ISSUES] Politics: Good TV makes for sad reality> pp. 34-35

Insert N° 3 • Friday 15 July 2011

“The MMM

VIEW] remains Editorial ]

open to by Touria PRAYAG alliances” A perversion of democracy or as long as Eric Guimbeau was just being Eric Guimbeau, INTER harmless and irrelevant, there was no problem. For as long as he Steven OBEEGADOO joined the well-meaning ‘agwas’ (matchmakers) of this country, it is > pp.36 - 37 F still fair game. After all, making and breaking alliances has become our national sport. But when he ventures into a profound analysis and tries to depict the MSM as a victim having led the Labour Party to power and is National Audit Report now suffering one undeserved humiliation after another, we would like to suggest that he learns to weigh his words. The leader of the opposition is not one not to grab an opportunity, any opportunity, to try and get back into power. And this is as good an opportu- nity as any. He, therefore, wakes up the next morning with several realizations worth discussing. How we are ruled First, that there is no problem with a minister of Finance signing a Rs. 145m cheque to himself and his family in exchange for a dilapidated clinic resuscitated from oblivion. The minister even becomes an icon of in- tegrity because he declared his interest by walking out of the meeting, in the same way the guy the other day declared his interest by walking out of an interview panel saying, “I must leave now because the next candidate is my son. And he is a bloody good candidate.” We still do not know to which part of Paul Bérenger’s memory this information had been relegated but Eric Guimbeau’s statement did indeed help retrieve it. Second, Cousin Maya is fi ne too, thank you. The “dear Pravind” letter provided by the same leader of the opposition seems to have vanished in the same way it appeared. So have all the allegations of crookery and malpractice. As the MMM discovers a new MSM which shares the same sense of ethics as them, parliamentary questions are cast aside to avoid them any embarrassment. Let the outdated medical equipment be used for the elderly. Who cares? But beyond seeing ethics trampled upon, beyond the intellectual paucity that has become so apparent, what saddens me in this whole episode is that the MMM, by cosying up to the MSM, has pushed the Labour Party on the back foot and the latter may feel obliged to protect its ally for the sake of safeguarding its own interests. In the meantime, Rs. 145m of the taxpayers’ hard earned money, dug out of the threadbare pockets of each and everyone of us, will have gone in the wrong pockets without the culprits ever even having to thank us for the opportunity we gave them to swindle us. In this crooked exercise of outbidding, we understand how the 5 cents ironically gets to outweigh the 95 cents. In this endeavour of upping the ante, we understand the surprising generosity of the Labour Party towards the MSM in the last General Elections which had, until now, remained an enigma. What is outrageous is that we are fed exactly the same bogus argu- ments about integrity, ethics, the interests of the tax-payers, etc. etc. and every time we are taken for a ride as our politicians only look at their own interests and nothing else. But we should be grateful for the naive grace which drives us to forgive, forget and have the idiocy to believe them again. “Every true genius is bound to be naïve,” Friedrich Schiller said. If you still believe that the ‘loyal’ opposition has any intention of upholding your inte- rests by holding government to account, you must be a great genius indeed. > pp. 38 - 39 [email protected]. l’express Insert N° 3 • Friday 15 July 2011 ] QUICKREAD] p.32 Week at a glance ] Thought for the Day] Nutrition “Friendship isn’t a big thing . It’s a The era of food poisoning million little things.” PEOPLE are normally afraid of criminals, thieves, robberies, road accidents, natu- ral calamities, health problems and so on. But, nowadays, in Mauritius, people are afraid of the food on their plates. This week again was marked with such cases where food poiso- Events ] ning caused serious health is- Forum: Migrant sues and it is presumed that in two cases it even led to death. workers’ The disturbing fact is that rights these were not only caused by junk food or meals brought Amnesty International from outside, but occurred Mauritius Section is orga- with home cooking also. nizing a forum on Migrant Shailesha Ramdhony, a workers’ rights in Mauritius young girl of 17 felt sick after on Saturday 16th July at eating a chicken shawarma she 2.30pm at the Institut had bought on the side of the Francais de Maurice, Rose Hill. road last Saturday. After spen- The forum will include the Mi- ding a weekend vomiting and nister of Labour, Shakeel Mo- suffering from severe abdomi- hammed, a representative from nal pains, her mother found Road-side food stalls have become common in Mauritius - do they represent a health hazard? the Opposition, trade unionists, her unconscious and took her employers and migrant workers. to hospital. Unfortunately, Equally shocking was the In fact, the ministry of health her health deteriorated even death of 67-year-old Lewis “Suspicions declared that 300 cases of food more and she passed away on Wilson Juliette, who was found poisoning had been registered Art in the forest Tuesday morning. Her parents dead, in a sitting position, co- have been raised since the beginning of this year. Art in the forest is an unusual don’t understand what might vered in his own vomit, by around canned The most recent one was exhibition which will be held in have happened to their young his daughter on Wednesday yesterday morning where a the Black River National Park. and joyful child. Shailesha’s morning. His partner and her foods, meat sold couple and their two children Twenty-six artists from the In- friends who also ate from the two children were also found were admitted to hospital. They dian Ocean region, including same shawarma seller are safe unconscious in the same house. in the market, felt sick after eating chicken Mauritius, Rodrigues and Sey- and well. The autopsy report revealed street food and curry with canned green peas. chelles will participate, working in The autopsy report of the that he had died of a pulmo- With all these cases, suspicions the forest to create original works poor child, states that she had nary oedema and there are even greens.” have been raised around can- of art. Their creations will be on died of a cerebral oedema the suspicions that it might have ned foods, meat sold in display for the cause of which one knows. But been caused by food poiso- the market, street food public to see the last thing she had before ning. In this case, they didn’t and even greens. Does all on Saturday she felt sick was junk food she have food brought in from out- victim of food poisoning, after this mean that we are not 23rd and had bought on the street. Who side, but it was home cooking. eating pork ‘wantans’, prepa- safe from food poisoning Sunday 24th is to blame in this situation, On the menu of the evening’s red at home with meat bought anywhere? Well, let’s hope July from the one who sold the food or dinner: rice, ‘petsaï’ soup and from the market. We also re- not and believe that there 9am to 5pm. the one who bought it? Some canned pilchards. member the serial food poiso- are still ways to eat properly, might say, one or the other and This incident reminds us of ning case, which affected more at home or outside. others might say both. Anyway, the death of 9-year-old Chris- than 80 people who had eaten the damage is already done. tian, in May last. He was also a cakes from ‘Patisserie Murday’. Zubair HANSYE Football gala night Multievents Ltd is organizing a gala night for Liverpool Football Club fans at the J & J Auditorium New University Campus in Montagne Blanche in Phoenix on Sunday 24th July. The event will include Alan Ken- nedy, who played as left-back for Liverpool from 1978 to 1985. The Aiming high evening will include the best moments of Liver- PRIME MINISTER Navin Ramgoolam, ting 100,000 foreign students to our shores duates, rising from 7000 to 13000, are not pool, commented by fl anked by the Minister of Education Rajesh by 2020. A laudable initiative undboutedly accompanied by an increasing number of Alan Kennedy, freestyle Jeetah, laid the foundation stone this week but, aside from reforms, such as extended jobs. It is the availability of jobs that will de- football demonstrations, for a new university at Montagne Blanche. working hours at the university, increased termine whether this policy will lead to the the sale of signed The envisaged 50 acre campus is part of the transportation and greater spending on in- development of the island, or will merely in- memorabilia and government’s ultimate goal of establishing frastructure, a purported 1.1 billion rupees, crease the pressure on our best and brightest photo sessions. university campuses throughout the country, the much more important point was raised to emigrate. It would be nice if we could pro- Call 290 4949 thus increasing the tertiary enrolment rate by the vice-chancellor of the University of duce adequate jobs for the graduates coming for reservations. from 43% to 70% over 5 years and attrac- Mauritius. The increasing numbers of gra- out of these universities before they do so. ILLUSTRATIONS : Stéphane BENOIT p.33 [QUICKREAD Insert N° 3 • Friday 15 July 2011 ] l’express Corporate environmentalism Well Said ] When companies go green

SIX companies, namely cane, creating a substance that can Sun Resorts, Evapo, New Mau- be used in fertilizers. As it is ligh- ritius Hotels, Optical Lens, Dry ter and easier to carry, transport Cleaning & Steam Laundry and costs and diesel consumption have IBL Winners, have decided to been signifi cantly reduced. New invest in eco-friendly schemes Mauritius Hotels, meanwhile, has allowing them to signifi cantly re- focused on placing solar water Satish Faugoo, to Paul duce their carbon footprint. Sup- heaters and economical light bulbs Bérenger’s question ported by the Agence Française de in its hotels. Optical Lens has in- whether the European Développement, a total of Rs 235 vested in cutting edge equipment, Union had proposed million has been disbursed under which uses less electricity, water the merger of the six the MCB’s Green Loan scheme, and chemicals. Dry Cleaning institutions: which was created in 2009. & Steam Laundry purchased a “We don’t run according Speaking at a press conference last machine that will recycle 80% of to the whims and caprices week that brought together the six its wastewater, while Winner Co- of the European Union, benefi ciaries, Philippe Forget, De- romandel now produces its own Mr Speaker, Sir.” puty Chief Executive (Banking), Using solar energy to produce electricity allows companies to make electricity thanks to solar panels. said, “Our clients know they are signifi cant savings. The Green Loans scheme is doing the right thing by adopting part of the MCB’s Initiative 175, eco-friendly measures. These And the funds have been put vehicles within the premises, while a series of actions aimed at pro- measures are viable, even if they to good use. Sun Resorts’ Long solar energy is used to produce tecting the environment. These take some time. It is everyone’s Beach hotel, for example, uses electricity and rainwater is gathe- activities began in 2009 and will Silence is duty to face the challenges ahead heat generated by the air condi- red for irrigation and to supply lead up to 1st September 2013, Golden ] and change the way we work, and tioning system to heat water. Old the toilets. Evapo has a system to when the bank celebrates its even the way we live.” kitchen oil is recycled and used for recycle the leftovers from sugar- 175th anniversary. Reform of the CESS Trimming the fat of its former self, the continued existence some of these outfi ts were pocketing. Jacqueline LE BLANC of institutions such as the Mauritius Sugar The Minister of Agro-Industry and Authority (MSA), Mauritius Sugar Termi- Food Security, Satish Faugoo’s announce- (Action Familiale) nal Corporation, Mauritius Sugar Industry ment in the national assembly this week “Marriage is a union

