HC Deb 03 March 1958 vol 583 c103W
Captain Kerby

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is satisfied that the present Constitution of Mauritius discourages racial consciousness and voting on racial lines; and what action he proposes to take with a view to preventing Mauritian issues being scrutinised by leading politicians in the light of purely communal, class or racial interests.

Mr. Profumo

The Constitution gives all sections of opinion in Mauritius the opportunity to co-operate with one another in the administration of the Colony's affairs. I hope that co-operation of this kind will help to remove the barriers which at present exist between the various communities. Most of the leading politicians in Mauritius are already anxious to get away from the purely communal approach to politics and are deeply conscious of the need for greater awareness among members of all sections of the population that their first and foremost loyalty is to the island of Mauritius as a whole.