First, I must congratulate the Family Welfare Officers of the Child Development Unit (CDU) of the Ministry of Gender Equality for the celerity with which they hotfooted their way to the police station to file a complaint against our director of publications currently on leave, Nad Sivaramen. It is heartwarming to see a unit that is normally in deep sleep – not to say in a coma – while children are being subjected to all sorts of abuse suddenly wake up from its slumber. We do not see in this rare efficiency a way to settle scores with a first-class journalist who – we have to grant him that – has been instrumental in the ‘resignation’ of several public figures allegedly involved in corruption cases. And we dare hope that the ministry doesn’t go back to sleep once some ministers have quenched their thirst for revenge.

Questions are being asked about why at La Sentinelle we have been quiet on this issue. In fact, we haven’t. We have been relaying the news as soon as the problem cropped up and we will continue to do so. Naturally, we have been observing the same code of conduct we have always observed when it comes to allegations and the respect of the dignity of the people involved. And we certainly will not transgress the code of conduct when a four-year-old minor is involved, as reaffirmed by the Family Court, the Ombudsperson for Children and Pedostop (see page 5). Some of our colleagues from other publications have. They will have to live with that. We don’t wish them ill as a result and we will not retaliate given the opportunity. It is not in our culture.

Why haven’t we expressed any opinion the way we normally do when a big incident of this kind breaks out? Because we are in deep mourning. Three members of our family are going through harrowing moments. And so are we as their colleagues. We don’t have the pretention to know where the truth lies. We are not a court of law and we do hope that the truth comes out sooner rather than later. In the meantime, let’s highlight the difference between our sense of ethics and that – if it exists – of those who are governing us: As soon as our colleague Audrey Harelle swore an affidavit, Nad has had the decency to immediately step aside to allow for transparency. Compare that with Raj Dayal, Showkatully Soodhun, Kalyan Tarolah and many others. Worse, compare that, if you please, with Sanjeev Teeluckdharry (who is still being addressed as Mr. Deputy-Speaker Sir!!!) and with the one whose ministry has filed a complaint against Sivaramen, Roubina Jadoo-Jaunbocus, against whom the allegations are no less revolting than the one made against Nad. After all, people who help with the drug trade are killing our children. And posting on Facebook – as the minister’s greatest achievement – «trois-pour-dix» chocolates being distributed to families some of whom have been decimated by drugs is not going to wipe that out.

We are as shocked as everyone out there by the seriousness of the allegations. Audrey is an exemplary colleague and we share in her sadness and are distraught just thinking of the disarming smile of the child we regularly saw in the newsroom. And we can’t even begin to imagine what Nad must be going through. Naturally, if the allegations turn out to be true, we won’t find it in us to forgive him ever. But he deserves his day in court, the only forum where facts are established beyond reasonable doubt.

We are equally shocked by the gloating out there. What is there to gloat about when a child is going through traumatic moments? What is there to gloat about when powerful people appear to slip? I understand that Nad made a lot of enemies – as we all do. That is the nature of the job we do and the price paid by those of us who refuse to kowtow to those in power. The allegations are, however, not made against him as a journalist but as a man. He no longer has a sharp pen to scratch corrupt faces or even defend himself. He is facing justice as an ordinary citizen. Isn’t it fair to allow him to do so in peace? Wouldn’t that be more worthy of us as a nation?

I dare hope so!