LIBRARY PHOTO LIBRARY Research Institute (MSIRI), Farmers Ser- that the CESS fund responsible for fi nan- between a man and a The MSIRI, Réduit - subject to change? vice Corporation, Cane Planters and Millers cing these organizations will be cut from woman who, together, start Arbitration and Control Board and the Su- Rs. 519 million to Rs. 287 million by June a home where children will THE demise of King Sugar was not gar Planters Mechanical Pool Corporation 2012 can only come as good news. We probably be born. followed by that of his courtiers. Now that seems irrelevant. A fact made all the more in- hope that this trend of trimming the fat This is not the case for looks set, at least partly, to change. With the congruous by the earlier revelations of some will continue in other parastatals desperate homosexuals. ” once supreme sugar industry now a shadow of the exorbitant salaries that executives at for reform. Pov's Take ] l’express [ Friday 15 July 2011 • Insert N° 3 ISSUES]p. 34 Left Field] Politics By Nicholas RAINER Good TV makes Self- determination for sad reality he Church isn’t too hot for gays. It ne- Recent political THE political arena is least not to repel them. In ver has been and probably never will once again atwitter with the a press conference held the be. If that’s its line then fi ne, to each developments have sound of speculation. Last day before this sinister Sa- Ttheir own, etc. What’s far less palatable shown our politi- Saturday, the leader of the turday, the MMSD’s Eric though is when its representatives take it upon cal class in a less Opposition launched a fron- Guimbeau had begun laying themselves to present homosexuality as the ugly tal attack against the prime the groundwork by stating fruit of some sort of moral and physical defi cien- than glorious light. minister in the form of an that the MSM had approa- cy. Who on earth (or in the heavens for that mat- And there’s no sign extremely grave accusation. ched him to open up a chan- ter) gave them the right to make such sweeping Navin Ramgoolam, he affi r- nel of communication with statements? They aver that the default setting of that this is going med, had phoned the Chief the MMM. nature is heterosexual relationships, that men to change any time Government Valuer ordering As this series of volte- belong irrevocably with women and vice-versa. soon. How did him to undertake a second faces shows, the actions of If that’s indeed true, then it follows that celibacy evaluation of the MedPoint politicians are motivated is equally unnatural. we end up in this Clinic. He had this from more by questions of poli- That’s not all though. Given the thousands mess? “a ministerial source”. The tical expediency and gain (not dozens, not hundreds, but thousands!) of prime minister counterat- than by the public interest. child abuse cases that rocked the Church recent- tacked soon afterwards by One doesn’t simply decide ly - many of which were brazenly covered up for holding a press conference that one party has become years, thus allowing pedophile priests to infl ict during which he stated that venerable overnight and that their dirty work on even more unsuspecting pa- Paul Bérenger’s accusations another has abruptly gone rishes - one would like to think it would have the were completely and utterly bad, unless, of course, such decency to refrain from making too many value false. He went even further, contrarian views happen to judgments, especially those concerning the private comparing the leader of the offer some sort of tactical lives of other people. In other words, “Why do you MMM to the Nazi propa- edge. Principles have thus notice the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not gandist, Joseph Goebbels. In become an eminently mal- notice the log in your own eye?” (Luke 6:14). the space of a few hours, the leable commodity; they are Moreover, for an institution claiming to repre- political scene had been tur- forged to fi t a stratagem, sent God no less, the Vatican’s earthly record has ned on its head: the MMM, rather than vice-versa. Such been positively ghastly. From the bloody Inquisi- it seemed, had abandoned venality is nothing new, of tions to its ongoing crusade against birth control all hope of a rapprochement course. The problem arises - without forgetting, of course, its silence during with Labour and was appa- when such base political the Holocaust and odious treatment of women rently playing footsy with considerations supersede all throughout the ages - it has enough to keep it its minority partner, the else and, in effect, take de- introspective until kingdom come. What consen- MSM. After having been mocracy hostage. Whether ting adults do with their lives should be the least the object of all manner of the opposition likes it or not, of its worries. accusations from the op- its Constitutional role is to *** position and sniping from hold government to account; Labour, the MSM suddenly not to curry favour with it. On behalf of all sensible Mauritians, I would found itself in a far more like to sincerely apologize to the four Tibetan advantageous position. monks who were unable to transit here for the Thus, after months of ha- “Nobody voted spinelessness of my government. It seems that, rassing Pravind Jugnauth’s for political along with the construction of roads, dams, hos- party, Paul Bérenger de- pitals and airports, we’ve also contracted out our cided, practically overnight, programmes, sovereignty. As a result, our commitment to na- to target Labour’s involve- tional self-determination has become as fl imsy ment in the scandal, thereby which were as the steel bars used to erect these edifi ces. This making a radical departure bogus anyway.” is a pity as it negates one of the main gains of In- from the strategy his party dependence, namely the right to speak with our had adopted since its defeat own voice on the international stage. in the 2010 general elections. Naturally, realpolitik dictates that States oc- His party’s thinly-veiled at- Nowhere is the impo- casionally have to make uncomfortable conces- tempts to alienate the MSM verishment of political dis- sions in order to protect their national interests; from its partner and, even- course more evident than in yet, toeing the line imposed willy-nilly by a fo- tually, even wangle an al- Parliament; where once its reign power smacks more of bare-faced subser- liance with Labour having members engaged in jousts vience than diplomatic cunning. One wonders failed, the MMM osten- of wiles and wit, they now just how far government is prepared to go to keep sibly opted for the next best trade in slurs and non se- Beijing happy. JinFei showed that the authorities thing: to get onto the MSM’s quiturs. And this decline is won’t balk at jettisoning the rights of Mauritians dance card. The latter, tired not only visible in the style in favour of this increasingly special relationship. of being treated like an illegi- of the exchanges, but also in So what’s next? Censoring critical Internet sites? timate child, naturally found their substance. How often Imprisoning subversive artists? What can be pos- it in its best interests if not to in recent weeks have we seen sibly worse than not being allowed to show com- openly welcome the MMM’s ministers simply dismiss a passion for our oppressed Tibetan brethren? amorous advances, then at perfectly valid question with p. 35 [ISSUES Insert N° 3 • Friday 15 July 2011 ] l’express PHOTOS : KRISHNA PATER PATER KRISHNA : PHOTOS

We’re smiling because we love working for you. No, really we do.

