Deepa Bhookhun
27 September 2007
Port Louis — MMM leader, Paul Bérenger, has been appointed leader of the opposition for the second time since the last general elections. After a few days' struggle, MSM's parliamentary leader of the opposition Nando Bodha resigned from his post, causing some bitterness among his colleagues at the party's headquarters.
The bitterness has more to do with prestige and the lack of it than anything else. The president of the Republic is the one who appoints the leader of the opposition after general elections. The criterion is simple enough - the leader of the party or coalition that doesn't form government and that is numerically stronger becomes the leader of the parliamentary opposition.
The office is a constitutional one in the sense that the Constitution provides for a leader of the opposition. This means, among other things, that even after the dissolution of Parliament, the leader of the opposition stays in office. While Parliament is in session, the leader of the opposition represents the alternate government. His role at the National Assembly is to provide criticisms of the government policy and offer alternative measures. The role is also a critical one in the sense that, in a democracy, there needs to be checks and balances.
One of the most important prerogatives of the leader of the opposition in Parliament is the Private Notice Question. The leader of the opposition is the only Member of Parliament (MP) who has the privilege to put a question to any minister of his choice, including the Prime minister on matters of national interest without having to give substantial notice to his question. The question is submitted on the morning - usually at 9 o'clock - of the day that Parliament will sit. The PNQ - if rightly used - is a powerful tool to bring government to account for measures and decisions.
In terms of hierarchical protocol, the leader of the opposition comes just after the ministers. The position comes with a monthly salary of Rs 65,000 as well as a chauffeur-driven Government car that comes with a VIPSU trained bodyguard; VIPSU is short for Very Important Person Security Unit. The opposition leader is usually invited to most official functions as he is meant to represent the alternative Prime minister.
This requirement is, however, not always met in our electoral system of 'first past the post'. After the general elections of 2005 where Paul Bérenger was the opposing coalition's candidate as Prime minister, his appointment as leader of the opposition fulfilled the requirement. But, after the crack in the opposition parties' unity last year, Nando Bodha of the MSM took over. Nando Bodha was never - at least in the eyes of his party - the alternative Prime minister. That person, MSM leader Pravind Jugnauth, was not successfully returned at the last general elections.
"According to our laws, the leader of the opposition does have a say in matters of national importance. For instance, the PM consults with the opposition chief at the time of appointing the director general of the Independent Commission against Corruption."
This anomaly happened again in the 1995 general elections where all 60 members of the then Labour-MMM coalition were successfully returned. Sir Anerood Jugnauth, then unsuccessful candidate for the office of Prime minister, was not elected. The office of the leader of the opposition then went to Best Loser candidates - in no way representing any kind of alternative to government. The same was true in 1982 when the MMM-PSM coalition returned all 60 of its members.
According to our laws, the leader of the opposition does have a say in matters of national importance. For instance, the Prime minister consults with the opposition chief at the time of appointing the director general of the Independent Commission against Corruption (Icac). This condition is not mere lip service. Paul Bérenger, leader of the opposition at the time, did offer some resistance at the time of discussions relating to the matter, which Prime minister Ramgoolam took on board.
The president of the Republic also consults the leader of the opposition at the time of appointing members of the Public Service Commission (PSC) as well as the Prime minister. The President, however, is not bound to take the opinion of either the Prime minister or the leader of the opposition on board. The opposition chief is also consulted regarding the appointment of the Ombudsperson, the Chairman of the Disciplined Forces Services Commission, among others.
Why does it matter so much to be leader of the opposition? Probably for all of the above reasons. Leader of the opposition Paul Bérenger however - having made himself some kind of a reputation as leader of the opposition over the years - has been very critical of Bodha's performance of late, hinting that he could do better.
It is said as well that one of the reasons why Navin Ramgoolam welcomed Maurice Allet's PMSD so openly into his Alliance Sociale, was to ensure that Paul Bérenger lost his seat as leader of the opposition because the leaders of the majority felt that Bodha's inexperience could only help them. Government, it is said, fear Bérenger in a role that he has mastered over the years.
This much remains to be seen.
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