The Mauritian Socialist Party ( French : Parti Socialiste Mauricien , PSM ) was a political party in Mauritius .
25-521: The Parti Socialiste Mauricien (PSM) was founded by then Labour MP Harish Boodhoo on 16 September 1979 as a splinter group who were expelled from the Labour Party . The other Labour MPs who formed the party were Rohit Beedassy and Radha Gungoosingh. Other prominent members of the PSM were Jocelyn Seenyen, Armoogum Parsooraman and Kishore Deerpalsing . Prior to the formation of PSM Harish Boodhoo served as
50-629: A Labour-CAM-PMSD MP from 1976 to 1979 where he repeatedly criticized actions of his own government. The main targets of his criticism were Minister of Finance Sir Veerasamy Ringadoo and two sitting ministers Lutchmeeparsad Badry (Social Security) and Gyandeo Dabee (Cooperatives). These two ministers were forced to resign in May 1979 following a commission of enquiry which was initiated in 1978 to address corruption allegations. The newly formed PSM held its first public meeting at Place du Quai in Port Louis and it
75-481: A commission of enquiry in 1978 which led to the resignation of two sitting ministers Lutchmeeparsad Badry (Social Security) and Gyandeo Dabee (Cooperatives) in May 1979. Eventually Harish Boodhoo and two other Labour parliamentarians (Radha Gungoosingh and Rohit Beedassy) who supported him were dismissed from the Labour Party in late 1979. In December 1979 he formed a new party Parti Socialiste Mauricien ( PSM ) and
100-500: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about an African political party is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Harish Boodhoo Harisun Boodhoo more commonly known as Harish Boodhoo , (born in Belle Terre, Vacoas-Phoenix, Mauritius on 12 September 1946) is a Mauritian political figure who served as Deputy Prime Minister of Mauritius from 11 June 1982 to 21 August 1983. He
125-497: The 1983 General Elections . At the August 1983 elections Harish Boodhoo was elected under the MSM banner (part of the victorious MSM-Labour-PMSD coalition) at Constituency No. 13 (Riviere des Anguilles and Souillac), behind his running mates Vishnu Lutchmeenaraidoo and Ambah Chinien. However he was dismissed from the MSM in 1986 and Boodhoo did not take part in the 1987 General Elections. At
150-421: The "Sale by Levy" system which had been abused by unscrupulous businessmen and lawyers to the detriment of numerous Mauritian borrowers. From 1979 to 1983 he published a daily newspaper Le Socialiste . Until 2008 Harish Boodhoo published newspaper Sunday Vani . Since 2011 Harish Boodhoo has produced daily articles on social media and since early 2020 these are complemented by a daily video clip . Boodhoo
175-586: The 1940s the Jan Andolan was founded by Basdeo Bissoondoyal when he returned from his higher studies in India. Jan Andolan volunteers contributed to the record participation in the 1948 general elections by teaching eligible adults how to write and sign their name in one of the island's many languages at the Baitkas located in villages and sugar estates. During the 1960s and 1970s socio-cultural associations contributed to
200-636: The PSM formed a coalition with Mouvement Militant Mauricien (MMM) which won the June 1982 General Elections . Harish Boodhoo became Deputy Prime Minister in the MMM-PSM government led by Prime Minister Aneerood Jugnauth . Within a few months of the 1982 elections there was disagreement within the ruling MMM-PSM coalition. Military intervention by India, in the form of Operation Lal Dora , had also nearly occurred as Finance Minister Paul Bérenger undermined his leader Anerood Jugnauth and Deputy PM Harish Boodhoo . Bérenger
225-672: The September 1991 general elections Harish Boodhoo stood as candidate of the Labour-PMSD coalition in Constituency No.12 (Mahébourg Plaine Magnien). But he was defeated there as elected members in that constituency were Vasant Bunwaree (Labour-PMSD), Ivan Collendavelloo (MSM-MMM) and Mookhesswur Choonee (MSM-MMM). In 1999 he relaunched the defunct party All Mauritius Hindu Congress (AMHC) which had originally been active from 1965 to 1968. Whilst in government Boodhoo campaigned for reform in
250-490: The board of several para-statal bodies and government organisations. There is also an absence of financial audits of these organisations although they receive substantial government funding. There are a large number of socio-cultural associations which receive direct funding from the government of Mauritius. Each group is associated with a particular religion or ethnic group. Each group's political allegiance changes depending on local conditions and deals that have been made with
275-585: The consumption of alcohol and cigarettes in Mauritian villages. In 1976 he was approached by Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam to join the Labour Party (Mauritius) (PTr). He was elected to the Legislative Assembly or National Assembly of Mauritius at the 1976 General Elections as part of the Independence Party (Mauritius) coalition government made up of Labour and CAM which allianced with rival PMSD after
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#1733084549966300-637: The earliest socio-cultural groups which have survived are the Cutchee Meiman Sunnee Mussulman Society (CMSMS) which was founded in 1852 and the Surtee Sunnee Mussulman Society (SSMS) which dates back to 1890. They set up schools for religious studies. The Indian Cultural Association (ICA) was active in Mauritius in the 1930s and politician Seewoosagur Ramgoolam was ICA's president during his early foray into politics. In
