Dear editor,

If we were giving consent to values & ethics, our ballot paper would be worth something. Many voted half heartedly. Most voters consented to electoral promises such as revenue increases and price control for basic necessities :

We have not consented to clear cut long-term macroeconomic objectives nor to the principles that should govern decision making at national and international levels.

The majority of voters just wanted to get rid of a «tyrant government».

The electoral program presented by l’Alliance du changement focused mainly on social reform : 13/25 measures promised to address sore issues such as drugs & education as well as leisure.

Political and constitutional reforms are mentioned without precising whether all the «lois scélérates» introduced by the ex-regime to legalise corruption would be repealed, whether accountability and ejectability would be mandatory for politicians and civil servants, whether the hundred odd parastatal bodies set up to nominate protégés and thus saddle authoritarian bureaucracy and nepotism would all be shut down.

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The 25 measures contained in the manifesto may be grouped together under the following categories A - Stabilisation of prices, subsidies & financial security : 1-3-4-5- 6-7-9-11

B -New economic model : 2

C -Social reform :drugs education, culture & leisure : 8 -10 -14-15 -17-18 -19 20-21-22-22-23-24

D-Infrastructure : 12-13 –16

E - Constitutional Reform & human rights : 20 -25

Although economic planning and political reform were evoked, short-term financial and social change objectives definitely dominated the Alliance du changement horizon. (20/25 measures)

I would have willingly given formal consent through my ballot to in-depth economic reform , based on democratic and participative rights of citizens, emphasising decentralisation, inclusion & empowerment.

I would have given my consent to rejecting elitist capitalism, centralisation of power & state bureaucracy.

I would have consented to a desire to move away from the consumerist economic model, away from an import dominated economy in the direction of sustainable agricultural self sufficiency.

I would have consented to the post imperialist ideals of non-alignment and power game neutrality.

I nevertheless consider myself lucky to have cast a ballot and to be able to express my opinions freely!