a sheepish look and an inane come a nation that has better strength of their abilities. bates. “Politicians united for comment about not knowing knowledge than most about “The country’s The prime minister himself the sake of Independence the answer? Subjects of na- the ins-and-outs of the po- newfound said as much last week. “It’s had to use all their intelli- tional interest, such as the litical scene accepts to be really tough to choose mi- gence to convince Mauri- audit report and the State treated with such disdain by prosperity nisters in Mauritius because tians that Independence was Trading Corporation’s serial its protagonists? one has to take the different good for them. They saw the misdeeds are addressed only “Politics have become a obviated, to a communities into account. bigger picture and had solid summarily, if at all. If any- reality TV show. There’s no certain extent, But Reagan, the former pre- backgrounds. We saw quite a thing, the MedPoint affair longer any real ideological sident of the US, chose most lot of class in Parliament back has proved to be the excep- difference between the dif- the activism of his ministers because they then,” he explains. Everyone tion that confi rms this rule in ferent parties. As a result, were entrepreneurs and had it seems - including the pu- that it has enjoyed a remar- they’ve resorted to demo- and militancy of experience,” he complained. blic sector that had been in- kably long shelf life in the nizing their opponents and the1970s Another reason could be fused with the “rigour” of House. And one has to won- to personal attacks. They’ve the dynastic nature of politi- the British administrative tra- der whether this is due to the all adopted Neo-liberalism, and 1980s.” cal parties, which places as dition and the private sector magnitude and blatancy of which explains the paucity much of a premium on pa- - mobilized behind the task the scandal or to its political of debate about alternative nistic alliance but they went tronyms as it does on vision of nation-building- lived up potential. Yet, if opposition modes of development,” along with it. It’s not like and leadership. The MMM to high standards. This unity MP Réza Uteem’s decision remarks Azaghen Chen- they were even promised is, of course, the exception gave rise to “tremendous to withdraw his question to ganna of the University of anything else,” he says. This to this rule, although no ideas”. Maya Hanoomanjee, the mi- Mauritius’ Communication also explains why people ha- conversation about Paul Bé- Krish Ponnusamy be- nister of Health, is anything Studies Unit. More worryin- ven’t been as critical of the renger’s potential successor lieves that a sea change oc- to go by, it appears that even gly, he thinks that the rise MMM’s distinctly inglorious is complete without an allu- curred in 1982 when “a new this saga could be petering of consumerism, which he performance in opposition sion to his son, Emmanuel. breed of politicians” came out. equates with the “kiltir roder these past few years as they A more sociological explana- up. “Many were not up to The question is: when bout”, means that chances could have been. tion could be that the boom the task of taking the helm and how did it all go wrong? of the elite “starting to ask This sad state of affairs, years of the 1990s resulted of the country. The fact that It’s an oft-repeated fact that questions” are rather slim. he avers, is largely due to the in a tacit agreement between two general elections were Mauritius has two national Neither has the commoditi- fact that all the major par- the political class, the private held within a year shows a pastimes: football and po- zation of news helped mat- ties have been in an alliance sector and the population, certain immaturity, an ina- litics. If this old chestnut is ters as media outlets are now with each other at one time whereby each group allowed bility to work together.” true then it follows that the more interested in sensatio- or another. “This perversion the others to go about their Concurrently with the fact population is at least pas- nalism than in tackling the of democratic representa- business in whichever way that “anyone can become sably conversant with the real issues. tion has made Mauritians they pleased, on condition, a politician nowadays,” the latter. This impression is For Lalit’s Ram Seego- very cynical. They no longer of course, that certain essen- country has also seen the reinforced by radio phone- bin, this cheapening of the expect to have an alterna- tial services were provided. emergence of a slew of eco- in programmes where callers democratic process is no- tive; alternance has become In other words, the country’s nomic, social and environ- regularly come up with per- thing new. In particular, he their ideology,” he remarks. newfound prosperity obvia- mental problems that didn’t tinent readings of current af- recalls how Sir Seewoosagur Ram Seegobin thinks that if ted, to a certain extent, the exist a few years ago. The fairs, thereby demonstrating Ramgoolam lured six MMM there’s one immutable rule activism and militancy of problem is thus twofold: a keen understanding of the MPs over the fl oor between in Mauritian politics, it’s the the 1970s and 1980s. This fewer competencies and big- dark political arts. Interro- 1976 and 1982. The uphea- acceptance of the ultraliberal gave rise to a general sense ger challenges. “Politicians gate any Mauritian on the vals of the 1980s only confi r- economic model. “Any chal- of complacency that endures should specialize in solving street and chances are that med this trend. It gets worse lenge to this model is com- to this day. problems; there’s no longer he or she will have a better though. “The electorate has pletely marginalized.” Krish Ponnusamy, a for- any room for amateurs,” he grasp of the “art of the pos- gone along with these she- Several other possible ex- mer senior civil servant, re- concludes. sible” and its local history nanigans. During the last planations spring to mind, calls that it wasn’t always So, is there a moral to the than the average citizen in elections, nobody voted the fi rst being the communal thus. In particular, he re- story? If anything, it shows almost any other country. for political programmes, nature of Mauritian politics, members how rich the years that what’s good for the poli- How then does one explain which were bogus anyway. which means that candidates immediately preceding and tical class is seldom good for the dregs that are served up Everyone knew that the La- are often chosen on ethnic following Independence were the population. as political discourse? How bour/MSM was an opportu- grounds rather than on the in terms of Parliamentary de- Nicholas RAINER l’express [ Friday 15 July 2011 • Insert N°3 INTERVIEW] p. 36 “The MMM remains open to alliances” In this country which, according to him, is doomed to be everlastingly ruled by coalition governments, Steven Obeegadoo comments on what he sees as the fast-deteriorating relationship between the two parties in power. For the MMM, he says, any new coalition would have to be based on shared ideas and policies. ■ The fi rst question I would The Illovo deal for the MMM and like to ask you is where are the MSM as far as I am aware is we as far as the scandals are a matter of pride and a signifi cant concerned? You seem to be landmark. shifting your attention eve- ■ That depends which side of ryday from what you see as the barrier you stand. When one scandal to another. you’re in government it’s a I don’t know if we are shifting mari deal, when you’re outside our attention. What I do know is it’s a scandal. that under the Labour party go- Well, the MMM has been vernment, ever since 2005, we consistent in prioritizing integrity have had a succession of political in the public service. And I believe and fi nancial affairs – scandales as those in politics should set the we say in Mauritius. And it seems example. Now in the case of Illovo, to be getting worse. I think the I’ve answered that this was a major second mandate obtained by this achievement for the MMM/ MSM government has been interpreted government, and it can by no stretch by some as a blank cheque, so that of the imagination be termed a everything goes. “scandal.” Unless we want to play the ■ When you say “the Labour communal game of associating Paul government”, you are already Bérenger with the sugar barons, shifting your attention away which is the favourite weapon of from the MSM that is part of the anti-MMM parties. Unless we Steven Obeegadoo, the government. want to play that game, I think the spokesperson for the MMM When I say “Labour party”, I Illovo deal is a part of history that we mean it has been the common fac- should be very proud of. And we all tor in both mandates, irrespective stand ready to answer any question of which ally comes in or goes out. in that respect. The difference when ■ It’s no more advantageous dal, doesn’t that discredit the the MSM? Such is the situation that I tend to you speak of scandal is that there is a than Le Suffren, for example. opposition? It’s a very good question. Let speak of a festival of scandals. In manifest irregularity into which the It’s a matter of interpretation. That we sound the bell and me answer it. I happen to be a po- the 80s, when the then government authorities should enquire to bring It’s not a question of interpre- there’s no scandal is yet to be es- litical scientist by training and I’ve was mishandling state lands, it was out the truth. tation. It’s a question of fi gures. tablished. But were we to raise ten been a keen observer of Mauritian referred to as the “festival de la terre”. ■ What irregularity is there in These are the fi gures that questions and only one of those history since independence. We Now it seems to be a “festival de the Neotown deal, which you Minister Kasenally stated. The at- were to point the fi nger to impro- seem to be condemned by virtue scandales”. It seems to be unending termed a “mari scandale”? tached conditions are open to dis- priety, that in itself would testify to of the nature of our society to coa- and one doesn’t know what new Right, now in the case of Neo- cussion. And in this case, the leaked the correctness of the approach of lition politics. Alliances are not crea- affair will spring out of the box this town, we have pointed to the ap- minutes raised some very serious any opposition. There are many ted and do not get formed in the time next week. parent non-respect of established questions. countries around the world where abstract. It would seem that in our ■ Was “the festival de la terre” criteria, irregularities in terms of ■ But how solid are the argu- corruption is rife. Unfortunately, very own Mauritian context, for a not about the Illovo deal? offering huge swathes of strate- ments of a businessman brag- the opposition does not or cannot party to rally a majority at the polls, No, no. The “festival de la terre” gically located state land without ging about having secured play its role. What I say, as a demo- it does have to necessarily go for al- was when Sir Gaetan Duval was tender for a purpose that remains certain advantages? crat, stands good for any opposi- liances, which is why we’ve had so minister in charge of lands and to be defi ned. It was an investor desperately tion. Tomorrow the MMM will be many alliances. Mauritius seems to lands were distributed left right and ■ But where is the irregularity? seeking new partners and new in- in government and I would expect have been always governed by coa- centre with no accountability. The procedures were the same vestors to come into his project. that the opposition will keep us on litions. What is important is that an ■ What about the Illovo deal as the ones established by the ■ But that isn’t proof of any our toes, that it makes sure that no alliance, and eventually a coalition then? MMM for the Waterfront. malpractice, is it? minister or ministry is involved in government should be based upon Well, the Illovo deal was – and The procedures at this point in For us, that was very worrying. any impropriety and there is no im- a clear programmatic commitment we’ve always maintained this - a time are not transparent. Of course, that’s not necessarily propriety going on anywhere. to the population. golden opportunity, at a time of ■ Well, they are. They are on proof. We are not a tribunal. ■ How will the MMM manage ■ You all seem to adhere to centralization and mechanization the ministry’s website! Your ■ It’s a marketing technique! to be in power tomorrow? the philosophy: “These are of the sugar industry, to strike a only argument was that the The role of the opposition is to With the Labour party or with my principles. If you don’t deal with the sugar industry for the minutes of the board mee- raise concerns and to put questions the MSM? like them, I’ll change them.” state to obtain a signifi cant amount ting leaked. and the moment that there is a se- The preferred alternative What commitment are we tal- of strategically located land and it The board minutes leak rious issue raised, it should be taken would be the MMM on its own. king about? was welcomed by the then prime tended to suggest that this project up by the competent authorities for ■ It does not seem to be an op- A clear programmatic com- minister, Sir Aneerood Jugnauth, as was offered at a very advanta- the purposes of enquiry and for ac- tion. Aren’t you tired of chasing mitment vis-à-vis the electorate, a godsend and has been used very geous price and conditions. And countability and transparency. fi rst the Labour Party and now supported, carried, sustained by a productively for the Cyber City, so- we are talking about state land that ■ But if every time you sound that it is clear that that wed- team that has integrity and ability cial projects and road infrastructure. is strategically located. the alarm bell there is no scan- ding is not to be, you shift to to deliver. p. 37 [INTERVIEW Insert N°3 • Friday 15 July 2011 ] l’express ■ Which of these two parties At the time, he was abroad and and the people are suffering. Ma- Our programme, which was pub- you are courting has integrity we did not know that he had been jor issues like water scarcity are be- lished a year ago, states clearly what according to you, the Labour approached by members of the ing mishandled, social sectors like we would have done had we come party or the MSM? MSM until we learnt about it housing, education, I can quote a to power fi ve years ago. That pro- For the MMM, the issue of an from his press conference. long list, are in tatters. The people gramme is still very relevant. We alliance or not may arise in the fu- ■ Did that surprise you? of this country are suffering. So, the have party committees on drugs ture and, if it does arise, it will be No. I was not at all surprised MMM would welcome a halt in the and housing, on education and on on the basis of clear programmatic because I have been watching implementation of the anti-social, the economy for instance that are commitments. We are opposed to very carefully the consistently de- anti-poor and anti-people policies constantly coming up with new the policies of the present govern- teriorating relationship between of this government. proposals. In that way, we are con- ment. Politics has never been for us the Labour party and the MSM. ■ But surely intellectuals like stantly updating our manifesto. We a matter of personalities. If you look But there can be no connection yourself should bank on offe- believe in getting back to implement at what is happening today, refer- between what Guimbeau said in ring the country an alternative. that programme. ring to the crime rate, the drugs, the his press conference and what the All you have done so far is fi rst ■ At any cost? Ashok Jugnauth, violence against children… leader of the opposition decided to say, “Let’s get close to the La- Dinesh Ramjuttun or Pravin ■ All this is nothing new, is it? to make public in the course of his bour party and push the MSM Jugnauth? It is nothing new. I could refer weekly press conference. out”. When you could not, be- If it were at any cost, we would to rampant corruption. ■ It was a happy coincidence, cause the Labour party stuck to have adopted the attitude of Duval, Is that new? was it? the MSM, you started attacking which is to cling to the leg of any And abusive practices. What happened on Saturday the Labour party and courting party that is dominant and accept ■ This is new, is it? followed from the previous press the MSM. whatever humiliation there is. For It is not. But these are various conference a week before when We are not picking up the the MMM, what matters is our points on which there are funda- the MMM called upon the various MSM. I do not agree with the policies. But we shall not sit back mental disagreements between the parties to make public what they premises of your question. Take, and let the Labour Party rule this MMM and the present govern- knew. When they did not, it seemed for example, the MMSD. We do country for all eternity. Our posi- ment. a logical step for us to follow by say- not have regular meetings but Eric tion is not to just sit back and cry ■ By the present government ing what we know, and the leader of Guimbeau and ourselves meet out in the desert about what should you mean the Labour party the opposition has said that he is at and agree on the fundamentals in be, but to do it. That means getting and the MSM? the disposal of the ICAC and any parliament. As does the Rodriguan back in government, but not at any I mean the present govern- enquiring authority to say what has opposition, the OPR, which is also cost. We are people of principles. ment. The present government is been brought to his knowledge. in parliament. So when they bring Now Ashok Jugnauth has been a dominated by the Labour Party. ■ Aren’t you openly courting up the question of development of faithful ally. He is still very much a The backbenchers, as you well the MSM? Rodrigues, they get our support. partner of the MMM and we are in know, like to cry out during a par- We are not openly courting Lately we have noticed that Cehl contact. Dinesh Ramjuttun chose to liamentary session that there is one the MSM. What we see is that Meeah’s FSM has been raising join the MMM and is now a mem- prime minister, one vision. this coalition will break up sooner some pertinent issues pertaining to ber of the MMM in the constituen- ■ Is there not? than we thought it would. We al- social justice and public integrity. cy party of Triolet-Pamplemousses. I don’t know. What I am saying ways believed that this coalition Although there is no alliance be- The MMM remains open to peo- is that we are opposed to that vi- would break up for what I call sys- tween Cehl Meeah and the MMM, ple of integrity who share our vision sion, and to the policies that go with temic reasons. This country is con- objectively and on such issues, we for the country. In terms of alliances, it. So, the question of an alliance demned to coalition politics and yet move in the same direction. Now the MMM is not closed to any alli- with a party in the government our model of government is suited tomorrow, if the party in govern- ance, on condition that we can agree cannot arise today. If tomorrow, a to one-party governments as holds ment is on the opposition benches, on policies and the team. People ask party in power today is in the op- in England. Therefore, since 1968, as has happened between 2000 and why did we on the eve of the last position and is collaborating with nearly all coalitions have broken up. 2005, objectively there is a form general elections hold discussions the MMM in opposition, then of Remember the MSM has never of commonality of purpose that with the Labour party? We be- course, all the parameters change. been a minority partner in any emerges. That is bound to happen. lieved that we could agree on a pro- ■ How can the parameters government. It was the majority Now on issues of ethics, I repeat gramme, put forward a strong team change? If you’ve been saying partner between 1983 and1995, and maintain that for the MMM and create a sense of national unity these people have no integrity, and it was a partner on par with the to go into any alliance, it will be on and forge ahead in the interests of these people are thieves, these MMM between 2000 and2005. So the basis of a programme and on a the country. In the event, we could people are crooks, how can you it was clearly written on the wall that “The MMM will common team of persons to carry not. We do not regret having tried. suddenly turn around and say this coalition would break up. Now never enter into forward that programme; people We tried and tried our best. The you have the same vision? if you ask my personal opinion, I who have integrity and competence. MMM remains open to alliances You are absolutely right. The did not initially expect it to break up an alliance with ■ And all these people you on the understanding that there is MMM will never enter into an al- so soon. have been criticising for lack a clear programme and agreement liance with thieves or crooks. For ■ But it has not broken up yet. thieves or crooks. of ethics in relation to the Me- on the team to get it implemented. us to ally with another party there There seems to be wishful thin- For us to ally with dpoint affair have acquired in- ■ Steven Obeegadoo as the would need to be clarity. king on your part. tegrity overnight? next prime minister? ■ Don’t you fi nd it a strange History teaches us that any such another party, What we have said from the Steven Obeegadoo may or may coincidence that some “new coalition is bound to break up. And beginning of the Medpoint affair, is not be prime minister but that is not elements” suddenly came to I am a keen student of history. Now there would need that there are a lot of questions to be the issue. Paul Bérenger’s knowledge in this particular case, the relation- to be clarity.” answered, that there are a lot of facts ■ Aren’t you ambitious? just a day after the MSM appa- ship has been going from bad to that must be ascertained and and I am very ambitious for my rently asked Guimbeau to talk worse from the word ‘go’. The La- then we shall know who did what ideas. I fi ght within my consti- to the MMM about a possible bour Party and the MSM do not and if there has been any impropri- tuency and country to defend coalition? hide their mutual antipathy and this ety. We stand by that and insist that my principles, which are, to a I don’t have any information comes across clearly to anybody. truth be known on the Medpoint large extent, the principles of about dates. You might be referring There seems to have been a sud- affair sooner rather than later. my party. I am in politics to see to the news which was published in den deterioration of matters over ■ So if there were to be an my ideas implemented. I am a the press. the past weeks. For instance, there MMM-MSM coalition tomor- team player. What matters by ■ Yes, the news released at the no longer are alliance press con- row, you would have no pro- the end of the day is what ideas MMM press conference. Do ferences as there were once. The blem with that? and policies get implemented you think it’s a coincidence? coalition may break up at any time. At this point in time, a coali- for an altogether different Mau- Absolutely not. Eric Guim- Now you ask me what the attitude tion whether with the MSM or any ritius to come into being. beau is an important partner of of the MMM is. In our opinion, the other party is not our priority. What the MMM. He is the sole Mem- breakup of this coalition will be a matters to us is to gather majority Touria PRAYAG ber of Parliament from his party. good thing. Its policies are wrong support for our policy proposals. Photos : Cynthia EDOUARD l’express [ Friday 15 July 2011 • Insert N° 3 COVERSTORY] p. 38

