New Year Wishes and Resolution 2019 : personalities share what they wish for

As a New Year begins, many of us start to reevaluate our life choices and achievements. New Year is the time to take important decisions to make a difference and start afresh. Various personalities share with News on Sunday their wishes for this new beginning and their resolutions for 2019 as well.

Gulshan Balgobin : “A new turn in business and in my personal life”

For the Director of GBEL Real Estate, the year 2019 will be a challenging year. “It will be a new turn in business and in personal life. Like every year, I always make some resolutions. I believe this upcoming year, I’ve got to reach some goals in my business with possible new investment and new ventures. Another target is to make GBEL a national level brand across the island. I also thought about redesigning the company website and a new office to accommodate my clients,” states Gulshan Balgobin. As for his personal life, Gulshan shares that he plans to be more active this year. “I would need to be more dynamic in sports, like going to my local gym more often and also join a social club to meet like-minded professional people. Learn to play golf is also on my list for 2019. On this, I wish everyone a Happy New Year 2019!” 

Alain Jeannot : “I wish we exercise more patience, vigilance and respect on the roads”

“I hope we use the powerful tools at our disposal, for instance social media, to promote these values. I wish that even more measures need to be taken to control drugs trafficking and alcohol abuse as a further step into fighting crime. I also wish we exercise more patience, vigilance and respect on the roads,” states the President of the ‘Prévention Routière Avant Tout Association’ (PRAT). Alain Jeannot explains that to achieve the above, he needs to read more, meditate more, be more aware of how his actions impact others and also submit himself to regular self-evaluation. “I also need to nurture even better relationship with my wife, who contributes significantly to my emotional stability and family.” 

For his New Year resolutions, he shares that he aims to call and visit his parents more regularly. “To have a more balanced diet plan and go to bed earlier, to pay extra attention to people in my entourage, to teach my granddaughter a word every two days, to promote peace, love, respect, culture and protection of life on social media.”

Angelique de la Hogue : “Special thoughts go to social workers, educators and psychologists”

Programme Manager at TIPA, Angélique de la Hogue is more than happy to address her warm wishes to all Mauritians. “May this New Year bring us the awareness that our treasure lies in our differences. It is by setting our intention, skills and knowledge in common that we create and enforce our common Mauritian identity. I extend my best wishes to vulnerable people who strive every day to provide subsistence to their children and prepare their future. I admire their courage and tenacity. My special thoughts also go to social workers, educators and psychologists who are engaged and act every day for a fairer Mauritius. As for the detractors, please, do not disturb those who are trying.” 

She shares that her 2019 resolution is to expand in several domains: “Physically for a better personal ecology, my personal and professional competencies for further developments and realisations with TIPA, my emotions and consider difficult situations as opportunities to learn and improve mental acuities, and finally, go beyond my limited beliefs for fresh life perspectives.”

Manisha Dookhony : “Continue helping people to build a safer tomorrow and a better future for our youth”

The Managing Partner of Rwenzori Consulting recalls that the passing year has been very special for her family, as she welcomed her son into this world.  For the beginning of the New Year, Manisha Dookhony shares that her first wish goes to her little bundle of joy.  “Dear little one, here’s wishing you a very happy first Christmas and a happy life ahead. My second wish is to my friends and family.  I want to thank you for your love and friendship and wish you a very happy holiday. I hope all your dreams come true. To my country, next year will witness les ‘Jeux des Iles’. My wish and appeal are for all of us to seize this opportunity to come together as a single entity:  Mauritian.  Let us build on this momentum to remove the reflexes of sectarianism, which threatens the social fabric of our dear motherland.” Her resolution for 2019: “Continue with determination in my work towards the betterment of the people of Mauritius, helping our women, men and grand-parents to build a safer tomorrow and a better future for our youth.”

Shamima Patel : “All women should be strong and courageous”

In this period of celebration and renewal, the Director of Breast Cancer Care says that she wishes happiness and prosperity to all. “I especially wish all women should be strong and courageous while facing all the hardships they can endure, never be discouraged and always aim for the stars.” Shamima Patel says that on the personal level, she is already looking forward to living fully and happily the New Year. “I hope that my future projects for Mauritian and Rodrigues women and my personal projects will be achieved and will be successful.” Shamima seizes the occasion to thank all the people who follow her, trust her, support her and encourage her on a daily basis. “And I wish long and happy life to each of my warriors,” she utters. 

Sen Ramsamy : “I wish that one day our tourism sector will be led by people having a far-sighted vision”

“It is my most sincere wish, as a patriot, that one day our tourism sector will be led by people having an ‘audacity of dreams’ and a far-sighted vision. There are far too many missed opportunities in tourism for this important economic sector to be left in the hands of people having no leadership qualities, no charisma, no vision.

