BUILDING bridges with Mauritius was the agenda item for Mayor of Swindon Andrew Bennett on Monday when he welcomed some special guests to his parlour.

The mayor welcomed Ramalingum Maistry, chairman of the Mauritius Ports Authority, to a special reception along with MTM Empowering Women award winner Nazma Ramruttun who organised the event.

The visit marked the second time Ramalingum – the former mayor of Beau Bassin and Rose Hill and senior advisor to the vice prime minister Xavier Duval – had made the journey to the town to meet the civic head.

He said: “It is an immense pleasure to meet the mayor once again. I visited in 2013 to see how we can establish twinning relations between Swindon and one of the towns of Mauritius.

“We are living in one world there only one planet and there is only one human race – we have to knock down barriers to create this bond.”

Churchfields Academy was twinned with Belle Rose State Secondary School in 2008.

Ramalingum also praised the efforts of Nazma to support the Mauritian people living in Swindon.

He said: “She has begun this relationship between Swindon and Mauritius – I praise the work she has done so far for social development. It is very commendable to have someone of Mauritian origin who has done so many things for the betterment of the town of Swindon.”

Mayor Andrew Bennett said: “We have so many different races living together so amicably in Swindon, we are a very multi-cultural and welcoming. It is one of those things that I say when I go to meetings that Swindon is a very supportive town.

"As individuals Swindon people are very caring, and I think that is one of the great things you cannot buy.”

Ramalingum then met members of the Mauritian community living in Swindon at a special reception held at the community room at Tesco Extra on Ocotal Way.