Delicious Mauritius] National Audit Report

By Rodney PHILLIPS La jeunesse How we are dorée The National Audit he recent National Au- ministries, but simply due to the e have always hesitated Report may not have the dit Report outlining the fact that it is usually junior offi cers about eating at Beach House wastage and excesses that are kept in charge of physical in Grand Bay. Maybe it’s the oomph of other T entailed in running our assets attached to the various min- Wperception or reputation government publica- ministries will lend strength to the istries. What transpires is rather sim- that this is where the young and beauti- tions and enjoys a much usual chorus of voices calling for ple: “junior offi cers cannot refuse ful hang out, the in-place for la jeunesse a simplistic and ideologically con- those facilities to senior offi cers,” dorée, before heading out to Zanzibar or shorter shelf life in the venient solution: Downsize the Imrith laments. Zanfants Terribles. So when we fi nally public eye. Nevertheless, workforce to ensure effi ciency. The solution to this conun- mustered enough courage to breach its This seemingly straightforward drum is more elaborate than it trendy doors, we made sure we gelled it is useful in discerning solution, nevertheless, excludes a seems. For their part, the unions our hair, wore tight hipster jeans and structural trends and more nuanced understanding of have been making recommenda- exposed tattoos (the type you peel off) problems when it comes the structural limitations in the way tions to introduce a post oversee- on our bare midriffs. Maybe that’s why our ministries function. A careful ing executive management, with we were given funny looks, even by the to the functioning of the reading of the report brings some suffi cient authority to keep the ex- other over-the-hill couple at the next civil service as a whole. of them to the fore. cesses of senior offi cials in check. table. Tattoos on middle-aged abdomi- Red-tapism is nothing new to “This would ensure an internal nal bulge can put people off. We had A trade unionist and an our civil service. Nor is the fact that mechanism of checks and balances taken the precaution of going for lunch accountant try to cut government assets are routinely to ensure that assets are used judi- when the teens that frequent the place through the red tape. misused by those higher up on the ciously,” Imrith adds. are still asleep. The location is spectacu- pecking order. One of the issues lar - plonk on the beach overlooking the highlighted by the report was the The fox guarding bay – but on a sunny day, you need SPF misuse of government assets such 30 to sit by the waterfront.. as vehicles by senior offi cials. “It the henhouse With only 15 tables confi ned within has always been the case,” Rashid the dimensions of a largish catamaran, Imrith, President of the Govern- Here’s the catch: It is up to the the bar dominates the space – an indica- ment General Services Union tells heads of departments within the tion of where this restaurant makes its L’express Weekly. “That senior structures at the various ministries money. At two hundred rupees a shot, offi cials use government vehicles to take the decision to create any cocktails at sunset must bring in the real despite being benefi ciaries of duty- new posts. The trade union propos- cash. After a few margaritas, or vodka free vehicles and chauffeurs” or, als in that vein have, quite predicta- with red bull (a favourite), who cares according to another of the reports bly, been consistently falling on deaf whether your hamburger tastes like a fi ndings, that “certain offi cers have ears. Why would senior offi cials, on dead alien, or whether your frozen chips up to two laptops” are common their own initiative, create an offi ce were microwaved the previous day? Un- practice in the civil service. This, that would exist, presumably, to fortunately, we were too wide awake, however, is not due to the existence keep them in check? In the interim, and not high enough on sparkling water, of some Orwellian dystopia in our we must continue to rely upon an not to notice that my honeyed chicken had seen better days, and that the cheese panini looked as tired as Berlusconi af- ter a night out. When your menu is as simple as a motorway café’s, the least you can do is to get it right. The best bits of lunch were the ingredients that were thrown on at the last minute – the Roquefort and pecan nut on my salad. Sorry, pecans – there were two. I assume the grungy, tacky look of the place has been carefully conceived by a top South African designer so as to make everything look like the set of The Beach. Unfortunately, we oldies tend to value cleanliness where food is prepa- red and consumed. One wonders when the ruthless band of health and hygiene inspectors last visited. And whereas I am comfortable with white coral chips scraping at my feet, and can tolerate the oh-so-cool-and-casual service, I do like to see my food emerging from a pristine white-tiled kitchen, even on a beach. I was disappointed once again.

Lunch for two, with sparkling water, PHOTOS LIBRARY came to Rs. 870.

The fl ood cometh: some argue that ministries are actually understaffed. p. 39 [COVERSTORY Insert N° 3 • Friday 15 July 2011 ] l’express High-Heeled] By Deepa BHOOKHUN ruled Spend your own money! don’t want to be rude but what exactly did Congolese President Denis Sassou-Nguesso come to Mauritius for? Don’t get me wrong, I Ilove it when people come to visit our crime-in- fested island but I’d appreciate it more if they spon- sored their own visit. You’d think by the look of things that we had plen- ty of cash lying around, just waiting for an excuse to spend it lavishly on extravagant heads of states with a bit of time on their hands. Maybe that was the point- dazzle our guests with our not-too-shabby pool of luxury cars, our beautiful hotels and show them how well-behaved our policemen are and how good they look when they stand to attention on roundabouts. But what for? What was the point of that state visit? I just don’t get it like I didn’t get why India’s president, Mrs. Patil, visited us a few months back, accompanied with some businessmen and a few members of her family. I’ll make allowances for the visit of the president of Maldives- after all we need someone to impress with our ability to throw great parties on Indepen- dence Day. Singapore’s president’s visit was also understandable. Prime Minister Ramgoolam was invited to Singapore on a State visit and we are after Without proper training, job-cuts alone will not make the civil service more effi cient. all relying on Singapore’s help and expertise in seve- ral fi elds so I won’t begrudge Sellapan Ramanathan arrangement that’s the equivalent at the charge of the Ministry of a “fl awed procurement process” my hard-earned tax money. of the fox guarding the henhouse. Information and Communica- and bring about “better diligence, But why in heaven’s name did we have to spend all With most of the talent tion Technology, in a bid to update common sense and a less dogmatic this money on Congo’s president? Do we know what scooped up by the private sector computers at the ministry is now approach to tenders.” agreements and MOUs government signed in our and with the constant reshuffl ing also largely stagnant. These shortcomings however, name with Congo? To what exactly have they bound of ministerial portfolios, the pic- appear to be the tip of the iceberg. us? For how long? Don’t they think they owe us an ture that emerges is less that of a Tip of the iceberg For all its effort, the Audit Offi ce explanation? technocratic Éminence grise as not only has to audit ministries, Especially as a banquet for a state visit at much as, what Imrith calls, “a lack Faced with this incapability, but a galaxy of parastatals and the Swami Vivekananda costs us about Rs 3 to of human resources and appro- the long running quick fi x of con- municipal authorities as well. “Of- Rs 4 millions! priate training.” With no clearly tracting out to private operators fi cers at the National Audit Offi ce I mean I was happy to see that Navin Ramgoolam demarcated line between politi- has largely become the norm. The can only carry out random checks has friends (he must really like this one with all that cal and technical in a ministry’s trouble is this: because of a lack of without going into the detail of the hugging and smiling we saw on TV) but do we ho- functioning and no guidelines for training and knowledge in proc- matter,” Imrith cautions. nestly have to spend that much money to boost our the relationship between political esses and procedures, very often Ultimately, however, what al- prime minister’s self-esteem? heads of ministries and their tech- there are corners cut on the bid- lows this state of affairs to con- We waste millions every year through sheer in- nocratic subordinates, the results ding process for equipment, or in tinue is the fact that “year in year competence and downright recklessness as the audit should be self-evident. As Afsar terms of services. Afsar Ebrahim out, the fi ndings are there but the report points out ineffectively year in year out. You Ebrahim, Chartered Account- notes that, “offi cials evaluating ten- inherent weaknesses do not ap- and I in the meantime have to continuously tighten ant at BDO observes, “in reality, ders should be less biased towards pear to get fi xed as every year we our belts; we obediently pay our taxes and every we fi nd that the process results price and have more autonomy in get the same fi ndings,” Ebrahim other extortionate charge government sees fi t to im- in value-destruction rather than ensuring a value-for money con- asserts. “To my knowledge, no pose on us while they, the people who are supposed to value-creation.” cept.” Merely crunching numbers one has been sanctioned follow- manage this country for us, dilapidate our heritage A signifi cant chunk of as- regardless of quality means that ing a Government Audit Report, like there’s no tomorrow. sets belonging to the various very often what we end up with are therefore there is no accountabili- They spend it on grandiose banquets, state visits ministries are either lying stag- sub-par handrailings or the Baie ty. This breeds a culture of «laissez- that have nothing stately about them, on personal nant or underutilized. As the re- Du Tombeau sewerage project faire» and carefree procurement.” business that they confuse with the state’s affairs, on port highlighted, the ministry of that would end up costing 62% In the fi nal analysis, it is cor- trips abroad and Per Diems and whatever else takes Agro-Industry lacks suffi cient more than initially estimated. Im- recting these distortions in the their fancy. Some of them even go as far as stealing manpower to properly organize rith dangles an interesting prospect, operation of our civil service that our money. Would you believe it? records of leases of state lands, “In 1995, Prime Minister Navin will bear fruit, rather than the ba- But for essential services that will benefi t you? thereby forfeiting a signifi cant Ramgoolam tried to introduce a nal notion that simply giving them They will tell you there’s no money; they will tell you sum of revenue. Other examples policy to ensure ministers had a the chop is enough, without ad- times are hard. Charming, aren’t they? can include the Ministry of La- modicum of training in the proce- dressing these problems. A good I know Sassou-Ngesso, like his friend our prime bour that undertook only 43% of dures of the civil service and public starting point would be the report minister has a soft spot for luxury; that’s fi ne planned workplace inspections policy process.” That would cer- itself: that’s what it’s there for. as far as it goes as long as it’s their own money in 2010. The much touted 2008 tainly help to bring about a change they’re spending. Microsoft Enterprise Agreement in what Ebrahim estimates to be Iqbal Ahmed KHAN Leave ours alone! l’express [ Friday 15 July 2011• Insert N° 3 SOCIETAL ISSUES ] p. 40 Congo Brazzaville-Mauritius ties The Discovery of Africa The recent visit by President Sassou-N'guesso of Congo Brazzaville brings up some interesting questions about international co-operation and the position of Mauritius in the African region.

