The
Labour Party () is a
political party in
Mauritius.
The Mauritian Labour Party was structured in 1936 to model the
British Labour Party and has similar socialist goals. Among these goals were the initial resolutions to obtain suffrage for the working class, representation in the Legislative Council, the organization of a Department of Labour, the prohibition of capitalist exploitation of sugar plantations, as well as the overall implementation of socialist values among Mauritian government agencies.
The Labour Party was instrumental in bringing about the independence of the state of Mauritius from the British government in 1968 and has worked to build a comprehensive welfare state. Mauritius now guarantees benefits such as education, healthcare, widows' pensions, paid
sick leave, paid holidays, etc.
The modern goals of the Mauritian Labour Party are to guarantee equal opportunity to all citizens regardless of race, religion, sex, or class and to secure a healthy and clean environment for future generations. The founders of the Mauritian Labour Party are Dr. Maurice Cure, Jean Prosper, Mamode Assenjee, Dr. Hassenjee Jeetoo, Barthelemy Ohsan, Samuel Barbe, Emmanuel Anquetil, Godefroy Moutia, and Pandit Sahadeo, among others.
It competes with the
Militant Socialist Movement for the Hindu vote. Stephen May, Tariq Modood, Judith Squires,
Ethnicity, nationalism, and minority rights, p. 80.
In the
2000 legislative elections, the party was part of a coalition...
Read More