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Mauritius: Vile
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L'Express (Port Louis)
COLUMN
4 April 2008
Posted to the web 4 April 2008
Deepa Bhookhun
Port Louis
Politicians can really be vile creatures sometimes. One of them going by the name of Eric Guimbeau has suddenly woken up to a mission; to cause hatred and feelings of resentment within an already fragile nation. But of course, he doesn't describe it thus in fact he says he is on a mission to protect the "downtrodden". Always makes me uncomfortable this sort of arguments where protagonists tend to protest too much, if you know what I mean.
You probably don't know what I am on about if you have missed a programme on Top FM last Wednesday but don't worry if that's the case- you didn't miss much.
Mr Guimbeau, new poor (as opposed to new rich) and newly converted to the cause of "downtrodden" has decided that the best way not to sink into public indifference is to speak the unspeakable. So he says on air that the allowance of Rs 5,000 that government is exceptionally giving to the needy, who have been victims of last week's flooding, is being distributed to people according to their ethnic origin. Understand by this that who are known as "Hindus" are being given money and that Creoles aren't.
How can one say something as incensing and irresponsible as this? How can radios air such dangerous statements? And this man tells you he is a responsible politician and he dares point to finger at others? Goodness he's as bad as those brutes from the VOH!
But don't worry; he didn't get away with this. Good old Sheila Bappoo happened to hear those stupid remarks and she called the radio station demanding the right to respond, which she did in her own unique way. Then she added something that was quite disquieting.
Last Tuesday, she said, she was leaving the National Assembly to go back to her office when she was confronted with a group of women. Those women, victims of the floods were looking for that "woman wearing the sari". They said it in Creole and they were aggressive so I'll leave the rest to your imagination. This was recounted by Sheila Bappoo and I have no reason to think she is lying.
So, dear readers, how do you feel about this?
This is what happens when irresponsible politicians and arsonists like Eric Guimbeau get desperate to be in the news. This is what happens when politicians desperately try to take advantage of every possible tragedy that happens in the country. Those guys don't know how to do politics without bringing everything back to religion and race. Unfortunately the masses are not the brightest people; they take everything at face value and don't see through the calculations of politicians who have passed their sell by date and who seriously need to get a life.
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I thought those days were over? But today's PMSD is dreadfully reminiscent of the PMSD of some forty years ago
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