(Published in l'express, 29 Dec 2020)
Recently, at the beginning of the Kistnen affair, we became conscious that we have crossed a new threshold that is scaring and chilling for the country. As other consequential events unfolded, it seems to reinstate the fact that there’s something that is fundamentally wrong with the country. Allow me to share with you, some of the interesting and challenging bits and pieces I have picked up from the local press and social media to confirm that everything is not all right with the country- not right at all.
These are some of the recent comments and criticisms that I have summarised under the following headings:
• The Kistnen affair : A nation is shocked to learn that a murder has been simulated to look like a suicide and it is losing trust in its institutions that are failing to deliver at all levels (omissions, tampering of evidence, hiding information, siding with criminals…) while its political representatives retreat into silent mode and proceed with business as usual.
• Recent events that shook the nation : A commissioner of police “ shoots” at pro bono lawyers instead of putting his house in order; a senior adviser permits himself to arrogantly intervene on a radio station and accuse a pro bono lawyer to be a liar; a telecom official who submits incomplete historical data finds it so natural and acceptable that these are incomplete and have been deleted; the MCIT is busier trying to find someone to take the responsibility for the foul play; a minister is alleged to have gobbled even the Rs 15,000 meant for his constituency clerk. ....A commentator posted “So what? After all, from clerks to Ministers, we are all rodeur-boutes…..The show goes on.”
• The Liverpool ad : Rs 400 million for an ad that has earned us some demeaning comments that are as humiliating as when one talented but controversial writer, who went on to win the noble prize in 2001, branded us, back in the early 70s, as an “overcrowded barracoon”. With this spelling blunder, the country seems to have regressed to these trying times.
• Safe City project: Rs 19 billion for Safe City or the “Surveillance State”, which turned out not to be that safe and no better than CCTV cameras. We didn’t get value for money. Or was it meant only to be used by the regime to peep into our private lives and infringe on our liberty?
• Prestige projects: The regime has preferred to spend billions on untimely prestige projects (and reap hefty kickbacks) and on populist measures when the urgency was to tackle the more pressing issues like more resources for social housing, food security, the diversification of our exports, the training and re-skilling of our youth, attending to the leakages in our water distribution system etc …..AND most importantly battling the growing drug problem especially the proliferation of synthetic drugs (its easy availability is taking its toll on the youth). Some commentators pointed out that "Les trafiquants sont mieux équipés que l’ADSU” and the failure of the regime in the rebuilding of ADSU into a dedicated, well-equipped and well-trained police unit to tackle drug trafficking. Despite the meagre resources, despite the incompetence and the mediocrity she had to face, Dimple Raghoo, the brave fighter, never gave up.
• Cote D’or Sports Complex : Rs 5 billion for the Cote D’or Sports Complex which is costing us 250 million per year as maintenance cost including a monthly electricity bill of Rs 1.5 million such that we have to convert the football play ground into a plantation of mushrooms to cover the cost. Our experts and advisers are now busy drawing up a business plan to decide what to do with this complex.
•Metro Express – a white elephant : A costly Rs 20 billion for a Metro Express that lacks the critical mass to render it profitable and will not reduce traffic congestion and it is more likely to become a white elephant given that the road infrastructure is also being improved. What our whole caucus of advisers at the PMO does not realise is that for a highly modernised transport system to succeed in making Mauritius smart and meet our expectations, it has to be accompanied by unavoidable hard-hitting measures on private car users to shift car users to the new transport mode and increase its ridership. Instead, our policymakers are spoiling everything by decreasing import duties on cars and continuing with the system of duty-free cars and car allowance for top civil servants and imports of cheap second-hand cars.
