Ups and downs

For a Prime Minister who is on his way out from power, Sir Anerood Jugnauth has been quite in the forefront these days. It was at the National Assembly that Sir Anerood Jugnauth proved his mettle. His reply to the Private Notice Question (PNQ) of the Leader of the Opposition Mr. Paul Bérenger, on Tuesday, on the issue of the Chagos moved many, even his opponents. 

THE ECONOMIC “THREATS”  

The Prime Minister revealed that an American official and a British official “threatened” him during a meeting in his office, on the issue of the Chagos. “They talked to me as they were talking to a slave,” stated the Prime Minister. He even added that the two officials “threatened” that our trade protocols and exchanges could be jeopardized if Mauritius maintained its position. That is to refer the “dossier “of the Chagos to the UN General Assembly and subsequently to the International Court of Justice. The Prime Minister bluntly said in the House that he asked the two officials to leave his office, winning the respect of the Parliamentarians of all sides. 

Another opportunity cropped up with the debates on the Police (Membership of Trade Union) Bill at the National Assembly on Wednesday. Unanimity prevailed regarding the objectives of the Bill although some members of the Opposition did express some doubts regarding a few sections of the Bill. Later, the Prime Minister clarified the points raised and reassured everybody. Sir Anerood Jugnauth recalled that he was, in fact, implementing one of the measures announced in the political manifesto of the Alliance Lepep. 

However, on other issues, like the Senior Adviser at the Prime Minister’s Office, the recruitment in the public sector, the presence of the Director of the Mauritius Examinations Syndicate (MES) Mrs Brenda Thanacoody-Soborun at a congress of the MSM, the government was on the defensive. 

THE PRIME MINISTER-IN-WAITING TOURING THE COUNTRY  

At the same time, the various public functions involving the Minister of Finance and Prime Minister-in-waiting Pravind Jugnauth did not go without any hurdle. An incident occurred during a congress of the MSM in Plaine Verte on Thursday 24 November, 2016. Some persons claiming to be hawkers voiced out loudly their grievances. 

At first the Minister of Finance categorically denied the incident, at least that the initiators of the incident were targeting him. The Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Housing and Lands Mr. Showkutally Soodhun went a step further and naïvely commented that the so-called hawkers were, in fact, targeting the Minister of Local Government Dr. Anwar Husnoo.

The latter was smart enough to react following an official function held on Monday. He reminded each and everyone that it was a government decision to relocate street hawkers and that it was not him who passed a new legislation. In clear, he was saying that he should not be alone to face the wrath of street hawkers because it was a collective decision. 

“ These days little information has come out regarding the stepping down of Sir Anerood Jugnauth as Prime Minister and his subsequent replacement by his son, Mr. Pravind Jugnauth. "

Mr. Pravind Jugnauth got the message quite quickly for the same day, in the evening, after he participated in a function in Petit Verger, he came to the rescue of his collegue, Dr. Husnoo. He confirmed that it was the government which took the decision to relocate the hawkers and that a minister does not function alone, but in a team.   

Although it is a good exercise for a Prime Minister-in-waiting to get closer to the population and his mandates in particular, such activities should be well prepared. Otherwise it could have an adverse effect and backfire on the government. Also, too much exposure in the media, more specifically on television, could prove counter-productive, politically speaking. 

INCOHERENT MOVES 

Coming back to Mr. Soodhun, it is high time that he polishes his political initiatives. First, there was absolutely no need to pick up a fight with Parliamentary Private Secretary Mrs. Sandhya Boygah on the issue of the gaming house which the latter’s husband is to open in Saint-Paul. It is unbelievable that the Mayor of Vacoas-Phoenix Mr. Navin Ramsoondur supported the move of the populist Mnister. Had he taken the trouble to go through the file, he would have known that there is no fresh application from Mr. Boygah and that his company was only retrieving a license that has been reinstated following a judgment. 

The same Mr. Soodhun showered panegyrics on his humble self, during a press briefing during which he announced that he was no longer in charge of the issue of Hadj. He boasted of having gone very far in developing relations with the Royal family in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and that nobody, including his own son, can realize such achievements.

Mr. Soodhun decided to no longer shoulder the responsibility of the Hadj “dossier”, following MMM MP Mr. Reza Uteem’s severe critics against him at the National  Assembly. 

SEVERAL CHANGES AHEAD 

In the meantime, the assembly of delegates of the MMM has voted its new constitution which should bring about a few important changes. On the other hand, recent meetings of the politburo of the MSM have proved to be very stormy. The most recent one held on Saturday last was yet another opportunity for the Leader of the party to announce that changes will occur regarding political nominees.  

In an article published in a daily, the question of the participation of political nominees in political activities was addressed. It would appear that several political nominees have been spotted while on their way to attend meetings of the political bureau of the MSM. These days little information has come out regarding the stepping down of Sir Anerood Jugnauth as Prime Minister and his subsequent replacement by his son, Mr. Pravind Jugnauth. 

As the end of the year draws near, it would seem that the government considers the unfinished business at the National assembly as its priority. Parliament is sitting two days a week and it would seem unrealistic to try to fit in a major political change that could have several repercussions, both politically and economically. Unless the scenario has already been penned and that it will soon be unveiled.