It looks like this country is cursed and the people alongwith. How can we explain that after 44 years of independance we have had only Ramgoolam and Jugnauth as PMs (Paul was inexistant as PM). And the latter considers that his son is 'God sent' to be the future PM of Mauritius. How can one expect these people to be progressive when they consider their names and castes as their most legitimate reason for them to stick to power and control the lives of a million of people. What is the reason why any third party cannot rise to national level and fight against this oligarchy. Corruption, insecurity, amateurism, crimes, rapes, drugs and coze coze are the daily menus being served to all mauritians everyday and they are resigned to accept this situation and prefer to flock by thousands to attend public meetings and incense these leaders. People have only the government they deserve.

Those who support MMM contrary to the "Progressives" of the 70's spend their time pondering on who will be the next "partner" of Berenger. They need to grow up, and confront Berenger. These people have mistakenly marginalised and ostracised the true thinkers of the Club des Etudiants . Where are those talks of nationalisation of the sugar industry gone?

Alors, je signe aussi, ce sont des hypocrites. Et ils portent l'affaire sur la place publique avec des cris de vierges effarouches? Leur privilge est celui de reprsenter dignement la population, pas de l'empcher crier son indignation. L'immunit est le bouclier des lches.

@smilestone I do not like power to remain within a few families and in this, generally agree with you. Yet, I should point out that I worked for the election of 2000 on the MMM/MSM side with all ambitions for national interest. I & the whole nation did not accept Paul to be PM for 2 years for his caste, etc but to get rid of Navin's nonsenses. What followed: Paul gave the impression to be the ''vrai PM'' for the 5 years and not the ''inexistant PM ''as you mentioned. If you consider how much coverage by MBC Paul was receiving, how many committees he chaired and compare to those SAJ did, you will get the answer. Paul had the cyber city opened in his constituency! He was always busy combating ''poverty'' and forgot hard working people. The irreversible mess caused still carries its unhealing scars.

The MMM needs to revamp its personnel but also seriously needs ideas ... and do so as quickly as possible. The leadership is out of touch with reality, has no clear vision on most if not all major issues. There is no talk whatsoever of a more just society...the sole concern remains the return to power (and we all know for what reason). The older members next to the leader had won their places because of their silence and their acquiescence to whatever Paul uttered...It's not solely about one man. The mindset that thrives on a messiah to save the country is long stale.The limitations of Berenger have been well documented since 1983- it's not his skin colour or ethnic background but solely his inability to match actions with words. For how can someone who spoke of nationalisation be in favour of the illovo deal or give his consent to the privatisation of MT. The MMM can only save itself through its militan...the latter can choose to uproot those that have done nothing over the last 30 years..those that have ideals as flimsy as their place in history will be...

@coltar: I like your pseudo as I consider myself as one. I invite you to refer to the comments of 'Militan' which really sums up what the MMM and Berenger has become today. I never referred to Paul as someone who is not a hard worker. No other politician in Mauritius can claim to have invested so much of his time and energy in politics, and this for more than 40 years. This guy deserves a standing ovation for his actions. However my comments were axed on the philosophy of what the MMM represents today. It's a cry of deception for me to see a party which has drafted my youth and ahd created so much hopes among so many of my generation, to become what it is today. What is the difference between PTr and MMM today? At least Ram Seegobin and Jack Bizlall are there to keep the dream going on... but for how long.

The battle for the soul of the MMM has begun and there are only two possible outcomes: 1. A swing towards more moderate politics with the consequent winning over of a larger portion of the electorate or 2. A swing towards more radical politics and militancy with the consequent erosion of an already fragile support base.

The unfortunate position for the MMM is that it needs the support from both the moderates within its ranks as well as from the extremists on its radical fringe if it is going to have any hope of getting back into power...... Getting those two together into the same bed could prove to be an uncomfortable thing if you ask me!

In all of this, the country risks very little thanks to the current government of Navin and its allies being firmly in control and assuring full stability and progress.......Mr Berenger and his MMM, on the other hand.....might over time look over their shoulders and find that the power and progress that they have so dearly coveted, and for so long, will have crossed over to their rivals for ever............!

