Will drastic remedy follow doctor’s diagnosis?

In revealing to the media that his son and leader of the MSM, Mr. Pravind Jugnauth would succeed him as Prime Minister, Sir Anerood Jugnauth probably thought that this transition would barely provoke a yawn.

But he was wrong. Ever since the possibility that Sir Anerood Jugnauth steps down was publicly evoked, the issue that Mr. Pravind Jugnauth will succeed him as Prime Minister has taken centre stage.

LEGALITY AND CONSTITUTIONALITY INDISPUTABLE 

Although the Opposition does not dispute the legality and constitutionality of the process, it has strong reserves on the moral of this important political transition. The leader of the Opposition and leader of the Mouvement Militant Mauricien (MMM) Mr. Paul Bérenger, who was addressing the congress organized by his party at the Octave Wiéhé Auditorium in Réduit on Sunday, termed the accession of the leader of the MSM to the post of Prime Minister as being a “political swindling”, if it is not sanctioned by a popular vote.  

Earlier, at the congress of the Labour Party in Triolet on Sunday 18 September,2016, Dr Navin Ramgoolam used a metaphor to describe the impending political changes. He referred to these as a vehicle whose driver is tired and hands it over to another person who does not even hold a learner. 

However, in separate statements to the media, Labour stalwarts like Mr. Patrick Assirvaden and Mr. Shakeel Mohamed have not argued on the legality and constitutionality of the appointment of Mr. Pravind Jugnauth as Prime Minister. The only person to have challenged this aspect to date is Me. Penny Hack, a barrister with extensive experience, who opined that it should be the Deputy Prime Minister (in these circumstances Mr. Xavier-Luc Duval) who should be called upon to be the next Prime Minister.

As we had anticipated last week, the debate has now evolved on new grounds: that of the establishment of dynastical politics, if not its institutionalization. “The critics are mostly aimed at the moral dimension of the exercise. Perhaps if it were somebody else who were made to succeed to Sir Anerood Jugnauth, it would not have this bitter taste of institutionalizing dynastical politics. As it is now, it gives the impression that Mr. Pravind Jugnauth is inheriting a government, and by extension a country”, we had written last week.

Speaking at the MMM congress on Sunday, Mr. Bérenger stated that “we are neither a monarchy nor a dynasty where the father nominates his son”. So the leader of the MMM has found two grounds, the fact that Mr. Pravind Jugnauth does not have the plebiscite of the electorate and that he is somehow inheriting a government. 

To which, the Minister of Finance and leader of the MSM Mr. Pravind Jugnauth has tried an explanation, while talking to the press after the inauguration ceremony of a branch of the Development Bank of Mauritius (DBM) in Goodlands on Monday. “If some have forgotten about it, let me remind you that I have been elected by the people. I was elected in my constituency. Even if I am called Pravind Jugnauth and I am the son of Sir Anerood Jugnauth, I have been mandated by the population. And this does not mean that I cannot shoulder other responsibilities. Those who have objections to this do not accept democracy, the Constitution, and the rules of elections”, said Mr. Pravind Jugnauth. This explanation of the leader of the MSM does not seem convincing enough, despite the sincerity in his approach.  

CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP WAS NEVER DISCUSSED 

In the beginning, it appeared that unanimity prevailed among partners of the Alliance Lepep on this question of change in leadership and subsequent replacement of Sir Anerood Jugnauth. On Sunday, when Mr. Xavier-Luc Duval commented on this issue, some confusion prevailed regarding whether this aspect was discussed prior to the 2014 general elections. Ultimately, Mr. Duval proved to have provided an accurate version, that the replacement of Sir Anerood Jugnauth was never discussed but that this was a possibility, probably because of the age of the Prime Minister.

Till date, we do not have a formal statement from the Prime Minister on this extremely important matter. Speculations are pouring in and everyone is only reacting to each other’s statement, adding to the generalized confusion. We maintain what we wrote last week, to the effect that “effective communication is vital in politics and that political transitions are worth planning”. Will the change in leadership occur before the National Assembly resumes on 15 November, 2016 or in  March 2017? Will a cabinet reshuffle take place prior to the stepping down of Sir Anerood Jugnauth or afterwards? Will Mr. Pravind Jugnauth keep the Finance portfolio if he becomes the Prime Minister or will he appoint a new Minister of Finance? Can the country afford a fourth minister of Finance in less than two years? Political uncertainty harms the economy and already economic growth seems to stagnate.   

Perhaps, Mr Pravind Jugnauth should follow the “advice” of the former President of the Republic Mr. Cassam Uteem in an interview published in Weekly, issue of Thursday 22 September, 2016. He suggested that Mr. Pravind Jugnauth accepts his nomination as Prime Minister and that he calls for general elections in six months or a year. “By going back to the electorate, Pravind Jugnauth will get rid of the dynasty succession that will stick to him forever”, stated Mr Uteem. 

Whatever are the plans that those at the helm of power have, a herculean task is awaiting Mr. Pravind Jugnauth: that of putting an end to intestinal war within the MSM and the Lepep Alliance. The conflict between the Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Energy and Public Utilities 

Mr. Ivan Collendavelloo and his colleague, the Minister of Financial Services, Good Governance and Institutional Reforms, Mr. Roshi Bhadain is taking an ugly turn. Even the leader of the MSM (and Minister of Finance) Mr.  Pravind Jugnauth conceded that such situations have adverse effects on the image of the government.  

INSTABILITY REACHING THE OPPOSITION

Interestingly enough, instability has also reached the Opposition. The end of last week was marked by the resignation of MP Dr. Zuberr Joomaye from the MMM. The reasons that he put forward to justify his quitting the MMM require some pondering. He argued that the rhetoric that “the MMM is stronger than ever and that Mr. Bérenger will be presented as potential Prime Minister for a five-year mandate” is sating. He also urged Mr. Bérenger to step down as Leader of the MMM, adding that the party has experienced eight consecutive defeats at elections.

As it should be expected, Mr. Bérenger termed the move of Dr. Joomaye as being “an act of cowardice”, especially that it occurred  two days before the holding of the congress of the MMM. He also accused 

Dr. Joomaye of being an armchair politician (politicien de salon) and of being too close to the Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Housing and Lands Mr. Showkutally Soodhun. On Sunday, he gave the assurance that he would stay as leader of the MMM, against all odds. One of the arguments put forward by Dr. Joomaye requires our attention. He confided that he was suffering from generation clash. Quite serious this self-diagnosis, Doctor! 

It’s amazing how the situation of Dr. Joomaye and that of Mr. Pravind Jugnauth are intrinsically related. Both have to do with the renewal of the political class. Why can’t we have a real national debate on all these aspects? We could understand why Mr. Bérenger could lose his post as Leader of the Opposition, why Mr. Shakeel Mohamed and Mr Araf Dulull are competing with each other although they belong to the same party? By the way, can we debate? CARES has made the bitter experience this week.