The warmest of welcomes - PM Ramgoolam greets President Denis Sassou-N'guesso of Congo Brazzaville.

WHAT do you get when Congo-Brazzaville, Denis Sas- Chandan Jankee however, views president’s visit to send reluctant you mix one country desperate sou-N’guesso, and his 65-man it as a positive development. investors to Africa is not surpri- to recover from the ravages of delegation, from the 9th to the “Given that Mauritius is a small sing. Not surprising if we keep a civil war and a fl agging eco- 11th of July. economy,” he says, “this coope- in mind that Mauritian-African nomy through injections of fo- The aim of the charm of- ration will liberalize capital fl ows trade is quite underdeveloped. reign investment, and a country fensive is to set up a triangular between the two countries and Commerce with the economies equally desperate to reinvent itself economic relationship between ultimately be benefi cial in further of the Southern African Deve- economically by getting a toe- Singapore, Mauritius and the developing our offshore sector by lopment Community (SADC) hold into a continent it has long Congo. In that vein, a double enlarging our economic space. and the Common Market for ignored? The answer is the Visit taxation avoidance treaty was si- Eastern and Southern Africa to Mauritius by the President of gned between Mauritius and the A piece of the pie (COMESA) is quite low. Ex- Congo and agreements pertai- ports to SADC in 2007 were ning to the setting up of Special Mauritius has been trying for a trifl ing Rs. 6.2 billion or 8% Economic Zones (SEZs) in the some time to jostle for position of exports and imports were latter along with a memoran- in the African pie. A pie that, as worth Rs. 10.5 billion or 7.4% dum on technical cooperation Foreign Minister Arvin Boolell of total Mauritian imports. Ex- between the two with regard to at the Mauritius International ports to COMESA economies information and communication Investment Forum on the 16th were merely 7.3% of total ex- technology. It is, however, an ar- of June 2011 reminds us, repre- ports in 2007 and remained at rangement that has even long- sents “a very substantial internal that level for 2008.Even this low term Africa watchers such as market of over 600 million people trade level was concentrated in former Assistant Secretary Gene- comprising 27 countries.” The a few countries, such as South ral to the Organization of African Finance Minister Pravind Ju- Africa and Madagascar. For Union (now AU) Vijay Makhan gnauth weighed in at the same instance, in 2008, imports from scratching their heads, “There forum a day before to point out South Africa and Madagascar have been no real links between that “the recent euro-crisis has as a percentage of imports from Mauritius and the Congo that made us realise that our economy SADC were 86 percent and 5 would lead to an offi cial visit of is too euro-centric.” To shelter percent respectively. Exports to this nature, except for common Mauritius from further shocks South Africa and Madagascar memberships in organizations emerging from the euro-zone, he as a percentage of all exports such as the United Nations and went on, “Mauritius wants to ride to SADC in 2008 were 36 per- regional African groupings. Now on the crest of that new growth cent and 60 percent respectively. you see all this jazz about trian- phenomenon in Africa.” Other activities included limited gular cooperation, but no one That the government needs forays into Africa such as potato, The central African Republic of the Congo, also known as Congo knows what it will actually look to set the mood music, as at the seafood and chicken farming in - Brazzaville like on the ground.” Economist forum preceding the Congolese Madagascar, a sugar factory in p. 41 [SOCIETAL ISSUES Insert N° 3 • Friday 15 July 2011 ] l’express

