It’s happened again. Heavy rains, floods, roads closed, accidents – seven in 10 days –and people – at least 250 of them – had to leave their homes.

In a few days, the sun will be out, things will go back to normal and once again, the government will forget that we have a serious problem in the country that should have been resolved years ago.

Our drainage system has been in a poor condition for as long as we can remember. After a young girl died in the floods in 2008 as she was getting off a school bus, the fact that several people perished in the underground tunnel in Port Louis during the 2013 floods, and the number of accidents on the roads during bad weather, you would think that by now, we would have had a proper – or at least an improved – drainage system, especially in the city. Sadly, no.

Families are still being forced to evacuate their homes and find a place to stay, vehicles and people are still getting stuck in floods, and we still have a water problem in the country. Meanwhile, the government is borrowing and spending millions on… the Metro Express project. While heavy traffic is a big problem in the country, it has never stopped us from getting to work every day, and a tramway is certainly not what the country needs right now.

For how long will people continue to suffer from these calamities before the government decides to find a solution to the problem of water accumulation in the country? For how long will people have to fear walking on the streets during heavy rainfall? For how long will people have to pump rainwater out of their homes and yet not have enough water in their taps to use every day?

All we hear is that pipes are being repaired, that the Central Water Authority will be privatised, and that tenders are being launched for several projects; but, unfortunately, we have not seen any improvement yet. And while the government is talking about the Metro Express and smart cities, the population is still struggling with the problem of water every single day. A problem which, don’t forget, this government promised to resolve during the electoral campaign of 2014.

“People don’t have water in their homes and he (Navin Ramgoolam) is talking about the Metro Leger,” Pravind Jugnauth – who is now at the head of the country – kept saying during political gatherings of the Alliance Lepep.

Well, yes, tell us about it now.

For more views and in-depth analysis of current issues, Weekly magazine (Price: Rs 25) or subscribe to Weekly for Rs110 a month. (Free delivery to your doorstep). Email us on: weekly@lexpress.mu