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Mauritius: Political jumble
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L'Express (Port Louis)
4 October 2007
Posted to the web 4 October 2007
Pauline Etienne
Port Louis
Political life seems in a real mess. There is nothing new to the fact that all avenues are open in politics - especially in Mauritius apparently. But it appears we have reached heights over the past few weeks.
No one really knows who belongs to which party and whether the politicians' attachment to their "party of the moment" will still be the same in a few days. Some more resignations are expected in the majority's ranks while the opposition borders on chaos.
In about one month, all MPs will go back to the National Assembly. Except for Paul Bérenger who knows exactly where to sit in Parliament - and who must be already delighted to pip his MSM colleagues at the post - almost everyone else may be wondering who will be sitting next to him/her.
The political situation is far from stable and the voters of 2005 must be totally lost with the changes in the approach of many MPs they had voted for two years ago. The MMM and the MSM have kept on juggling between periods of "love parades" and "hate sagas". So much so that the go-between PMSD felt obliged to play the matchmaker. Collective thought should not forget that Maurice Allet sacrificed his dream of a ministerial chair in the Social Alliance to make sure the opposition would reunify.
Well, at least this decision must have made PM Navin Ramgoolam most happy. He no longer has to find excuses for not meeting the PMSD leader and for not appointing him at an eminent post. And some must be quite relieved that Eric Guimbeau has finally crossed the Rubicon. This could help him win back some of the credibility he had lost over the past few months while he was tightrope walking in the Social Alliance.
While the opposition keeps "soul searching", the majority partners do not appear to fare much better. Members of the government or those close to the Prime minister do not hesitate to defy the minister of Education, Dharam Gokhool, on a matter of public safety for children. They prefer to keep their popularity rating with their constituents instead of taking responsible actions that are compatible with their post.
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They will all have to remember that, as political figures elected by the people of this country, they have a responsibility towards them. The National Assembly is sitting again in one month. The opposition parties need to pull themselves together and do their duty to guarantee democracy. The country is faced with many difficulties that go beyond petty party political frustrations.
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