She is young, she is a woman and she is the editor in chief and editorialist of Sunday Times. Weekly sat down with Zahirah Bibi Radha to seek her views on the news making the headlines this week.

By the time our elders get the Rs13,500 pension increase, most probably next year, it won’t be worth anything, given the high inflation rate, the depreciation of the rupee and the medicines which they now have to buy, due to the chronic shortage or unavailability of medicines in the public sector.

The news in the last couple of weeks has been about the birth – at last – of the long-awaited, long-promised Labour/MMM/PMSD alliance. What do you think the reaction of the population has been? At long last, better late than never or there is no point?
At long last, I would say, even though I can imagine how arduous the negotiations might have been, especially when it involves three mainstream political parties. Up to now, the incompetence of the MSM-led government has been taking its toll on the population who couldn’t see any other alternative. The Mauritians, who wished to see an alliance of the opposition, were thus growing more and more impatient. Our electoral system being what it is, and the 2019 elections serving as a lesson, it was obvious that, for the sake of the country, it wouldn’t be possible for these political parties to go their own separate ways, especially not when we want to get rid of this government and its cronies, in order to be able to rebuild our Motherland which, unfortunately, doesn’t seem like paradise anymore. This alliance has therefore come as a much-needed relief, as it gives a new ray of hope to the people who have been suffering bitterly, while a privileged few are having the time of their life with all sorts of nominations, contracts and other privileges.

Many people have, however, expressed the view that an alliance between two parties is bad enough so imagine between three. Aren’t you worried that in view of the diverse interests of each party, the alliance might not last?
Yes, but this can happen in any alliance, not only in this one. Each party has its own ideology, proposed programme and potential candidates. So, accommodating everyone might not be such an easy task. This is why, I presume, the negotiations have taken so long. To be honest, though, I think that it is way better to have an alliance which took its time before taking off to ensure that everything is in working order, rather than having an emergency landing later on. Besides, the fact that the leaders have decided to put their fears, interests and ego aside and come together for the sake of the country speaks volumes in itself.

Will they live up to the expectations of the people?
I personally give them the benefit of the doubt. They have a rendezvous with history. The best legacy they can give to our youngsters is the reconstruction of the country. The rest is up to them.

Not only to them, is it? Apart from the supporters of this alliance and those of the government alliance, there is a substantial chunk of people who are openly saying they will vote for neither. These are the voters who lean towards extra-parliamentary parties. What will their impact on the expected outcome be in your opinion?
True, we cannot overlook this. But by doing this, they will only play into the MSM-led government’s hands. A division of votes is not in the favour of the opposition. The sooner people realise that, the better it will be for everyone. Extra-parliamentary parties are good for democracy and some of them have kept the government on its toes. Rama Valayden and Roshi Bhadain, for instance, have been behind quite a few revelations. But, until proven otherwise, they don’t have “une assise électorale” in the 20 constituencies and thus, they cannot be expected to lead a government.

Their declared intentions are good, though, aren’t they? The Reform Party has a full-fledged manifesto…
Yes, but in spite of all his good intentions, Roshi Bhadain is a one-man show who was unable to align 60 candidates for the last 2019 general elections.

What about the other parties?
Nando Bodha has so far failed to convince the population of his good intentions and is still looked upon as an MSM emissary sent to divide the opposition.

That’s a bit cynical, isn’t it?
The fact that he hasn’t revealed anything against the government supports this thesis unfortunately. The Linion Pep Morisien (LPM), despite being at the forefront of the battlefield, isn’t a structured party and is unlikely to gather everyone behind it. One Moris has disappeared from the political scene as quickly as it was launched.

Bruneau Laurette seems to have a change of heart again, doesn’t he?
Yes, he is apparently now taking the pulse of the Labour party yet again, from what I conclude following his recent meeting with Arvin Boolell. And then there are the other parties, like ReA, who are part of the political landscape, fighting many battles, but unable to really take off, unfortunately.

Which is perhaps why some people are calling for the alliance of the whole opposition – parliamentary and extra-parliamentary – to counteract what they call ‘the evil’ we have in place at the moment. How do you see such a hypothesis working out?
This would be ideal, of course. Even if it’s not an alliance as such, they could, at least, join forces together to fight this “evil”, as you call it. All of them have only one aim: remove the MSM from power. But let’s face it, apart from the parliamentary opposition, how many of the extra-parliamentary parties stand a chance of winning the elections? None, I would say. It would therefore be in everyone’s interest to work together for the betterment of the country and the population. The way in which the current government has jeopardised the country and the future of our citizens, calls, according to me, for unprecedented steps. In my humble opinion, there is no harm in trying, at least…

As things stand, what does it look like for the new alliance after Labour Party Leader Navin Ramgoolam’s setback at the level of the Privy Council?
Frankly, I don’t see why it should have any impact on the alliance for the time being. Besides, I don’t think that this possibility hasn’t been discussed at the level of the three parties prior to the finalisation of the alliance. Anyway, Dr Navin Ramgoolam is innocent until proven guilty. Let’s not forget that so far, most of the cases lodged against him in what looks like a political vendetta after the 2014 elections have been set aside by the court.

Irrespective of the outcome, don’t you think the ‘dinosaurs’ should make way for the youth? Don’t you think the youth would do politics in a more ethical way?
No, I don’t think so. The MSM chose to align more “youngsters” for the last 2019 elections. But are they doing politics in a more ethical way? NO! The ones currently in power have absolutely no ethics, no principles, no competence, and no respect whatsoever for institutions and good governance.

