Paul Bérenger and Navin Ramgoolam at the Clarisse House

for a common press conference on the 7th June.

The author comments on the ‘‘possible’’ political alliance between the PTr and the MMM. She brings to light the recent comment of the PM on an absenceof ideology in the press which begs the question whether he and his party or the traditional  mainstream parties have an ‘‘ideology’’ at all.

It is a real shame that modern Mauritius with so many intelligent, responsible and competent people run  the risk of seeing our democracy perverted for ever. Two men – The Prime minister and the leader of opposition have held an entire nation hostage because of their greed for power. What is worse is that the latter is void of any ideology whatsoever. The most common definition of ideology is a set of ideas and ideals, especially one on which a political or economic system is based.

The PM’s recent reference to the absence of ideology in the press, begs the question whether he and his party or any of the traditional mainstream parties have an ‘‘ideology’’ at all. Some years back, I completed a study on political parties in Mauritius. The data obtained was very revealing. All the mainstream political parties’ leaders saw themselves as socialist but when we look at what their brand of socialism delivered, we see mostly pain, hopelessness and sorrow. Looking at the current plight of the vast majority of Mauritians, we can easily understand the disillusionment and disgust of the Mauritians with the current political class.

The word ideology cannot be dissociated from a societal project but where is our ‘‘projet de societé’’? Has the societal project been reduced to wasting the country’s resources, allowing the country to get increasingly indebted and burdening future generations, engaging in nepotism and favouritism to allow a few cronies and  protegés to grow rich overnight and accumulating wealth whilst the vast majority are getting poorer. Has the societal project of the mainstream political parties assisted in endorsing the inefficiency of our tertiary institutions and allowed for  the exploitation of our poor students? Have they assisted in allowing for a most inhuman primary education system persistently failing our kids? Have they assisted in defending a health system which impairs the vision of its citizens to say the least? Have they assisted to wealth concentration by a few and the rapidly growing rise of poverty and inequality?

The two mens’ argument that their ‘‘alliance’’ is to save the nation is grotesque and ridiculous. They should be sanctioned without an iota of hesitation. How can a leader of the opposition whose role is to be a watchdog, to provide checks and balances and in so doing prevent the government from any wrong doings, keep silent over a range of societal issues affecting the citizenry.

Shame on the leader of the opposition! He has, through his silence, become party to the multiple scandals of the country and the growing decay of the Mauritian society. The two men’s personal greed for power and their incapacity to govern the country effectively has washed out all dreams of living a decent life. They are so busy with their own ‘‘private’’ lives that they have forgotten about the youth who are being lured to drugs and/or suicide or greener pastures (not always so green) as a result of lack of employment opportunities at home.

The right to work is a fundamental human right and central to democratic functioning. What is even more farcical is that a former minister of Finance has now discovered the importance  of the minimum vital for the workers of this country. He had every opportunity to push and advocate for it but chose not to do so. And now this issue is being politicized. How hypocritical!

◗ The silence of the President of the Republic

What about the president? He is supposed to be the principal custodian of our democracy. He is paid a fat salary with all sorts of other privileges to be that very guardian. Section 28 of the constitution sets upon the Presidency the duty to ‘‘uphold and defend the constitution and ensure that the institutions of democracyare protected.’’

The president has in fact taken an oath under the third schedule of the constitution to defend the latter and the institutions of democracy. Under the oath the president states that he ‘‘will faithfully execute the office of the president and will, to the best of his ability without favour or prejudice, defend the constitution and the institutions of our democracy.’’

Knowing how our system operates and how biased some of our leaders have become, the president’s silence is not surprising. It is very unlikely that the President will revoke or take any other form of sanctions against the leader of the opposition. The president himself may also be party to the current unfolding of the political scenario. Given the rapid erosion of our democratic values as well as the exponential growth of social and economic problems, it is urgent that all those who truly have the interests of the nation and future generations at heart, assemble together to say NO to this current perversion of our democracy.

The eruption of new political parties – some of which have been in gestation for a long time have chosen not to keep silent and to denounce all attempts of some to fl out the very principles of our democratic foundation. The rise of these new parties on the political landscape are also indicative of a loss of symbolic legitimacy for the mainstream parties, as well as, the search for alternatives.

It is rather sad that two parties which are so rich historically and which have contributed so much to the development of the country are now being brought into disrepute – all this because of their ‘‘leadercentricity’’ and the autocratic internal functioning which have successfully managed to turn some people into deaf and dumb human beings. But we should also rejoice that many of our fellow citizens refuse to fall in the ‘‘Berengiste Navinniste’’ trap. Instead they call for action – to build a platform of ‘‘guardians of the guardians’’ and bring democracy back home.