexism, communalism, and casteism... "Paul Bérenger spent a year in prison for his ideas, not for corruption," he reminds us. He emphasizes that the MMM leader has always remained true to his ideology, refusing to become complicit in deviations.
He acknowledges that the party has evolved since the fiery years. The first generation has given way to a second, then a third. "Many intellectuals and historical militants have left, died, or distanced themselves from the party. Over time, the values have become diluted. Pure activism—working for others and not for oneself—has weakened."
Addressing the current internal crisis, Motee Ramdass is adamant: "The party has a soul beyond its physical structure—Political Bureau, Central Committee, and Delegate Assembly. The MMM without Bérenger would be orphaned from its history."
Today, he observes with some sadness the erosion of the values that made him join the MMM in 1969. However, he continues to believe that these ideals, particularly justice, honesty, and the fight against all forms of discrimination, remain relevant for Mauritius. His message to younger generations: "Politics should not be a springboard for personal enrichment but a commitment to serve the people. In the Mauritius of 2026, marked by internal tensions within the MMM itself, a return to the roots is necessary: activism as an apostolate, not as a calculation of power."