325-520: The education of the rural mass which resulted in increased mobility in rural areas of Mauritius. There was a substantial increase in the number of socio-cultural groups following the government's decision in 1962 to subsidise them using state funds. These groups started to play a direct role in politics from the 1963 General Elections . Socio-cultural groups are nowadays heavily involved in local politics and they are generally headed by lobbyists. Some of these lobbyists have even been political nominees on
350-718: The elections.He represented Constituency No. 13 (Riviere des Anguilles and Souillac) where the other 2 elected members were his rivals Suresh Poonith and Swaley Kasenally of the MMM. From 1976 to 1979 Boodhoo served as a member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) under the Labour-CAM-PMSD coalition but he criticized various aspects of the ruling government. He was especially critical of the Minister of Finance Sir Veerasamy Ringadoo 's budget, leading to nationwide strikes in June 1979. Boodhoo also instigated
375-456: The first President of a contemplated Republic of Mauritius. In 2003 following the MCB -NPF scandal, whereby Rs. 886 millions of pension funds were swindled, Harish Boodhoo and lawyer Rama Valayden travelled to England and met Teeren Appasamy, the mastermind of the swindle. However after their return to Mauritius Boodhoo and Valayden did not deliver any major revelations as they had earlier promised and
400-475: The main official political parties of Mauritius in exchange for positions as board members in state-run companies, or for promised concessions or change in legislation to favour the group's members. Critics have suggested that the government should enact fundamental changes in order to remove the involvement of socio-cultural groups in politics and to ensure that they return to their original objectives of promoting religious and cultural values only. One suggestion
425-462: The state of Bihar in India. His father and mother were both Mauritians who worked as labourers on Highlands Sugar Estate. At the time of his birth Harish's father had already passed away and his mother continued to work as a labourer to support her six children. In 1973 Harish Boodhoo married school teacher Sarita Boodhoo and they have no children. Boodhoo became involved with socio-cultural movement Siva Shivir in 1968 and he campaigned against
450-422: The stolen funds have not been recovered. Socio-Cultural Group Socio-Cultural Group is a term which is used on the island of Mauritius to refer to private organisations whose primary objectives are to consolidate human and moral values, strengthen the family unit and promote religious and cultural values. These groups are also known as socio-cultural movements or socio-cultural associations. Some of
475-408: The sugar industry, protection of public beaches from private ownership and fought against corruption. In 1979 two of his Labour Party colleagues (ministers Badry and Dabee) had to resign based on findings of a commission of enquiry (led by Victor Glover (judge) ) which was instigated by Harish Boodhoo's corruption allegations. Since 2004 he has also publicly campaigned for legislative changes against
500-534: Was attended by around 4000 people. The leaders announced that it would adopt white as its official colour as it would be neither have a leftist strategy, nor would it adopt a philosophy of the right. New followers who publicly announced their membership of the party were Floryse Lamy (school teacher), Alain Coosnapen (mechanic at Highlands Sugar Estate), Allan Bhagmania (from Réunion Sugar Estate), Subash Ramdahen and Satianund Pahladi (councillors from Moka-Flacq). In 1982
525-410: Was disagreement within the ruling coalition of MMM-PSM which led to the departure of Aneerood Jugnauth and other elected members from MMM as he formed a new party MSM. At the same time Harish Boodhoo dissolved his party PSM so that all PSM parliamentarians could merge into the new party MSM in order to stay in power whilst distancing themselves from Paul Bérenger and his party MMM. He was Chief Whip until
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#1733084549966550-518: Was elected Member of Parliament (MP) in 1976, 1982 and 1983 in Rivière des Anguilles and Souillac (Constituency No. 13). Boodhoo attended the Camp Fouqueraux primary school and completed his School Certificate at Mauritius College , Curepipe . He worked as a labourer before attending Teachers’ Training College. He then worked as a school teacher. In the 1800s Boodhoo's ancestors migrated from
575-503: Was even suspected to be preparing to overthrow PM Jugnauth. These led to the departure of Anerood Jugnauth and other elected members from MMM as he formed a new party MSM . By May 1983 Harish Boodhoo had dissolved his party PSM to enable all PSM parliamentarians to merge into the Jugnauth's new party MSM, thus enabling them to remain in power whilst distancing themselves from Paul Bérenger and his party MMM. This Mauritius -related article
600-436: Was joined by other disgruntled members of the ruling Labour Party. In 1982 he formed a coalition with Mouvement Militant Mauricien (MMM) which won the 1982 General Elections . Harish Boodhoo became Deputy Prime Minister in the MMM-PSM government led by Prime Minister Aneerood Jugnauth after his election in Constituency No.13. ahead of his running mates Vishnu Lutchmeenaraidoo and Swaley Kasenally. Whilst still in power there
625-419: Was sentenced and jailed numerous times following lawsuits involving allegations against judges and politicians. When found guilty he opted for jail time instead of paying the fines. He was criticised for suppressing press freedom when he was part of the ruling government. Following the 1982 general elections and when Mauritius was not yet a republic Basdeo Bissoondoyal refused Harish Boodhoo's offer to become
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