But there is a palpable thirst for new blood, isn’t there?
I do agree. There is a strong urge to break away from the traditional families who have been ruling the country since independence. I personally have a strong desire to see a young and dynamic non-Hindu prime minister – and why not a woman – at the head of the country. It is our legitimate and democratic right to want that and to work towards it. But right now, what we need is a government of transition. The country is in dire need of change and urgent reforms to put it back on track. This cannot be done by just anyone. We need an experienced prime minister, surrounded by a competent team comprising a good mix of seasoned politicians and young professionals, including women. Sadly enough, I haven’t seen many women – competent ones and not just “vase à fleur” – up to now.

«We need an experienced prime minister, surrounded by a competent team comprising a good mix of seasoned politicians and young professionals, including women. Sadly enough, I haven’t seen many women – competent ones and not just “vase à fleur” – up to now.»

Why do you say that? What happened to our professional women?
So far, I haven’t seen many women at the forefront of the negotiations. They are roped in only for the elections, and that too the bare minimum. In government currently, there are more women MPs but they open their mouths only to praise their “young” leader.

In spite of the urgent need for change of government expressed by a large chunk of the population, there are many voices expressing their support for the current government saying it has done many good things like increasing the pension, the minimum salary, the tramway…It isn’t all doom and gloom, is it?
As far as I can remember, the government promised to raise the pension to Rs13,500. This hasn’t been done up to now. By the time our elders get this increase, most probably next year, it won’t be worth anything, given the high inflation rate, the depreciation of the rupee and the medicines which they now have to buy, due to the chronic shortage or unavailability of medicines in the public sector. The same applies to the minimum wage. This is why the government is now compelled to give all sorts of Contribution Sociale Généralisée allocations to sustain families, instead of controlling prices and creating wealth, by doing the necessary reforms, for instance. As far as the tramway is concerned, all it has done is aggravate road congestion, instead of reducing it. We yet have to see the concretisation of another electoral promise: “l’eau sur une base 24/7”. It’s all doom and gloom for the majority of the population. The feel-good factor is reserved solely for a privileged few. And I am not even talking about the attack on our freedoms.

Why, do you, as an editorialist, feel that you can’t express your opinions freely?
Nothing has so far stopped me from saying and writing what I want. But that doesn’t mean that I do so without fear as was the case before. There is always a certain apprehension at the back of my mind because one can never really know what to expect nowadays.

What exactly do you fear?
From what I have experienced, the repression comes in many ways: defamation cases both at civil and criminal levels, suppression of government and para-statal advertisements, retention of information by boycotting our paper from press conferences, amongst others. Generally speaking, there have been many attempts by the government to curtail press freedom in the country. New laws, arrests of journalists, threats, personal attacks… Fortunately, the media have so far resisted and are still doing the job that is expected of them.

Is the fact of being a woman in such a position a hindrance or an advantage?
I have never really seen it as a hindrance or as an advantage, for that matter. But it is most certainly a very challenging job for a woman. You know that, being in the same position as I am. It involves a lot of risks, which means that you need to have a mind of steel to be able to cope with it. Not to add that your work-life balance is seriously impacted. I bet even you would be surprised to know that I have never taken more than two days’ leave at a time, during the last – almost – eight years that I have been working at the Sunday Times. Needless to say, I haven’t taken a proper break or holiday during this whole time. I wouldn’t be doing it if I didn’t see it as a passion, rather than just a job.

Outside the profession, do you also feel that fear is preventing people from opening their mouths as some claim?
Yes, the fear is real. You can feel it everywhere. This is exactly what the government wants. But people hate it when you deprive them of their democratic rights and freedom. So the ballot box will do the talking. This is why the municipal elections have been postponed yet again, for the third consecutive time.

How is the private sector reacting to what is going on? Are they helping promote freedoms in general?
I’m sorry to say that the private sector is more concerned about protecting its own interests, rather than promoting freedoms in the country. Its benefits come first. It will be critical of the government’s actions in private, but is too scared to say it loud and clear. This is the sad reality of our country. It’s a pity because had the private sector taken a firm and democratic stand, it could have compelled the government to think twice before taking any action.

«As far as the tramway is concerned, all it has done is aggravate road congestion, instead of reducing it. We yet have to see the concretisation of another electoral promise: “l’eau sur une base 24/7”. It’s all doom and gloom for the majority of the population.»

How about the public in general?
Nowadays, people tend to talk in hushed voices, fearing that unknown postmen or unsolicited parcels will land at their doorsteps. They resort to social media to vent their anger, à défaut de descendre dans les rues.

At the end of the day, when you talk to people, what you hear is corruption, drugs, nepotism, waste of public funds, incompetence… How much of this is true and how much is the figment of our imagination or the result of media influence?
Even in our wildest imagination, we couldn’t have imagined the country going to the dogs, as it has now. The media is just playing its role as a watchdog, by uncovering mal practices and raising the alarm bell as and when required, which is becoming more frequent as the days go by. Did the media make up corruption cases like the stag party? Is it only in our imagination that jewelry shops and hardware stores received contracts for the supply of medical products? Isn’t it a fact that the prime minister nominated his cronies at the Electoral Supervisory Commission and Electoral Boundaries Commission? Didn’t one of the assessors of the commission of inquiry on drugs, namely Sam Lauthan, tell you in an interview that he gave you that the drug situation is worse than it has ever been? It would have been a relief if all of this was indeed a figment of our imagination. But that’s not the case.

How do we come out of the rut?
By voting sensibly at the next general elections. This is the only way out.