Reaching out to the nation

The New Year message to the nation was an opportunity for the Prime Minister Sir Anerood Jugnauth to wield his authority and to tout the second economic miracle, once more.

Addressing the nation on the occasion of the New Year is an established tradition but this year it has taken a new dimension with the decision of the former Prime Minister and Leader of the Mauritius Labour Party Dr. Navin Ramgoolam to indulge in a similar exercise. 

TRADITIONAL MEDIA v/s SOCIAL MEDIA

If Sir Anerood Jugnauth chose the MBC/Television to broadcast his New Year message, which is also an established tradition, Dr. Ramgoolam used his Facebook fan-page and that of his party to convey his message. It’s amazing how political leaders need to reach out to the population and connect across the country, even during such a festive period. 

Those who follow very closely political happenings on the island were surprised that both leaders tackled almost the same issues, namely the Basic Retirement Pension, the construction of the Bagatelle Dam, recruitment in the public sector, recruitment of medical doctors, curbing down drug trafficking, law and order, Air Mauritius, the economic situation, the financial sector, the Prosecution Commission Bill, the Chagos Archipelago and Metro Express. 

An article published by l’express.mu on Tuesday 3 January, 2017, highlighted these similarities. The author of the article even put a very legitimate question: are these similarities due to a mere coincidence or are they the results of a leakage? The author of the article tried an explanation and came out with several possibilities; more precisely that all precautions were taken so that the recorded message of the Prime Minister is not leaked out but that “you never know”. In clear terms, it means that this could happen. However, l’express.mu later revealed that they tried to contact Dr. Ramgoolam prior to the publication of the article but in vain. When the article was published, the Leader of the Labour Party phoned the newsroom of the daily to state that he prepared his message all by himself and that he did not watch that of Sir Anerood Jugnauth. 

Interestingly enough, the message of Dr. Ramgoolam was posted on Facebook on 31st December, 2016 while that of Sir Anerood Jugnauth was broadcasted on MBC/Tv on 1st January,2017. How could Dr. Ramgoolam give the rebuttal to Sir Anerood Jugnauth before the broadcast of his New Year message? It is fact that the themes they chose to address are indeed recurrent these days, and are also of national importance. 

THE FORM AND THE SUBSTANCE 

Now that we have examined the form, let us take a closer look at the substance of both messages. 

What we retain from that delivered by Sir Anerood Jugnauth is that he is confident that his government will complete its five-year mandate. This would be a real feat as the current Prime Minister has never been able to do so. He has tried to minimize the consequences of the resignation of the PMSD from the government and insists that his government has a comfortable majority. Again, he has promised progress, whatever be the circumstances.

“ However, one should never estimate his opponent. Who knows that once he is installed as Prime Minister, Mr. Pravind Jugnauth could demonstrate some real leadership skills? The economic situation is gradually getting better and Mr. Jugnauth could very well benefit from this situation, provided that it continues in the right direction."

Athough he did not mention the PMSD, Sir Anerood Jugnauth severely criticized his former partner. “Zot dir ou le pei avan tou, me dan realite se zot azanda avan tou. Zot finn abandonn ou pou “jure allégeance à pourriture et immoralité” ki ou ti rezett masivman » (They say that the country comes first but in fact it is their agenda which has precedence. They have abandoned you to swear allegiance to rot and to immorality), stated the Prime Minister. 

Dr. Ramgoolam, in his New Year message has tried to don the mantle of a savior. “My wish is to build a united nation where each and everyone can live peacefully without fearing reprisals. We need to do away with totalitarian drifts, fascism and political vendetta. A new start is required, along with a new cohesive, competent and responsible team, geared towards the future”, stated the Leader of the Labour Party, as reported by the webpage of the Defi Media Group.  

The former Prime Minister insisted that with the departure of the PMSD from the government, the latter has lost the little legitimacy that it still had. 

A QUESTION OF POLITICAL LEADERSHIP 

In the end, it is a question of political leadership. Dr. Ramgoolam averred that “the only wish of the Jugnauth’s family is to do away with the Labour Party, to eliminate him (Dr. Ramgoolam) as leader of the Labour Party and to install the current leader of the MSM Mr. Pravind Jugnauth as Prime Minister, without having to go through general elections”. 

Another observation is that till date, Sir Anerood Jugnauth remains the only challenger to Dr. Navin Ramgoolam. And this has been proved at the December 2014 general elections. Many political pundits are convinced that if Sir Anerood  Jugnauth had led the MSM/MMM Alliance at the 2005 general elections, he would have won. Others argue that is one of the main reasons why Dr. Ramgoolam preferred to offer a new mandate to Sir Anerood Jugnauth as President of the Republic in 2008. 

This scenario was almost impossible to think of in 2005, given that the Labour Party indeed humiliated Sir Anerood Jugnauth who was then serving his first term as President of the Republic. Having Sir Anerood Jugnauth at the State House was politically more secure for Dr. Ramgoolam.

At the threshold of this New Year, it is interesting to observe how political parties or rather their respective leaders are trying to gain their bearings. 

Dr. Navin Ramgoolam seems to bet on the premature political retirement of Sir Anerood Jugnauth to swallow Mr. Pravind Jugnauth in one mouthful, especially if the latter succeeds to his father as Prime Minister. However, one should never estimate his opponent. Who knows that once he is installed as Prime Minister, Mr. Pravind Jugnauth could demonstrate some real leadership skills? The economic situation is gradually getting better and Mr. Jugnauth could very well benefit from this situation, provided that it continues in the right direction. 

CHANGES IN THE OFFING 

We learn from a recent interview of Mr. Showkutally Soodhun, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Housing and Lands, but also president of the MSM, that Sir Anerood Jugnauth would become a Mentor Minister à la Lee Kuan Yew, once Mr. Pravind Jugnauth is sworn in as Prime Minister.

Another fundamental question is what would be the strike force of the PMSD, more precisely its leader Mr. Xavier-Luc Duval as Leader of the Opposition? He served in two successive governments in very senior positions but under diametrically opposed leaders. How would he find the right balance without turning into a real demagogue? Already his former partners, mainly the MSM, are trying to associate him with Dr. Ramgoolam. On the other hand, a seasoned politician like Mr. Bérenger will not sit idle in the Opposition. He will certainly try to find ways to get the MMM out of this sandwich position, squeezed between the PMSD and the Labour Party.        

Meanwhile, the government is on a fishing expedition for turncoats in a bid to re-conquer its three-quarter majority. Those having some clairvoyance will certainly understand that although the Muvman Liberater (ML) has so far been faithful to its partner, the MSM, the way its leader, Mr. Ivan Collendavelloo handles things could become  a cause of embarrassment in the long run.