Time to ponder and act

The two main opposition parties, namely the Mouvement Militant Mauricien (MMM) and the Mauritius Labour Party (MLP) have boycotted Tuesday’s sitting of the National Assembly to express their solidarity with the editor in chief of Weekly, Mrs Touria Prayag and the press in general.    This decision follows a ruling of Madam the Speaker Mrs. Maya Hanoomanjee pertaining to the denial of access to the National Assembly to the editor-in-chief of Weekly for four sittings of Parliament. Earlier, Mrs. Hanoomanjee had urged Mrs. Prayag to tender her apologies to the National Assembly, failing which actions would be taken against her. Mrs. Prayag had penned an editorial in which she expressed her opinion on the way the National Assembly is being presided over. Mrs. Prayag had argued that she is free to express her opinion and that in the unlikely event that she had expressed regret, she would have committed the whole profession and that in the present circumstances, she could not afford to do so.

TOO HARSH SANCTION

At the very outset, the sanction imposed on Mrs. Prayag was condemned as being too harsh. Some had the guts to openly criticize Mrs. Hanoomanjee’s decision while others were milder, not to say timid. The bold press communiqué issued by the Media Trust on Wednesday 15 June, 2016, undoubtedly triggered the appropriate reactions. On Saturday, the directors of La Sentinelle (publisher of L’Express and Weekly, among others, issued a communiqué in which they kick-started the idea of reacting collectively to what they termed as “absurdity”. The next day, it was the turn of the directors of Le Mauricien Ltée, to join the band wagon and to openly condemn “each and every action that would hurdle the free practice of news reporters and opinion writers”. Very quickly, it became obvious that the media was to boycott the sitting of the National Assembly, scheduled for Tuesday 21 June, 2016. On Tuesday morning, in a communiqué published in Le Defi Quotidien, Le Défi Media Group and Radio Plus stated that they rally behind the position of the Media Trust. The management added that they wish that the Media Trust, which stands up for the interests of the press, finds a common ground with Madam the Speaker so that such a situation does not arise again. However, with a view not to deprive the listeners of Radio Plus and readers of the various publications of the group of news from the National Assembly, journalists from Radio Plus and Le Défi Media Group would be present in the press gallery.

“ At the very outset, the sanction imposed on Mrs. Prayag was condemned as being too harsh. Some had the guts to openly criticize Mrs. Hanoomanjee’s decision while others were milder, not to say timid."

On Tuesday morning, the MMM and the Mauritius Labour Party announced that they would boycott the sitting scheduled on that day, in solidarity with the editor in chief of Weekly and with the media in general, in the name of freedom of expression as enshrined in our Constitution. The Mouvement Patriotique (MP) led by Mr. Alan Ganoo chose to split the difference by condemning the decision of Madam the Speaker to take sanctions against Mrs Prayag but at the same time they “shouldered their responsibilities” by being present at the National Assembly and participating in debates. Independent MP Mrs. Danielle Selvon, a former member of the MSM, chose to be present at the National Assembly because she was to participate in debates on the Anti-Personnel Mines and Cluster Munitions (Prohibition) Bill. Incidentally, she resolved to walk out from the National Assembly because she was interrupted on numerous occasions by Madam the Speaker. She later confided to the media that the fact that she had referred to Mrs Prayag at the beginning of her speech could have upset Madam the Speaker.

ORIGINAL MEANS

L’Express found a quite original way to express its boycott of the sitting of the National Assembly of Tuesday; that of publishing reports of the same sitting “amba lao” (upside down). Although, in the past, way back in November 1972, L’Express had recourse to the same symbolic means to protest against censorship of the press. Beyond the clash between Mrs Hanoomanjee and Mrs Prayag, there have been a number of issues pertaining to the way the National Assembly has been “managed”. For instance, the MMM had severely criticized the choice of MPs to participate in various missions and conferences abroad. Some MPs, like Mr. Adil Ameer Meeah have complained that they hardly get the opportunity to put supplementary questions. True it is that Madam the Speaker should see to it that the decorum within the National Assembly be preserved but it looks odd when a seasoned parliamentarian like Mr. Paul Bérenger is ordered out of the National Assembly. Similarly, the Government Whip Mr. Mahen Jhugroo too was not spared and ordered out. Can you imagine that the Prime Minister Sir Anerood Jugnauth reached the National Assembly without a copy of his reply to the Private Notice Question of the Leader of the Opposition Mr. Paul Bérenger on Tuesday 14 June last? MP Mr. Ravi Rutnah was kind enough to enquire and get hold of the reply and hand it over to the Prime Minister. When it comes to content of the replies of the Prime Minister and some Ministers, we wonder at times whether they are properly vetted beforehand. Ace lawyer and former Senior Magistrate Mr. Rex Stephen expressed his astonishment regarding the figures contained in the reply of the Prime Minister to a question by MP Mr. Reza Uteem on the issue of provisional charges. Me. Stephen was participating in Question Time on Radio Plus on Monday. Those who are familiar with coverage of the sittings of the National Assembly would recall how the Minister of Ocean Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries, Shipping and Outer Islands Mr. Prem Koonjoo just read out the name and address of another institution in lieu of a proper reply. To which MP Mr. Adil Ameer Meea jockingly asked: “May I have the telephone numbers as well?” A Minister should avoid to emulate the services offered by 150 and 152 and instead come forward with meaningful replies that would enlighten members of the National Assembly and the public in general. Added to that is the fact that some backbenchers of the majority have been urged not to put embarrassing questions to Ministers.

AN UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITY

The press has had unexpected opportunity to make its presence, or rather its absence felt, in the context of a democratic system that upholds the values of freedom of expression but where at times, there are attempts to muzzle the same press. However, there is felt need to ponder on some of the wise advices given by the chairperson of the Media Trust, Mr. Lyndsay Rivière in an interview to our colleague Sanjana Bhagmal Cadervaloo and published in Le Defi Quotidien, issue of Monday 20 June, 2016. “(…)Unfortunately, since some years there has been a degradation of essential values in the press. We have seen a lot of sensationalism, less of strictness in the analysis if facts and too often it has allowed itself to be manipulated in a game of alliances which has become the instrument of some ambitions (…)”. In the meantime, a faint-hearted opposition to changes to bank notes issued by the Bank of Mauritius has been noted. Dr Arvin Boolell Mauritius Labour Party) has accused some of trying to erase parts of our political history. By the way, do you have any idea when the Budget will be presented?