Mozambique and banks in the was branded the ‘Cobras’. “He’s allegedly offi cially exporting Seychelles. got a very chequered past with confl ict diamonds. In 2006 the reality check] One way to remedy this situa- lots of repression characterizing International Monetary Fund tion, and not miss out on the new that regime,” Ram Seegobin of (IMF) cited corruption to sus- KHAN scramble for Africa, is to host LALIT posits, “which is why pend debt relief. A 2009 motion Iqbal Ahmed forums and try to woo hesitant it seems rather strange for him to French courts by Transpa- investors with prolix statements to be received here with such rency International argued that about integration. Another is to pomp and ceremony.” Vijay Sassou-N’guesso and his family attract capital, mainly from Asia, Makhan asserts, “Everyone in have diverted a large chunk of to set up production in Mauritius Africa knows his reputation.” his country’s oil wealth into 112 to supply the African market, With unemployment estima- French bank accounts, 13 luxury Trouble hence the appearance of Jing Fei, ted at 19% in 2005 and rising, cars in France and 24 properties, Binani cement and a plethora of the absence of a labour-market including a mansion in a rich in paradise companies willing to base them- policy and 70% of its popula- Paris suburb. Sassou-N’gues- selves on the island. The putative tion in poverty, the raw material so’s terse reply to these charges speculation, and at this stage that’s all it Singapore-Mauritius-Congo for a new outburst of confl ict was, «In France, all the leaders is, mounts about increased friction wi- ‘triangle’ is a step in that direc- is there.” of the world have chateaux and thin the ruling Labour-MSM bloc, the tion. Singapore, Jankee argues, This fear of renewed confl ict palaces, whether they come from A MMM which had previously painted the “has a comparative advantage in the Congo means that the go- the Gulf, Europe or Africa.” This MSM as a modern-day version of the anti-Christ in terms of technology, infras- vernment can be quite cavalier in is a form of corruption that, ac- in an unsuccessful bid to woo Labour, now is cas- tructure and capital from Asia, its concessions to foreign inves- cording to a 2010 study by Glo- ting fl irtatious glances towards the very same whereas Mauritius is a part of tors. “Special economic Zones,” bal Financial Integrity, has cost MSM. That it was Eric Guimbeau, a political ally, groupings, such as the Southern Jankee outlines, “usually offer a Africa US$ 854 billion since the not member, of the MMM who raised the prospect African Development Commu- variety of incentives to foreign 1970s. The Washington Post on of a possible rapprochement between the two is nity (SADC) and the Common businessmen such as tax in- August 25th 2010 highlighted not surprising, since such a tactic puts the ques- Market for Eastern and Southern centives, tax breaks and profi t that the government splurged tion to the fore, while allowing the MMM a degree Africa (COMESA) whereas Sin- repatriation, as well as infras- US$9 million on lobbyists to of deniability in case the scheme goes south. gapore is not”. Mauritius there- tructure and energy facilities.” improve its image in the U.S. For many, such a development seems distur- fore enjoys trade privileges in the In the Congo, this takes on ano- bing and incomprehensible. It isn’t really, if we region that Singapore does not. ther dimension. “South African view Mauritian politics in its historical develop- “Hence” Jankee maintains “Sin- capital, specifi cally Apartheid Marriage of mutual ment. A multiplicity of parties does not necessa- gapore is trying to use Mauritius capital displaced by the libera- convenience rily mean a multiplicity of views. That has been as a platform for investment.” tion of South Africa in 1993, the bane of Mauritian politics ever since the be- has found a new haven there,” Contrast this sudden fascina- ginning. Just to take one example. Many of the The Congolese angle Seegobin tells us. He is referring tion for the Congo and its econo- glitzy new ultra-exclusive resort properties that to 200,000 hectares leased out mic potentialities, with big events, now dot the island, were actually proposed in the So what is so different about to South African agri-business, as Makhan tells us, “such as the seventies by Gaetan Duval who wanted to see the Congo that has Mauritius, with a further 10 million hec- creation of South Sudan, which rich South Africans buy houses in special tourist and other Asian economies, tares envisaged for transfer on was completely ignored by Mau- developments with the justifi cation that “a hotel so excited, in contrast to other 30 year leases. This has resulted ritius. No mention was even made room provided employment for two servants, but African economies? For star- in a new rush for the Congo. of this event.” Nor is integration a house provides employment for four.” Leave ters, Congo is the 3rd largest The problem is that Denis much of a factor. “If you take a that idea to stew for a while and remove the pe- exporter of Oil in Africa, which Sassou-N’guesso, running the look at the region the Congo is si- jorative language. What you get is the Integrated accounts for 52% of its Gross country since 1979, still operates tuated in, it’s the least integrated in Resort Scheme, fi ne-tuned by a party on the ‘left’ Domestic Product (GDP), 71.8 the economy like what some Africa!” Makhan exclaims. (the MMM) and implemented by a party on the percent of total government re- have characterized to be a “neo- Mauritius has long been ac- ‘right’ (Labour). venue and 83 percent of export patrimonial rentier state, redis- cused of having a purely mer- In this incredibly arid political environment, revenue. This oil wealth was tributing oil profi ts to allies and cantilist view of integration in politics is reduced to a numbers game. Any the object of recurrent civil potential foes through educatio- Africa. Having no qualms about party is fair game, as long as power is obtained wars, drawn along ethnic lines, nal benefi ts, military employ- dealing with a regime like that and maintained. This is why our political history in 1993 and 1997 that ravaged ment, and an ever-expanding in power in the Congo, let alone consists of little more than a history of horse-tra- most of the country’s infras- civil service.” A string of contro- trumpeting it as a milestone in ding and party defections. A trend begun when tructure. Private militias were versy has dogged that govern- Mauritius’ Africa policy, will Labour reconciled with the anti-independence utilized by all of the conten- ment. In 2004, it was expelled only further PMSD following independence, the MMM joi- ders; Sassou-N’guesso’s militia from the Kimberly process for Iqbal Ahmed KHAN ned Boodhoo’s PSM (a splinter of Labour), then the PSM joined Anerood Jugnauth (this time an MMM splinter) to form the MSM. Then the MSM allied with the PMSD, then the MMM allied with Labour, then the MMM allied with the MSM, then Labour once again joined the PMSD, and fi nally today, we have the Labour and MSM alliance. Curiously enough, this species of politics is of unique benefi t to minnows like the MSM, who are guaranteed to be approached by both larger par- ties that aspire to be in power, leaving the MSM and parties like it laughing all the way to the bank. Consequently, now seemingly past contentions are toned down, the vitriol is diluted, or rather re- directed to the erstwhile apple of the MMM’s eye: Labour. What we are witnessing is the fi rst stages of the many subtle hints and trysts that the MMM will attempt to win over the MSM. Looked at in this manner, should those rea- ding the tea leaves and predicting a new alliance be proved correct, it should not be treated as shocking news. Rather just the latest chap- ter in the increasingly mediocre book that is President N'guesso (centre) came to power through a military coup in 1979 and has largely ruled the Mauritian politics. country ever since. l’express [ Friday 15 July 2011 • Insert N° 3 L'EXPRESS YOURSELF] p. 42 At the crossroads of biology and computer science based on work by Erik Winfree and Lulu Qian (California Ins- titute of Technology). This type of computing is not designed to rival your laptop, but rather it allows computation in bio- logical contexts, perhaps even in the body. “We’d like to make chemical systems that can probe their molecular environments, process chemical signals, make decisions, and take actions at the chemical level”, says Winfree. Some predict a future where tiny DNA computers in our bodies Kreshna Gopal,PhD. will monitor, diagnose, medicate and repair! SHOULD Charles Babbage, ● Computational the creator of the fi rst computer and neuroscience Louis Pasteur, a biology pioneer or the use of computers to solve in AIDS or Chikungunya viruses. late the cross-breeding of species (who luckily for men found how to diffi cult biological problems. Data Bioinformatics is also about fi nding where the genetically fi ttest sur- Finally, biology meets compu- prevent beer from souring!), have on human and other forms of life the “tree of life”, or how various vive, and this is used to deve- ter technology in computational met as contemporaries 150 years (including plants) are very complex species are related to each other lop the fi ttest solutions; or how neuroscience, where the infor- ago, there is not much they could and voluminous. Imagine a polite based on evolution, by comparing “swarm intelligence” draws ideas mation processing capabilities of have talked about – except maybe alien visiting earth wishing to bring their DNA sequences (this recently from ant colonies or bacterial the brain are studied. The recent women, or the weather (Babbage back all biological information about led to the discovery that Dodo and growth for decision-making in Human Brain Project proposes to was British after all). Not much a typical human, without abduc- Solitaire are close cousins in the fa- complex environments. create computer models to simu- to share in academics anyway, be- ting anyone of us. And he runs out mily of pigeons). late brain functionalities as closely cause their disciplines had very ● Biological as possible. This will potentially re- of space on his pen drive! His best ● Biology-inspired little in common. Biology was lar- bet is to create a code that captures computing volutionize medical neuroscience gely a collection of facts, with few every detail in our body from fun- computing An emerging area where bio- and also help develop new com- unifying theories, so much so that damental building blocks. Well, there Another synergy between logy and computers are conver- puting techniques derived from Earnest Rutherford relegated it as is a code like this, called the DNA, computers and biology stems ging is biological computing (or the brain architecture. “stamp collection”. On the other and it is three billion long. It takes from following Mother Nature’s DNA computing). This fi eld is Interdisciplinary endeavors hand, computer science is based sophisticated techniques to analyze lead to develop useful compu- about creating computers using that bring together biology, com- on mathematical abstractions and the encoded 20,000 genes, or two ter applications, without neces- biological molecules like DNA puter science and engineering engineered with physics (the only million proteins with complicated sarily replicating the biology or proteins (especially enzymes). are deemed critical for progress science worthy of the name, ac- structures that fold in specifi c ways exactly. For instance, “neural The idea of using DNA frag- in key areas, including food, en- cording to Rutherford). But these to make our body work the way it networks” are computer pro- ments as traditional computer vironment, energy and health. disciplines have come together in does. Bioinformatics can help fi nd grams that mimic how the brain “bits” was fi rst proposed by Computer scientists and biolo- surprising ways. Let’s look at a few the gene that may cause cancer or activates interconnected neurons Leonard Adelman in 1994. Re- gists indeed have plenty to talk of them. Alzheimer, or help create the right to solve complex problems with cently, this fi eld boasted a major about and learn from each other ● Bioinformatics drug that can neutralize key proteins many parameters; “genetic algo- achievement: a bio-computer today and it would be much more First, consider bioinformatics rithms” are programs that simu- that can calculate square roots, than comparing stamps. Implementing the anti-smoking laws THE NGO ViSa that lobbies for a to- and from the PHA. still waiting to be fully applied in Mauritius sease - 165,000 deaths from lower respiratory bacco - free Mauritius has sent a letter Together with 174 countries, Mauri- as workplaces are not 100% smoke free, thus infections - 63,900 deaths from asthma, and to the Ministry of Health, to the Minis- tius has ratifi ed the Framework Conven- putting at stake the health of workers. The - 21,400 deaths from lung cancer. ter of Labour and to the Prime Minis- tion on Tobacco Control (FCTC). One protection of workers from passive smoking One of the key messages of that study ter - with a copy to Bloomberg Initiative most important article of this health at work is still being discussed at the level is that governments around the world must project grantees and to the World Health treaty is the protection from exposure of the Ministry of Work in spite of the ove- protect their citizens from the dangers of se- Organisation, asking the Mauritian autho- to tobacco smoke. The guidelines of this rwhelming evidence that second hand smoke condhand smoke by enacting comprehensive rities to intervene as soon as possible to article defi ne smoke free air as air that is is highly toxic and contrary to health and sa- smoke-free laws that ban smoking in all work- bring the long due required amendments “100% smoke free”. fety principles. places and public places. to the Occupational Health and Safety A study published by the Lancet in Mauritius is already very late in comp- Act’ (OSHA) and the Public Health Lancet study November 2010 reveals that exposure to lying with the FCTC and must catch up to Act (PHA)of Mauritius in order to fully secondhand smoke kills more than 600,000 amend our Public Health Act so as to provide protect the health of workers from the Since the year 2009 an international non-smokers worldwide. It states that ex- a 100% smoke free environment for Mauri- pollution of toxic tobacco smoke in the petition was addressed by 225 signatories posure to secondhand smoke causes an tian workers. The right to health is a basic hu- workplace. To achieve this, the words worldwide to the Government of Mauritius estimated 603,000 deaths each year among man right. and concept of ‘demarcated smoking to close this serious loophole in the OSHA non-smokers, including: Véronique LE CLEZIO areas’must be removed from the OSHA and of the PHA. However, this measure is - 379,000 deaths from ischemic heart di- President ofViSa p. 43 [L'EXPRESS YOURSELF Insert N° 3 • Friday 15 July 2011 ] l’express An apple a day ] Mauritian politics Birthday “THE lawlessness of communa- fact that a candidate has been nomi- for all we know, is a no-holds-barred lism is a monster with many faces. It nated thus on the criterion that s/he affair in a rough-and-tumble world, wishes hurts all in the end, including those who belongs to a certain community but involving individuals who are often are primarily responsible for it.” the votes s/he has garnered are from dauntless, crafty, impassioned, brash IDS, the deadliest Mahatma Gandhi various communities? The logic is and devil-may-care ones. Commu- epidemic of the Mauritian politics are much that s/he has defi nitely not received nalism, according to the present twentieth centu- conditioned by communalism and the votes from only one communi- trend, is not likely to dwindle in Ary, turns 30 this ethnic considerations. Candidates ty, be it Muslim, Christian, Hindu Mauritius, but we can at least miti- year. The so-called “Mo- are fi elded from a communal basis or Chinese. gate its harmful effects. dern Plague” fi rst reared By Dr Zina Valaydon depending upon the constituency. Education can play a tremen- its ugly head in July 1981 To call a spade a spade, the majo- Nation-building dous role in this respect. We have when reports of young the virus under control rity community of Hindu faith votes to teach the young that they belong men dying of strange, aty- for a lifetime. Not unlike massively the Labour Party; the po- Some venal clerics conniving to a nation, that whenever a disaster pical chest infections and any other chronic disease pulation of Christian faith is largely with some politicians also foster this befalls us, like a cyclone, it affects aggressive skin cancers such as diabetes or arth- behind the MMM. The MSM and communal scorpion. On the hus- everybody, not a single community. surfaced. ritis. The life expectancy the PMSD have an equally slight tings, in some regions, before the Nation-building with a sense of An overtly homopho- of a HIV-infected person percentage of votes from the Hin- candidates deliver their speeches, unity should be inculcated. bic 1980s Middle America is now close to that of an dus and the Christians respectively. certain clerics recite parts of some Religious leaders and res- promptly concluded that uninfected one. As for the Muslims, the Labour scriptures before appealing to the ponsible clerics should preach love the disease only concer- That being said, HIV/ Party grabs a few more votes than audience to vote for the candidates. and the brotherhood of mankind; ned the gay community AIDS remains a struggle, the MMM, while Cehl Meeah bags In private meetings, all the feral indeed, religion properly unders- and it took a horrifying not so much medical a signifi cant percentage. means are employed to infl ame the tood, is about such values, not di- large number of case re- as social. Fear vilifi es The Best Loser System (BLS) communal passions. vision and fanaticism. Our society ports of similar diseases everything and encou- encourages parties to view the elec- Vote-catching is what most poli- has too long been bedevilled by amongst intravenous drug rages superstitions to torate from this communal and ticians are after, and exploiting com- communalism, spreading octopus- users and people who had triumph over scientifi c ethnic angle. This BLS is an aber- munal or ethnic feelings is one of the like its tentacles into politics. received blood trans- reason. When HIV was ration, for how can we reconcile the means to achieve this end. Politics, Ahmad BABOO fusions for the medical fi rst discovered, a witch- community and general hunt started to fi nd the public to open their eyes. fi rst man who spread the With a climbing death toll, virus with an enthusiasm Histoire d’eau: why are we seeking all energies were poured that was suitably indi- into AIDS research and cative of the panic that HIV, the causative virus gripped us all back then. Singapore’s help? was isolated. To this day, despite the IF you can spare some time Ah, if only Singapore had lakes HIV is, in a simplis- availability of treatment, these days, stop on any bridge and and rivers! For sure, it would have al- tic nutshell, a virus that HIV is still very much the you cannot fail to see water below. so shown us how to dig feeder canals, is acquired through modern plague. True, it Sometimes it is a stream gurgling how to build dams across our rivers, sexual contact or blood. doesn’t receive as much merrily through sun and shade, so- how to locate underground water by It attacks the body’s im- press time as it used to metimes it is a river placidly flowing computer, where to dig new reser- mune system, leaving it but people don’t talk by, and sometimes it is a frothy tor- voirs, and you bet … many would open to infections and about their HIV status rent leaping over stones and boul- have jostled with one another and cancers. A defenceless like they talk about their ders. And yet water has become a elbowed their way to be on the next body, with no immunity diabetes. It is a disease precious commodity these days. flight for Singapore - to attend semi- cannot fi ght even the that lurks in the sha- Some have it for a few hours twice nars and lectures in that much en- simplest of colds, and in- dows, a disease we like to a day, some have it only once a day, Plenty of water -but not in the taps... vied country! But as to whether this fections progress relent- ignore hoping it doesn’t and others, from what I have heard, would have bettered our lot, I cannot lessly and eventually kill. come anywhere near us. go for days without it. In Beau Bas- least know why! help having my doubts. Imagina- A blood test is avai- HIV is no longer tren- sin, where I live, we are among the But secrecy seems to be in vo- tion in dealing with problems is not lable for HIV. And it is dy; these days, European lucky ones to get water twice a day. gue these days. We are not mature something that can really be taught. one loaded blood test- E. Coli is the infection However, as early as 6 p.m, it is only enough to know a lot of things. Or, In the meantime, day after day, the equivalent of a death of dinner parties, but a trickle, and at eight there is just a more distressing still, perhaps our lo- our national TV keeps droning on sentence for many, so we cannot afford to for- sinister hiss from the tap. cal experts themselves are in the dark about the “drought” situation pre- overwhelming, so unac- get HIV. We need to talk Like our rivers, our lakes do and badly need to be enlightened by vailing in the country. But unless ceptable, that it led to about it because HIV not seem to be devoid of water, ei- experts from Singapore, a country my eyes deceive me, I have come one of the highest rates is not cured: as a tragic ther. They are filled to about three that gets all its water from Malaysia. across something which points to of suicide amongst young reminder, 30 African quarters of their capacity, except for Rather embarrassing, isn’t it? – to be the contrary… something won- people worldwide when children die from AIDS Mare aux Vacoas which surprisingly enlightened about our water pro- derful. In Belle Rose (where many it was fi rst developed. every hour and over 2000 refuses to follow suit. These days, it is blems by a country with no water of households get their water once But it doesn’t need to Mauritians are HIV-in- filled to about thirty per cent capa- its own! every two days), there gurgles a river be so. HIV/ AIDS is no fected. The best weapon city and Mare Longue, which is not through a lush and green vegetation. longer the Grim Reaper; against death from HIV very far way, boasts a very satisfac- A gurgling river The water is plentiful and clear, and there are antiviral drugs is information on testing tory eighty per cent. Why does Mare there are fi sh! Not mere minnows now specifi cally formula- and treatment. Fear of aux Vacoas continue to be outdone? What next? Well, after telling us (like guppies or swordtails, mind ted to suppress HIV. An- social retribution should Can it be that the lake is deeper than why Mare aux Vacoas is so deple- you) but carps and catfi sh. And you ti-retroviral therapy is a not stand in the way. If the rest? Has it been over exploited? ted, Singapore will surely make it a know what? Well, I hope to go near medical breakthrough, ever there was justifi ca- Has one of its feeder rivers become point to show us how to manage our that wonderful spot next Sunday. modern medicine at its tion for breaking a taboo, clogged up? And here, the authorities water supplies. Of course, this has a I’ll throw my fi shing line, and I’ll try lifesaving best. this would be it. There is concerned owe us an explanation. lot to do with good planning, finding to land a few of these one pounder Antiretrovirals a time for wishful thin- If the inhabitants of upper Plaine creative solutions, sound work ethics beauties. A friend living nearby will have turned HIV from king and there is a time Wilhems (which get supplied from and the ability for different sectors to accompany me and, if the catch is a death sentence to a for awkward conversa- Mare aux Vacoas) must endure wa- work together… just to mention a good, he might be made to forget chronic disease that tions. This is the time ter shortage day after day, elementary few. But who am I, a mere Mauritian, that there is no water in his tap! people live with, with to talk. courtesy dictates that they should at to tell of hese things? Jean Lindsay DHOOKIT l’express [ Friday 15 July 2011• Insert N° 3 p. 44 International scene] Witness protection A brief encounter with Essential yet overdue the Dalai Lama Speaking to the press last week, the Director of Public Prosecution said that he was in favour of a programme protecting victims who spiritual breeze is had to act as witnesses in court cases. An important issue when one blowing over Washing- considers that a witness is often a key tool in the success of a case. ton, DC these days. Nad SIVARAMEN AHopefully it will bring some positive thinking and com- Buddhism, journalists, tourists, ce- WHEN Cindy Legallant situations, relocation to a safe place Witness in Criminal Proceedings: passion at a time when the White lebrities and obscure folks, as well refused to testify against Sada is the best bet. “In the case of l’Ami- Proposal for Reform of the Law.” House and the two Houses of as many US lawmakers who had Curpen in the infamous Subu- cale, the police had offered protec- The document draws on good Congress are deadlocked on the blatantly defi ed China’s warnings tex traffi cking case, the country tion and relocation to a key witness practice from other countries, inclu- critical issue of debt ceiling – preci- not to meet with the Dalai Lama. was shocked. The matter became whose testimony was crucial to ding Canada, the UK and Ireland. sely because of the upcoming 2012 Then the spiritual leader took a major issue mainly because the securing the conviction of the ac- “We should amend the law so that presidential election. off his shoes and sat in the lotus case was so prolifi c; yet, it is quite cused parties,” says Satyajit Boolell. in criminal proceedings, a previous Washingtonians, and Ameri- position, punctuating his English common that witnesses refuse to But having a witness retract his statement given on oath or affi r- cans in general, are getting tired of words with chuckles.The way give information because they do or her statement can make a pre- mation by a witness may be used this defi cit of political leadership he behaves may appear odd for not feel protected. After all, the ins- viously strong case far more com- where the witness declines to testify. and the vested interests clouding someone of his age and rank, but tinctive human reaction when faced plicated. “If a witness retracts his A draft bill has already been sub- crucial debates like the orientation this “simple Buddhist monk”, as he with danger is fear – and often re- statement, like with Cindy Legal- mitted to the Attorney General for of the US economy, unemploy- calls himself, has a rock star status treat from the danger. lant, this weakens the prosecution’s that purpose,” says Satyajit Boolell. ment, health care, etc. This may around the world and he seems to “There is no legal framework case. In certain situations, such as “It is unacceptable that the cri- (to some extent) explain why like that attention. to assist or protect witnesses who assault, if the victim retracts, this minal justice system might fail to thousands are rushing to the Ka- A great admirer of Mahatma fear for their security. A Witness can lead to the case being dismissed bring defendants to trial and obtain lachakra celebration - a profoun- Gandhi and Martin Luther King Protection Act is long overdue,” ex- because the witness’s statement was a judgment because witnesses are dly meaningful Buddhist ritual for Jr, he told us very obvious things, plains Satyajit Boolell, the Director crucial,” explains Ashveen Gopee. effectively discouraged from tes- world peace and warmheartedness but in his own special way: a unique of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to tifying freely and truthfully,” adds performed by the Dalai Lama. The universal language. One gathers l’express Weekly. A problem which Subtle pressures the DPP. Law reform is clearly the Tibetan spiritual leader is currently the impression that one is having can cause the loss of key informa- way forward, if we are to make sure on a two-week tour of Washington, an intimate conversation with the tion for the police and the courts. And indeed, there is often a fi ne our legal system is able to protect DC, to give a series of talks and to spiritual man, almost soul to soul. “We are regularly faced with wit- line between a witness and a victim. those who need it the most, while celebrate his 76th birthday with fel- What can we take away from nesses who are too afraid to help the Satyajit Boolell insists on the fact punishing offenders. An essential low political refugees. this conversation? Well, some police and this can be a hindrance that we cannot dissociate the rights aspect is legislation that allows the I had the privilege of being known values like for instance to our work, says Inspector Bhojesh of witnesses from those of victims, police to take special measures to part of the crowd listening to him. that we are all basically the same Domun of the Central Investigation which means that we need to look protect witnesses in danger – and to I was already pretty much intri- human beings. We all seek hap- Division (CID). The problem often further than a Witness Protection punish those who try to intimidate gued by his writings and values, piness and try to avoid suffering. arises in cases of drug traffi cking, Programme alone. In cases of rape or corrupt witnesses. especially these lines: “I have come We have the same basic needs and as organised crime is usually one or domestic violence for example, it Melissa LOUIS to the conclusion that whether a concerns. “All of us want freedom area where witnesses are most at often boils down to one person’s person is a religious believer or not and the right to determine our risk. Speaking about the challenges word against the other’s. “Expe- The highly symbolic statuestatue does not matter much. Far more own destiny as individuals and faced in the fi ght against drug rience has shown that thehe with- of blind Justice with her important is that they are good as peoples. That is human nature. traffi cking, Superintendent Pierre drawal of a truthful complaintmplaint scscales.ales. human beings (...) this is why I The great changes that are taking Murugen from the Anti-Drugs about violence committeded in the sometimes say that religion – not place everywhere in the world are and Smuggling Unit told l’express domestic environment usuallyusually spiritual values – is something we a clear indication of this. This is the Weekly, “A major constraint in stems from direct, indirectrect or, can perhaps do without in our impermanence of things.” prosecuting drug traffi ckers is that sometimes, immenselyy quest for a better world.” The Dalai Lama used to be dealers are afraid to act as witnesses subtle pressures due too Surrounded by an army of just a talker, like so many other in court.” the nature of the indivi-- bodyguards and Tibetan monks, gurus that fi ll huge stadiums, of- Being a witness is not an easy dual relationship,” explainsns the Dalai Lama, in his usual saf- ten saying one thing and doing matter, especially when the events Satyajit Boolell. fron and maroon robes, walked another. He used to preach that take place in a public hearing. There The DPP believes thathat in with a mischievous smile, made religion should be separated are measures aimed at easing the we should take Austra-a- some funny faces to the photogra- from politics, but he was himself pressure on vulnerable witnesses. lia as an example, whichch phers, then stopped and stared at wearing both hats as the 14th “Hearings are usually public but, has a Commissioner forr one of them (for 30 seconds, the reincarnation of the Buddha Ava- in certain cases, like when there are Victims’ Rights. The aimm bodyguards and monks did not lokiteshvara. In March of this year, children involved or people who of this offi ce is to ensurere know what to do). All of a sudden, he decided to relinquish his poli- fear for their lives, the prosecution that the victim is treatedd withwith duedue the Dalai Lama burst into loud tical powers to secular Tibetans, can make a request for the hearing respect and that they aree aware of laughter. Everyone looked at the thus chosing to step back politi- to be held in camera, hence closed their rights throughout legalgal procee-procee- photographer who happened to cally. He also found his spiritual to the public and the press,” ex- dings. “We need a systemm to ensure be bald and who had no clue why successor, the 26-year old Kar- plains Ashveen Gopee, barrister-at- that there is no contactt between he had suddenly become the cen- mapa Lama, who was shadowing law. “Our law also makes provision the victim and the offendernder if, for ter of attention. “He’s my brother!” him in DC. But, it is clear that the for video link hearings, although example, the latter is releasedeleased on shouted an enthralled Dalai Lama, Dalai Lama is not stepping down this has not been put into practice bail,” says Inspector Domun.mun. And placing his left hand on his head from his dream to return to Ti- per se,” he adds. in terms of dealing withh situations and using his other hand to point bet one day...One can therefore In spite of the absence of a legal where witnesses have beeneen intimi-intimi- towards his newly-found American wonder: is he simply playing po- framework, if a witness is afraid that dated, following the infamousmous Cin-Cin- brother. This unexpected occur- litical tricks (like the Chinese say) he or members of his family could dy Legallant / Sada Curpenpen case, rence changed the atmosphere of or is he using his cosmic insights be in serious danger, the police will the Law Reform Commissionmission the room which was packed with to predict this “impermanence take steps to offer them protection, came forward with a paperer en- followers and non-followers of of things”? explains Inspector Domun. In these titled “Evidence of Intimidatedidated p. 45 Insert N° 3 • Friday 15 July 2011 ] l’express Culture and ethics of the press Watchdog job in jeopardy