• Gambling and EU backlist: EU and the FATF highlighted the non-existence of supervision of the non-financial sectors, especially of casinos, bookmakers and gambling activities, to combat money laundering. This only confirms the symbiotic relationship of the regime with the gambling industry and a gaming mogul. A complete review and overhaul of ICAC and other law enforcement agencies was badly needed to boost the country’s effectiveness in tackling drug and financial crime. That will be asking too much from the authorities when the very end-of-the-year payday is being decided on the basis of the horse-racing programme. This shows how far the gambling mafia has infiltrated our institutions.
• MBC TV, the docile lapdog: If you do not have access to the press and social media, the present regime is idyllic as relayed by our MBC TV through its vile propaganda that it spits out as news which is even outclassing the North Korean news channels. Its goal is to make MBC great again by ensuring that it stays overbearingly and irritatingly servile to the masters in power. It ensures that we move in unison and chant the glory of the leadership of supremo who has done so much for the workers of this country and the senior citizens and most importantly, as it is being recognised internationally, has kept us covid-safe. Glory to thee....Doubters are being lobotomised for their own good.
• The series of gates: These refer to a continuous series of scams and scandals -Sumputhgate, Showkuthgate, Husnoogate, Rawoogate, Biscuitgate, Auto-écolegate ,Ex-President&Vice-Presidentgate, Cuivregate, Stlouisgate, BalKulergate, Angusroadgate, Covid-19gate, STCgate---this one is the height of it all, from imports of rancid rice that led to diarrhoea and vomiting, we upgraded to corrupted fuel oil which ended up blowing up car-engines ….and there are other gates that are waiting to be uncovered. There seems to be a high demand for pro bono lawyers !!
•Converting BOM into an ATM: Our newly appointed governors of the Central Bank are printing money à gogo; money is not a problem; they are ransacking the Central Bank and our foreign reserves to bail out the cronies via MIC.
•Our institutions deserve better: The appointment of political nominees has reached a new high-MSB, FSC, BOM, MT, Museum Council, DBM, EDB,… One by one, our institutions are being infected with toxic polarisation and sapped by the chums that are taking over these institutions. Instead of well-functioning, trustworthy and independent institutions adhering to the rule of law and more of social justice, we see a prevalence of hollowed institutions and state capture; it is time to start worrying that we may be undermining the country’s hopes for future growth and development.
•The cost of the BAI saga: The total cost of the BAI break up, already borne by public funds, will be around Rs 20 bn - an equity injection of Rs11.9 bn into the National Property plus the Rs 3.6 bn injected in Maubank and the repayment of the BOM line of credit of some Rs 4.5 bn. The public is heavily footing the bill for breaking up the BAI Group. The obfuscations and downright lies fed to the population about illusory revenues from the sale of National Insurance Company, Maubank, Apollo Hospital, and other BAI assets are today fully exposed. The cost of the BAI mess will add to the huge debt burden already falling on the next generation.
•Spending merrily but irresponsibily: The regime is spending merrily as if there were no tomorrow. The economy is set to shrink by a catastrophic 15 % this year. Our consolidated Budget Deficit is at a record -15.7 of of GDP and Public Sector Debt ,as a % of GDP, has already reached the 100% mark. This government does not have a credible framework for ensuring debt sustainability or fiscal credibility. They are not facing economic realities, but peddling illusions and taking the country to its doom.
•In perpetual election mode : The country is in a mess. Instead of rallying everybody to get us out of the present mess, they are antagonising everybody-the private sector, the opposition, the press, the private radios, social media ...and they persist in thinking that they can win over the population by continuing with their populist policies – generous wage compensation, end of the year bonus, remissions on import duties, tax concessions, PRB reviews of pay, further increases in pension…..
I could have gone on and on but I seem to have run short of space. I thought it's better to end this note with this recent quote from one of the "tenors" of this Government (some envious ones have been trying to link him to some “Bois de Rose” case). “L’Afrique pas une jungle , mais une ruche bouillonnante.” It must have been a slip of the tongue………La jungle, c’est nous- Mauritus.com à la derive where about 8 in 10 households are already having to “ris diab par laké” at the end of the month.
