When political considerations have precedence

The  feel good factor that followed suit soon after the presentation of the Budget 2016/2017 by the Minister of Finance and Economic Development Mr. Pravind Jugnauth did not last long. Political manoeuvring took precedence, even at the National Assembly. 

Any sensible political observer could have easily guessed that debates on the Budget 2016/2017 would provide an opportunity to political leaders to express themselves, at least through body language. This time, they took everybody by surprise and went a step further. They openly expressed their state of mind and clearly depicted that they had qualms. 

The most surprising confession came from the Prime Minister Sir Anerood Jugnauth when he spoke on the Budget 2016/2017 at the National Assembly on Tuesday. While explaining how he strongly believed in the Heritage City Project, he revealed that he had found himself without a majority within the cabinet of ministers. 

SERIOUS MATTERS 

In itself, this is a serious matter and it is even more serious because the media had already revealed that all three leaders of the Lepep Alliance, namely Mr. Pravind Jugnauth (MSM), Mr. Xavier-Luc Duval (PMSD) and Mr Ivan Collendavelloo (ML) fiercely opposed the Heritage City Project at the meeting of the cabinet of ministers, a few days after the presentation of the Budget 2016/2017.   

In other words, whatever is being discussed at the cabinet of ministers ends up in public, not in the name of transparency but more because of political dealings. Also, if it so happened that the Prime Minister did not command a majority on a specific issue, we wonder why he had to come forward and make it known to the public. 

Another aspect of the speech of the Prime Minister which surprised many was when he referred to the Budget presented by the former Minister of Finance Mr. Vishnu Lutchmeenaraidoo in 2015 as being “unrealistic”. Why should Sir Anerood Jugnauth still have to settle scores with his former Minister of Finance? Was he so deceived by his performance that he had to say it openly? Incidentally, several measures announced by Mr. Lutchmeenaraidoo in his Budget 2015 have been reformatted and reintroduced by Mr. Pravind Jugnauth in the 2016/2017 Budget.

True it is that it was almost logical that he had to shower panegyrics on the head of the current Minister of Finance, who is after all his own son but in reality there have been two occasions where he disavowed Mr. Pravind Jugnauth. While the leader of the MSM Mr. Pravind Jgnauth told the media that they (the MSM) had erred in the case of Miss Gale Mary Jane Yerriah, the Prime Minister had a different view. He stated that he felt that there could be another interpretation regarding the number of years of experience required to be qualified to be an assessor of the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC). He even went to the extent of mentioning that there was a precedent when another young lawyer without the required five years experience sat as an assessor of the EOC. 

The fact that Mr. Pravind Jugnauth earlier explained why the Heritage City Project should be shelved had sufficed and there was no need for the Prime Minister to dwell on this already very controversial issue.

GIVING THE PRESENCE OF THEIR ABSENCE 

Another unique happening at the National Assembly on Tuesday was the absence of the PMSD and the ML when the Leader of the Opposition Mr. Paul Bérenger delivered his speech in the context of debates on the Budget 2016/2017. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism (and also Leader of the PMSD) Mr. Xavier-Luc Duval had a very clichéd excuse when the media quizzed him on this “boycott” from his part. He candidly replied that the speech of the Leader of the Opposition was so short (twenty minutes according to him) that he did not have time to reach the National Assembly. He added almost cynically that probably the Leader of the Opposition did not have much to say.

Mr. Duval even denied that informal talks (coze cozer) are being held between the PMSD and another political party (rumours have been swelling in that the PMSD was holding talks with the Labour Party). He made it a must to underline that the PMSD has been reassured by the MSM that they are not holding talks with another political party (in this case, the MMM). In clear, there seems to be a partner swapping in the process.

However, Mr Duval is right on one count; that Mr. Bérenger was not convincing enough in his speech on Tuesday. He had so many strong arguments to shake the Government, yet he chose to be mild. For instance, his research on the taking over of the former Apollo Bramwell Hospital by Omega Ark is remarkable. Why should Mr. Bérenger be so mild? Is it the illusion of a “rapprochement” with the MSM that is blurring his political farsightedness? Or has there been some secret dealings, with the objective of reducing the appetite of an over ambitious PMSD and an insolent ML? Or is Mr. Bérenger simply day dreaming and that he is wrongly reading some signs?

THE ACE LAWYER  

Another situation that has caused much embarrassment to the government is the astronomical sum of Rs 18 million (rounded to Rs 19 million by some) paid as legal fees by the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (ICTA) to lawyer Mr. Kailash Trilochun, who happens to be the brother-in-law of the Minister of Public Infrastructure Mr. Nando Bodha. The latter has dissociated himself from Mr. Trilochun and the barrister has even been sacked from a number of government organizations as legal adviser. 

Now there seems to be a new twist to this issue. Mr Trilochun has stated hitting back. He has explained in which circumstances the legal fees were paid to him and to attorney- at-law Mr. Roshan Rajroop in the case of Emtel v/s ICTA and other parties. In a document published by L’Express on Thursday (18 August 2016), it would appear that the Prime Minister was made aware of the fees to be paid to Mr. Trilochun as early as in April, 2016. Mr. Trilochun is insisting that his legal fees are justified , given the complexity of the case and the fact that he has very little time to prepare the case. 

The Mauritius Bar Council will not investigate further in the Trilochun’s legal fees case because they came to the conclusion that it is matter between a client and his lawyer! Along with that decision, the debate on fixing a ceiling on legal fees will probably die down. By the way, have you heard the Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA) on this issue? Were the fees paid in toto to Mr. Trilochun and Mr. Rajroop or was is “taxed” by the MRA?

How can our current political drama be complete without Good Governance Minister Mr. Roshi Bhadain? The MMM opposition ignored him at committee of supply stage at the National Assembly. Their argument is that he should have resigned as minister in the wake of the shelving of the Heritage City Project. 

Meanwhile, Mr. Bhadain has made a statement at the CCID against Senior Adviser Mr. Gérard Sanspeur, the one who had penned the damning report that led to the shelving of the Heritage City Project. In doing so, he is pointing a finger in the direction of his own leader Mr. Pravind Jugnauth. The latter has publicly stated that he was behind the various initiatives of Mr. Sanspeur. Does Mr. Bhadain hold some crucial information on another colleague? 

What is happening on the political front looks more like a merry-go-round, unless everything is pre-planned so that in December, Mr. Pravind Jugnauth steps in as Prime Minister.