JOURNALISM has been defi ned as a system entirely”. public service and journalists in the best In fact, Cameron is replacing the are expected to act as watchdogs trying Press Complaints Commission which to keep a check on those handling poli- was set up by members of the British tical, economic, judicial or moral power press to auto-regulate its activities and in society. This watchdog mission, the give to aggrieved members of the public very foundation of the industry, can only the public the opportunity to be heard be carried out through public trust and and to seek redress following any misre- confi dence. These two capital elements porting or privacy breach to which they may now be waning out after being blud- have fallen victim. geoned night and day by Prime Minister The fact is that some journalists David Cameron in the wake of the News at The News of the World have gone of the World phone hacking saga. beyond what is sensible journalism and When one looks at the ploy used by the have abused the right of expression and British prime minister, it becomes evident the right to privacy by hacking into the that he is striving to put Government in voice mail of murder victims, parents of competition with the press as far as public dead soldiers and parents of the victims trust is concerned. The independent press of the London bombing. in democratic societies has always been A new law which ensures that ordi- trusted. Politicians, on the other hand, have nary people are not subjected to abuse always been in public distrust. At the root is being introduced. At the same time, of this mindset is an image that pervades the British government is trying, in the minds of readers from New York to New Colin Myler, editor of the News of The World, holding up a copy of the last edition of wake of this telephone hacking saga, to Delhi, from London to Lahore, from Paris the newspaper , closed after the phone-hacking scandal that shocked the country. censor real and true stories. It is trying to to Port-Louis. To these readers, print and throw the news media into disrepute and broadcast media are guided by fi ve values: government is not at war with the usual sion of having government investigating undermine public trust in the press. To honesty, independence, fairness, producti- arms of “fabricated stories, misquotes, the press inverses the roles and gives to what extent will the British public follow? veness, and pride. The journalist is, therefore, unbalanced views” which are usually the whole news media a new reputation. It seems too early to tell. But what is clear a very honest guy, living and working in a used against news media. David Came- That of a rogue organization fi lled with today is the fact that a group of rogue work culture full of ethics; a man who will ron has, in fact, announced an offi cial rogue journalists that must be put under journalists, working with private detec- not be silenced by money or death threats. inquiry into “the culture, the practices, control. Announcing the fi rst inquiry, he tives, may have thrown the whole popula- Some journalists, however, have suc- and the ethics of the press.” said, “Everything that happened is going tion of journalists into disrepute for some cumbed to the temptation to fi ddle with to be investigated. The witnesses will be time. Public outcry against such practices the truth in their search for sensatio- Riding the wave questioned by a judge under oath and no is currently very high in Britain and the nal stories that sell. (See insert) When stone will be left unturned,” adding that government is just riding the wave. uncovered, their misdemeanor has sha- While the press is supposed to inves- “the Press Complaints Commission had ken public confi dence. In the UK today, tigate the government, Cameron’s deci- failed, adding: “I believe we need a new Raj JUGERNAUTH

