Tribal leaders and populist views hold sway; ideas and policies are boring in an age of immediate expectations. There are exceptions, mostly in the despised West, but even there good looks and charisma count for much in the TV and internet era. The Sage was just an exception to the rule. Pythia smirked when asked if the Oracle could prophecy what’ll happen over the coming months. “All the usual squabbles,” she muttered, “although Dike and Charon may have a hand in things.” Legal or medical issues may well upset several apple carts. However, as judicial niceties seem to drag on for ages, Charon may lead the way as several leaders are struggling to obtain a certificate of immortality – even if they might find that easier than a certificate of morality. By Greek standards, the morality failure rate makes the CPE statistics seem satisfactory. Eris may also have a hand in things if parties fragment, a field where the MMM is clearly in front. Perhaps that’s what Dear Paul means by stronger than ever.

Apart from who’ll get into bed with whom, inside or outside the Assembly, there’ll presumably be some cast-offs. Whether PJ will dare to drop as many ministers as his 22-crore predecessor remains to be seen, even though few would dare abandon ship as they’d soon drown. After all, what other party would be so cynical as to collect his droppings? As for the LP, trying to foretell what it’ll look like by the end of 2019 is beyond a wee spirit, even with the Oracle’s help. Who knows whether the Boss will try to slip past the coastguards in an abandoned junk? Mind you, the recent theft of macaroni from the Freeport may indicate Arvind’s getting desperate to create New Labour. He could then align with Pote Paul’s rump or even PJ, whom he could court in a London privy.

Incidentally, is Cassandra’s hand behind the lack of coal tar on the local market? And what on earth will La Caverne do if the MMM actually collapses? Even in Mauritius, they can’t really consider the ex-GoD a safe bet, especially as he’s declared that the three cancers eating society are drugs, corruption and nepotism, from which he always abstained. The obvious ally in the next elections was the MMM despite all the past problems but our Pote seems to be more solidly inclined to senior moments than ever. And what’s a Valley worth where lurks the Shadow of Death?

There are an unusual number of rumps around, even by local standards, but most members of the animal kingdom rather like familiarity. They rarely change banks, despite the queues, and are even less likely to change the religion they acquired by an accident of birth. As for politics, it’s been cornered by a few families; unfamiliar names need not apply. The logical alignment would be for the three OOs to form a New MMM but they wouldn’t have much ethnic or religious sway. Aye, there’s the rub.

Both the politicos and the Admirables are stuck in ethnic and religious strangleholds and no party will dare legislate against the sectarian lobbies as others will seize the opportunity to rally the dinosaurs. Meanwhile, roder bouts and politicos spend more time scratching each other’s backs than a troop of monkeys. The current geriatrics need replacing but not just by beardless youths but those with experience outside politics. By the way, Zeus strongly denies the Emir has promised to switch to the Greek gods in return for creating chaos amongst the government’s opponents. Nor does Mount Olympos accept illicit payments into any offshore or mountain accounts. Not even in Switzerland.

Yours sincerely

Epi Phron