It was grotesque. Even by the standards of our national broadcaster, the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation surpassed itself this week when reporting on the May Day meetings.

On the one hand, we were treated to Pravind Jugnauth speaking to what was made to look like large and enthusiastic crowds. Selected footage of the best quotes were broadcast in a very disjointed report. On the other hand, we were shown pictures of confused people walking around prior to the start of the MMM meeting. Others were shown buying food before the meeting started.

When we were finally allowed to have a glimpse of the leader of the MMM, Paul Bérenger, a voiceover report carefully told us what we needed to know and Bérenger was only allowed to speak to tell us what he had been repeating, without much conviction, for years: that the MMM will face the next general election on its own.

Those of us who sat in front of our TV to watch May Day came away with the clear impression that the MSM had drawn large crowds and that the MMM leader spent his time talking to himself and his close party members. There was no suggestion that a few thousand militants had braved the weather and stood in the rain to listen to the orators in Rose Hill. Unlike the MSM supporters, they had no tent to shelter them from the heavy rain.

Of course, the MBC has never tried to “provide independent broadcasting” or “observe neutrality” as specified in section 4 of the Mauritius Broadcasting Act. And of course, it has been far less objective than you’d be comforted to know. But we have reached new lows: The board of the MBC is now chaired by Pravind Jugnauth’s permanent secretary! As if that were not enough, last week, Jugnauth appointed his adviser in communications, Rudy Veeramundur, as a member of the same board! The person responsible for marketing the image of the prime minister, in other words, has been given the tools to do just that! So who expects the MBC to even pretend to comply with its legal obligations of impartiality, neutrality and fair balance?

Naturally, anyone who feels aggrieved with the reporting of May Day can file a complaint at the Independent Broadcasting Authority. But, before anyone rushes to do that, a word of caution: there might perhaps be a hundred things you’d rather do and which are likely to turn out to be less of a waste of your time. Remember that the person heading the IBA is none other than Youshreen Choomka – a member of the MSM and now a household name. For those who have forgotten, she is another one of those who are so exceptionally endowed with unique intelligence and competence that she was first appointed chairperson of the IBA, then she later decided that she was so competent that she was the only one capable of filling the post of director of the same organisation. So, she recruited herself and that was it! The then-prime minister, who had not yet decided to hand over power to his son and sit by his side, said in parliament that as far as he was aware, he was not aware, and the lady stayed in her position pocketing close to Rs170,000, with the various allowances, and making sure no feathers were ruffled in the government quarters.

The same lady is, incidentally, making the headlines again with her alleged involvement in the most recent scandal with the Ghanaian CEO of Earthcore Investment! Our colleagues in l’express have published evidence where the then-IBA chairperson claims to have enormous powers which she is prepared to barter and she asks for $10,000 per contract. According to the latest count, she has had $45,000 (Rs1.5 million) poured into her bank account so far!

She must, therefore, be too busy to entertain your complaint. So save your time, watch television and look forward to next year’s May Day’s independent reporting by our independent broadcaster. Or refresh your newsfeed and get a different story.

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