STRAIGHTTALK] Betting and Gambling > pp 40-41 Insert N°3 • Friday 4 JUNE 2010 ISSUES] Capital punishment : Editorial ] A conversation about death by Touria PRAYAG pp.> 32-33 Basta!!!! Until such time as robot-operated newspapers are invented, asking the press to be totally independent is asking its journalists Freedom of the press: to let go of their humanness. When it comes to expressing opi- nion, a degree of bias is inevitable in every position editors take, in every thought they express, in every word they lay on paper. This dangerous erosion degree of bias in opinion does not absolve us of the responsibility of being fair, of tackling issues instead of criticizing personalities, of making sure that the information presented is objective. The tug of war between the political leaders currently holding the levers of state power and La Sentinelle is most saddening. of right of access Accusing us of making mistakes is a criticism we are happy to accept, and learn from. Claiming that our opinion leaders have a political bias is something I am personally not prepared to refute. It is not out of character as human beings. But for a press group to be the mouthpiece of one particular party, which is what we are being accused of, all its editorialists should have a demonstrable affi nity with that party. Can anyone who has been reading our editorials since the beginning of the campaign honestly look us straight in the eye and say that all our editors have expressed the same views and/or biases? Can anyone even suggest that we have written about the same issues? While my colleague Raj Meetarbhan expressed his confi dence that Pravind Jugnauth will do well as minister of fi nance because of his track record, my recollections did not give me the same comfort. While he, based on the information he was receiving from his journalists, was talking about a “close fi ght,” we were depicting Navin Ramgoolam as “the most popular politician in the country” and Darlmah Naeck was chastising Paul Bérenger for his “communalisme scientifi que”. Rabin Bhujun and Gilbert Ahnee were dealing with totally different issues. Jean-Claude de l’Estrac, the chairman of the board of La Sen- tinelle, has never denied his past or his present and his views were unequivocally expressed in his editorials. Apart from that, he was receiving the newspapers at the same time as our readers. Some of our views he may have liked, some he may not, but had he dictated what we should be writing about or how, we would all have dealt with the same issues in the same way at the same time. Assuming all the criticism levelled against us is warranted, there are only two ways to keep us in check: our columns or our courts of law. Anyone who feels wronged can take legal action. And we did open our columns to our readers to express their views –uncensored. Some took the opportunity to vent all their anger at us. We have published their comments verbatim. That is the only legitimate way to fi ght back in a democracy. Not by ostracising journalists; not by cancelling a parent’s school invitation on the grounds that she is the editor-in-chief of a newspaper run by La Sentinelle and sending her child home in tears and incomprehension; not by withdrawing l’express from public libraries; not through boycott. And certainly not by de- nying journalists access to government property at a very offi cial ministerial press conference. I think it is time to say “Basta!” Pravind Jugnauth has cros- sed the line. La Sentinelle is over 600 employees trying to make a living for their families by informing the public of matters of interest to them. Depriving them of information, quite apart from being a blatant violation of democracy - which is grave enough in itself - puts their livelihood at stake. This fl ies in the face of every democratic principle this country has fought for! Naden CHETTY [email protected] l’express [ Friday 4 June 2010 • Insert N°3 QUICKREAD] p. 30 The Week at a Glance] Events] Book Festivals The National Li- brary is organizing two Book Festivals in line with World Book Day 2010. The fi rst event will take place on Saturday 5th June at the Municipality of Beau Bassin/ Rose Hill from 10.00 to 19.00. The second festival will be held at Caudan Waterfront on Saturday 26th June from 10.00 to 22.00. The festival will delight book lovers with its wide range of books available at very affordable prices and will also include games and musi- cal entertainment for you to spend a fun day out with your family. This year, the festival is also focusing on the protection of the environment, keeping in mind that trees are the main ingredient for the paper which is used to make books. ‘Salon de Mai’ Art lovers will enjoy a visit to the Salon de Mai, which will be on until Saturday 5th June at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute. The Salon de Mai is an annual event and this year has reached its 29th edition. The exhibition show- cases a large variety of works by local artists, including paintings, sculptures, collage, and papier maché. The event is a tribute to art and it encou- rages original and unusual expressions of creativity. The week was marked in the developing world. on women and girls in Concert by World No Tobacco Day, These women had pre- Asia, Africa and other de- Fans of fusion music will enjoy the which is observed around viously been spared due veloping regions. This is performance by Sooraj Kumar the world every year on to tradition and lack of in- doubly immoral as women Beeharry, who will perform at the May 31st. This year, the come. Today, as their eco- are considered to be the Mahatma Gandhi Institute on 6th theme is gender and tobacco nomic situation improves, most vulnerable section of June at 19.30. He is a singer and with an emphasis on marke- they will not get to enjoy society in the developing composer who is well known for ting to women. the benefits as before world. As they look to the bringing together the best ele- Concern about women long, they will be hooked West for the latest in li- ments of Eastern and Western and smoking has been in a habit which will swal- festyle, companies in the music. The artist specialises in growing and the World low a good chunk of their West continue to portray classical songs in Hindustani and has Health Organisation income and interfere with the image that women are held many shows in Mauritius and South Africa. Tickets (WHO) decided to sound the quality of their lives. empowered by smoking. are available at Rs 300 through Rezo Otayo. Call 466 9999 for reservations. the alarm bells this year. Their limited access to In a few years we will, un- Indeed, more and more, health care compounded fortunately, witness the the tobacco companies, by a lack of education full burden of this “em- seeing their profits going gives a bleak picture. powerment.” ‘Salon de la Maison’ down due to health awa- While the tobacco in- In Mauritius, the Find everything you need to decorate reness, particularly in the dustry’s profits in the West last minister of health the home of your dreams at the Salon de West, are now targeting are decreasing, in Asia and Rajesh Jeetah was fearless la Maison, which will house 120 exhi- women. Tobacco is to- Africa they are growing at in fighting tobacco. His bitors at the Swami Vivekananda Centre day considered one of the an unprecedented rate. message was unequivo- until Sunday 6th June. The event will be greatest health threats fa- The heavy footprint the cal: ‘cigarettes kill,’ he said open from 10.00 to 19.00 and focuses cing women and girls. The rogue industry leaves on to l’express Weekly. He on interior decoration, comfort and tobacco industry is marke- the two continents is one conceded that at the end style. Tickets will be sold at Rs.30 for ting aggressively in order of death, hunger, poverty of the day, people have to adults and Rs.15 for children. A free to increase the number and environmental des- make their own choices shuttle will be available from Victoria of female smokers. Their truction. The worst part but ‘we can make it difficult station to the fair venue. strategy has not changed: of it is not even the lives for them to smoke with the exploiting ideas of inde- lost: it is the impact it has hope that it might act as an pendence, power, em- left on impressionable incentive to avoid the habit.’ Rainbow Parade ancipation and slimness. African and Asian youths The present minister The Collectif Arc-en-Ciel is continuing Elegant posters and sty- and which it is trying to of health’s plans are no its activities in line with the Internatio- lish gift packs pander leave on their women. less elegantly expressed, nal Day Against Homophobia. The to women. It has managed to hook ‘kan zot ti decide pou boy- fourth edition of the Gay & Les- The low rate of female millions of them into a cott nou, pa ti ena narien. bian Film Festival will be on until smokers which stands at life-long addiction. Add Aster ki zot pe vinn dire,’ Friday 4th June, and on Satur- 12% is hardly comforting to this the health burden she said to a Radio One day 5th June, the fi fth Rainbow as research has shown which is already crippling journalist.