allAfrica.com: Mauritius: "The public has developed a character of laissez-passer and laissez-faire" (Page 1 of 1)

Mauritius: "The public has developed a character of laissez-passer and laissez-faire"

Hardly a few days after he made his allegations against some members of the MCIT, Harish Boodhoo met l'express at his place. He spares no politician - especially the PM - concerning the situation of law and order.

After your fight against the sale by levy system, you seem to have a new battle horse - the Major Crime Investigation Team (MCIT)

There is a general perception that I have done a good job to clean the Supreme Court and help the sale by levy victims. But today, after the closure of my newspaper - the Sunday Vani - and its office, which both spearheaded the crusade against the sale by levy mafia, the introduction of new laws for the sale by levy, the allocation of Rs 100 million for worst cases of exploitation, I am a very discouraged, frustrated and disgusted man because the prime minister has not kept his promises. But I am not surprised about this because this government is arrogant and they tend to consider themselves as the sole superpower.

But still, you went to the police and made a statement against members of the MCIT

Despite the fact that I no longer trust the people - because I feel the public has developed a character of laissez-passer, laissez-aller and laissez-faire - I am still a patriot. I have waited such a long time for the opposition leaders to act regarding the problem of the police force that are totally demobilised and demoralised. But I finally decided to go ahead as nothing seemed to be happening

How is this problem in the police linked to the MCIT that you have denounced?

There is an acute shortage of staff and the police are currently lacking furniture, vehicles And still, despite all the problems of law and order, the commissioner of police has been side-lined. I am wondering whether the Interior ministry should not be transferred to ministers Tang or Gowressoo who would certainly do a better job.

Are you saying the PM is responsible for what allegedly happened at the MCIT?

The PM was the one to create the uncontrollable monster in garb of the MCIT. He condoned all of late SP Raddhoa's abuses and excesses while the commissioner of police should have been the one to head the police. The MCIT is like a state within the state and its setting up was bad in itself. It is like a parallel unit in competition with the Central Criminal Investigation Division (CCID). So these members ended up believing that they were super heroes in the garb of Superman, Batman or Spiderman and the likes. It is no surprise that some have not abided by police rules and regulations and have been operating with almost total impunity.

How did they operate?

I can't say much about this but I can tell you I have given a lot of information to the anti-corruption commission. I think they should rope in other legal bodies like the Mauritius Revenue Authority, the Director of Public Prosecutions or the Financial Intelligence Unit only to mention a few so as to reach a rapid solution. They should have a strong team to search for documents, go through bank accounts of suspects and query on movable and immovable properties of MCIT members and their close relatives. In some cases, I have been informed that the wives and close relatives were the ones who collected the money.

So, what would be the solution?

I am asking the CP to disband the MCIT outright and transfer its officers to the CCID pending the end of the Icac enquiry. Moreover, as some members of the National State Security (NSS) are intimately linked with the MCIT, I am asking myself whether the NSS should not also be dissolved.

I beg to disagree with Paul Bérenger. There have been so many politicised commissions of enquiry which enquiries now lie in drawers.

Do you trust the Icac or are you for a commission of enquiry as the opposition leader suggested?

I beg to disagree with Paul Bérenger. In the past, there have been lots of politicised commissions of enquiries and their reports are lying in drawers and have never seen light. In certain cases, a commission of enquiry is a must but I believe that, in the present case, we will only spend precious time and money for such a commission while we can't wait now because the country is sitting on a time bomb.

I too didn't have faith in the Icac but after meeting the investigators Ah-Sen, Ghoora and Goburdhun several times, I have come to trust them. I hope the victims of these MCIT members will not hesitate to go to the Icac and denounce them. Those victims who come forward should be given immunity to encourage them to denounce these people.

You suddenly came back into the limelight this week after retiring from public life last May. Does this mean the politician is back on the scene?

I am not engaged in active politics and I prefer to stay far from all political parties although I have friends in all of them. No, I do not intend to start active politics again.

Are you afraid for your own security?

There are police patrols driving outside all day to ensure my security. Any other person would have been scared to denounce the MCIT but I am made of a different metal. I was forged by my mother to look at death in the eyes. Anyway, the fact that it was referred to the Icac and the CCID reassures me. Even if I were killed, the enquiry would go on

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