The number of journalist working with high profi le Coulson is expected to be arrested today for his part in a newspapers or television network who have been found phone-hacking, police-bribing scandal. guilty of plagiarism and fabricating stories is astounding. How far do you trust the news? There are further wrinkles: James Murdoch, who Some few names who have rocked public trust in the announced the historic closure on behalf of his father’s press. The New York Times and resigned from the newspaper media empire, News Corps, says he stands by Rebekah In 1981 Janet Cooke, a journalist for The Washington in May 2003 in the wake of the discovery of plagiarism Brooks, Coulson’s predecessor, who is alleged by staffers Post, won a 1981 Pulitzer Prize in Feature Writing for and fabrication in his stories following an enquiry. It was to have known about improper behaviour by private in- “Jimmy’s World,” an article about an eight-year-old found that when assigned to travel out of state to cover vestigators working for the paper. Subeditors at another heroin addict living in urban Washington, DC. national news stories, Jayson Blair hid at home. He then News Corps tabloid, The Sun, are said to have staged a After the article was published, the then mayor, Ma- copied the work of other reporters, passing it off as his walk-out in solidarity with their journalist colleagues, rion Barry, ordered city offi cials to organize a search own inventing stories and quoting people uttering state- who, reportedly felt that the whole staff were being un- to locate the boy, but were unable to fi nd him. Barry, ments they never made. fairly punished for the transgressions of a few. however, claimed the city had rescued “Jimmy” and that In 1998, Patricia Smith and Mike Barnicle of the The Unfortunately, that’s always the case. When journalists he was in treatment. Assistant Managing Editor Bob Boston Globe were fi red when editors discovered that are accused of falsifying stories or sources, the entire Woodward believed the report was truthful and nomina- Patricia had fabricated characters and quotes and that newspaper – and its staff- suffer. What also suffers is the ted Cooke’s article for a Pulitzer. Mike had recycled stories he heard from others, some- fi ght for press freedom. All too often, governments and After Cooke won, several reporters at the Post raised times publishing them without checking. others who strive to suppress the media point to shoddy questions about her anonymous sources and compared In 1998, CNN’s star producer April Oliver was fi red from journalism and the need to protect the public as reason apparent lies she’d told about her personal life. After a the network, after airing a false story claiming that the to limit media rights. brief investigation, the newspaper determined the story U.S. military used nerve gas in Laos. What is not in question is that this was all deeply unethi- had been fabricated and issued a public apology for The daily developments in the News of the World scan- cal and a disgrace to journalism. It cannot be stressed publishing it. dal reads like one of the sordid dramas that the paper enough that as press freedom advocates, it makes it Two days later, Cooke returned the Prize and resigned itself carried for so many years, giving it the top spot in tougher for us to do our job defending the whole media from The Washington Post, citing the high pressure envi- UK sales ratings for Sunday papers. when a handful stoop to these depths. The question is: ronment as her reason for submitting a fi ctitious piece. The news yesterday took the cake, though: The paper, should all journalists – including the News of the World The high pressure environment would be again the owned by media mogul Rupert Murdoch, is to close staff - be punished because of a few bad apples? We, of reason put forward by Jayson Blair who was working for after 168 years in circulation, and former editor Andy course, do not think so. p.46 Insert N° 3 • Friday 15 July 2011 ] l’express Book review A Dystopian state

state based on the weirdest of her garden, itself symbolic fundamentalist biblical strictures, with its “buried things burs- where no one knows what the ting upwards.” Hope is not other is thinking and the slightest totally absent. And Atwood’s whisper may lead to betrayal and descriptions of fl owers, sym- instant death. bolic in their own right, seem to me among the most beauti- Women’s destinies ful I have ever read. Vivid and sensuous, they remind one of The tradional Champs In this hostile world our the Impressionists’ paintings. Élysées parade. heroine, whose real name we Her prose is sheer perfection. never learn, (for these women I have no doubt that The bear the names of the men who Handmaid’s Tale is a great ‘own’ them) comes across as classic of modern literature. French National Day intensely real and inten-en- BetiBeti Margaret Atwood sely human. Her past – in Tribute to the military the form of memories ooff FIRST published in her beloved husband andnd FRANCE celebrated Bastille Day on Thursday 14th July 1985,“The Handmaid’s Tale” by daughter, both taken fromom amidst mourning over the death of fi ve French soldiers in Kapisa, Margaret Atwood is not one for her, constantly encroacheshes Afghanistan, while a number of others were wounded. the fainthearted. It is set in a not- on her present. In spite ooff The incident gives special importance to this year’s celebra- too-remote future in the Republic everything being againstnst tions, which will focus on paying tribute to the military overseas of Gilead, at a time when pollu- her, she retains a strongng and giving a warm welcome to the men and women who were tion and nuclear disasters have so sense of her own iden-en- stationed in Afghanistan and Ivory Coast, and will be joining in devastated the earth that healthy tity and even a sense of the military parade. Traditionally, the national 14th July celebra- reproduction is well-nigh impos- humour, understandablybly tions are held at the Champs Elysées, in Paris. The 2011 cele- sible. All fertile young women are bitter though it may be. brations involved over 5000 soldiers, 300 vehicles, 240 horses, forcibly enrolled as ‘handmaids’, It is no accident that thehe and 84 planes and helicopters for a spectacular air show. in the service of a ‘commander’ title of this work remindsnds Bastille Day marks an important event in French history, and (someone close to the very re- us of Chaucer who showedwed is now celebrated as the national holiday. It commemorates the pressive regime in power) and his such a powerful interestt iinn 1790 Fête de la Fédération, which was held on the fi rst anniver- wife. The handmaid’s only func- women’s destinies all thoseose sary of the storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789. The Fête de tion in life is to produce a child. centuries ago… Surprisin-in- la Fédération was a symbol of the uprising of the modern French And she doesn’t have to waste gly, the novel also leaves uuss nation. It has become customary today for the celebrations to time about it, otherwise she will with a keen awareness of include an elaborate military parade, a concert, dancing parties be cast out into the regions where the beauty of what remainsains organised by the fi re department and a massive fi rework display, death from radiation sickness will of the natural world. ThThee attracting people from all around the country. be her lot. Gilead is a surveillance commander’s wife tendsnds Melissa LOUIS Kreol Corner]

Zes touy konesans – people who put on airs are usually less knowledgeable than they’d have you believe.

Given that the translation is a mouthful in itself, we won’t elaborate too much. Not at all in fact.

NR

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