Tourism is a dynamic sector, as it has no place for people with a hidden agenda, cheap communal instincts and those living in our modern times with a Stone Age mindset,” says the Managing Director of Tourism Business Intelligence. Sen Ramsamy hopes that “2019 will see our young talents taking a leading role in tourism so as to propel this promising industry to greater heights through innovation, intelligence, creative thinking and vision.”

Being away from Mauritius as he was writing these wishes in London, Sen Ramsamy states that he can reaffirm that our tiny island is by far a better place to live than even in the most economically advanced countries of the world. “The problems for which people keep complaining in Mauritius are far too petty compared to the atrocious sufferings of peoples in the world outside. Our welfare state, irrespective of political regimes, is a rare model that can hardly be even imagined by people elsewhere. It is therefore my fervent wish that we should stop complaining about every tiny problem and start looking at life more positively for our own wellbeing. Always remember that we do not know what we do not know, and we are what we think. If we think positive, we can sketch a more promising future for our country and carve out a better destiny for our children. May God Bless Mauritius now, and always!”

Francois de Grivel : “We move towards an economically positive year”

“I wish that we move towards an economically positive year, that there is more job creation at the industrial level, that there are more investment activities in Mauritius and also that there is sincere involvement in decision making,” utters the CEO of the de Grivel group and the economic observer. Francois de Grivel states that he wishes that in 2019, decisions will be more oriented towards the social and economic level. “With the coming general elections next year, here are my wishes that the electoral campaign will de devoid of political competition in the context of parliamentary elections. I also wish that we will know a calm and serene year 2019 in terms of industrial relations with the public sector and with the trade unionists and that we build good constructive relations without demagogy.” Regarding his resolutions, the latter shares that he wishes to improve the industrial sector with more efficiency and performance and to cope with the costs that will increase in order to make our export products more competitive. “I also wish to improve our results in our different enterprises.”

Anushka Virahsawmy : “There is less domestic violence in 2019”

The Country Manager of Gender Links says that she wishes that there is less domestic violence in our country in 2019. “I wish that there is no violence, in whatever form, in our country. I also wish that there is no crime and violence against the LGBT community. All people should be treated and considered to be equal. We are all humans.” Anushka Virahsawmy also wishes that some laws should be amended. “I wish for a review and amendment of certain laws, for example those affecting the LGBT community. We also should review laws when it comes to the perpetrators of domestic violence. We need to take concrete actions and implement concrete measures a nd laws that will prevent the perpetrators from re-offending.” 

Regarding her resolutions for 2019, Anushka says that she plans to review her work plan in a different way. “I plan to work in a more intelligent manner so as to be able to dedicate more quality time to my family and at the same time continue to help those in need. I want to help them in such a way that they will be empowered in their everyday lives.”

Hans Dax : “The Government would work on a scheme to help the less privileged”

The makeup artist says that 2018 has been a successful year for him. “I’ve been able to do what I planned on the international level. I was proud to have attended the biggest makeup fair in the world (IMATS) in London. I also discovered the different cultures in Nigeria and explored the vast flora and fauna in South Africa. For 2019, I wish to explore even further horizons and possibly visit my dream country, the United States of America,” he shares. Hans Dax adds that he wishes “that Mauritius would continue to thrive and become one exemplary country to the world. I also wish that the Government would work on a scheme to help the less privileged in order to develop their respective skills and empower them and thus enable them to find a job. On this line, I wish everyone a Happy New Year 2019.” 

Jane Ragoo : “The introduction of the Portable Retirement Gratuity Fund next year”

The trade unionist says that she is more than satisfied that after 10 years, we will be able to have a law that will protect workers. “For next year, I believe that if the Government keeps its words, it would be a great achievement. My wish for next year is that the Government will bring changes to the law it voted in 2018, namely the Employment Rights Act and the Employment Relations Act. I also wish that the Government will introduce the Portable Retirement Gratuity Fund. The CTSP has made demands for this introduction for years. Discussions on this have been initiated this month. So we wish that next year, it would become a reality meaning that it will become a law,” says Jane Ragoo. On a more personal level, the latter wishes good health and prosperity to every Mauritian. “I also wish that Mauritius will not be hit by any catastrophe. On this line, I wish that the Government will improve the efficiency of our Meteorological Services. I advise all Mauritians to stay safe and celebrate the festivities with no extravagance. For 2019, I also wish that our beautiful island will always know peace and that we continue to live in harmony.”