It has been a year of hope and expectation. That is how it started. That is how it ended.

It started with two political alliances showing signs of strain and uncertainty. In the same way marriages not based on anything but mutual interest and opportunism tend to give way at the first encountered hurdle, the MMM/MSM alliance gave way at the first signs of courtship from a suitor – interested in the same gains and opportunities shared by the two shaky partners. And so did the Labour/PMSD alliance.

The courtship game stopped being amusing as soon as the partner-swapping took the form of a constitutional change which was neither understood nor desired. Paul Bérenger’s mood swings, on and off and back on and NavinRamgoolam’s private life added a nail to the coffin of the unwanted alliance. A series of scandals, some real and some exaggerated and served to a population who had had enough of more of the same, dealt the final blow to the hopes of both partners of living happily ever after. At first, the nation watched helplessly as the newly-wed couple flaunted their self-perceived strength with utter disregard for the feelings, anger and frustration of their own supporters.

The country sat and hoped – against hope – that reason would prevail; that the couple would listen a bit more to common sense; that an unnatural alliance which was seen to wipe out all opposition and bring two traditionally-sworn enemies to work together would not see the light.

We then discovered, to our utter horror, human nature at its worst: our voyeuristic nation started encouraging a type of disloyalty hitherto unseen in our country as trusted friends started recording audio and video material of the private lives of those who trusted them the most. Former friends turned into sworn enemies when the favours stopped. The country condemned but gloated in watching mistresses and listening without restraint to the intimate lives of wives.

Followed then a wave of utter discontent and rejection which, whipped up by lobbies, resulted in an unexpectedlandslide victory for the other side looking to take us back to the distant past.

Then lepep admirable, anesthetised with euphoria and numbed by Alzheimer’s, having rejoiced that it had the power to exercise its right to anger and wipe out the arrogance of power, started gradually coming to the realisation that we may be served more of the same; as we sat and watched an MBC, which we thought could not possibly get worse, prove us wrong; as we listened to some newly-appointed members of parliament and ministers – struggling to read their pre-prepared notes – swear to be “faceful” (sorry, they meant faithful) to the country; as we saw some ghosts of the past blast back into the present promising us wonders in the future, we started hoping against hope again – that there is some real transparency and good governance in the running of the state affairs. That the contracts of the political nominees who will replace the old ones are made public. That the nominees’ qualifications and experience – other than their allegiance to the party in place – are made accessible to those who are paying for their handsome salaries and scrumptious fringe benefits. That meritocracy will prevail. That justice will not be replaced by a witch-hunt. That the promised Right to Information Act will come with a strongly independent Ombudsperson not another political nominee who works to smother information even more. That the declaration of assets will be extended to all nominees. That Lepep admirablewill finally be given some consideration.

While in the chapter of hope, we hope you will have a Merry Christmas and a very happy New Year.