You could not be more blunt, my friend. So True, Alas, of what the MMM is today. Making the ordinary people wallow in nostalgia while the main concern of almost all the current MMM MPs is to be career politicians and secure a cosy upper bourgeoisie future for their kith and kin. Those who do not embrace this 'Socialist Caviar' perspective in the MMM are doomed to stay on the 'coaltar'! Today's MMM MPs seem to have forgotten that they are paid to do a job and that is about proving that they are worthy of being an alternate government through a clear vision and well-articulated coherent programme for the nation. Are they debating about that, or are they just reacting daily to events as they crop up hither and thither? Be a bit more committed guys, invest in a true rejuvenation of such a historical party based on patriotism and true humanism !

So, those who want to give women the choice over their own bodies are extremist radicals on the lunatic fringe! But on the flip side according to Lawrence of Labouria Navins moderates offer stability and progress. Great, no contest really, except for the fact that the same moderates are flogging the whole bloody farm to foreigners. Oh, just in case anyone was thinking of protesting, the moderates have a repressive public gathering act to dissuade you. And if that doesnt do the trick, the same moderates want to bring back hanging. Navin the moderate wants to bring in drones to spy on Somalian fishermen conveniently tagged pirates. Yep, the moderates version of free choice means they not only want to choose for themselves but they want to choose for you too. Moderate indeed! Eh, Lawrence, if your so-called moderates get their way, in a few generations hence, Mauritians will have become tenants subsisting only by servicing foreigners in their own country. Apart from the political elite there is no future in Mauritius for ordinary Mauritians. Look around you, your country is being sold off under your very nose, and you want to spin a spin too silly for words. Come on Lawrence, try to make it at least believable.

I always thought that parliamentary privilege was immunity afforded to members to allow them to speak without fear or favour in parliament. Whats the go here? Do our pollies actually think that this means that theyre immune from scrutiny and criticism? What, all of a sudden hardened gang-members have become so precious that they cant cop being called hypocrites without seeking redress from the DPP. And here is the really scary part: why would the Speaker even rule on such pettiness in the first place? Was it a priority? Beggars belief. What kind of unbridled power betrays supposed servants of the people into such arrogance? In case youre wondering, YES, taxpayers are paying to keep these guys in the luxury theyve become so accustomed to. Well...just as well we dont have a standing army otherwise theyd bury us in lime for not worshipping the generals. Berenger, rein in your girly-men, get them to harden up or hand back their sickles theyre trashing your brand. Whatever that means these days. Who knows anymore?

There is a profound difference between an opposition opposing on ideological grounds and one which simply opposes because the other gang is in power. Political Ideology is dead. Capitalism snuffed it out years ago. The game has changed. The new mantra is now: whatever it takes. Professional clacquers understand this and have no problems whatsoever with the make-believe world-championship-wrestling nature of local politics; its only the true believers, those who keep the faith who sooner or later collide the hardest with reality. And after every such collision and every betrayal, some leave never to return, until in the end, all that remain are the mercenaries and the agents, and oh, a fresh invasion of new bright-eyed claquers. Power lulls petty megalos into believing that they are not there to serve but to rule, and when this power goes unchallenged, as is the case in Mauritius, it feeds on itself and our pollies draw strength from our apathy. Though nothing more than proxies themselves, the gangs still pretend to spar to see who gets to be the IMFs next rubber stamp. Thats how it is. Most people realise that we only get to choose after the gangs have already decided the much more important question of coalition. That is, wholl play government and wholl role play opposition. For example, if the two major parties got together, who would you vote for? Of course, its nothing more than an elected dictatorship. But heres the odd thing, in Mauritius most people still gravitate to politicians like bees to honey. Im being kind. They know the honey is stale and probably poisonous too but still, given the opportunity, most would choose to hobnob with pollies, any pollies. Dont believe me. Start up an association for friends of politicians and watch thousands line up for membership. Back to the point, do you hear any politician talking about long overdue land reform? Or banning poker machines to protect the vulnerable? Or turfing the anachronistic Turf Club and bulldozing Champs Mars for land for food security? Or legalising drugs to kill off corruption? Or protecting local farmers with tariff protection to reduce food imports? Or legislating to let the terminally ill die with dignity? Or putting a lid on privatisation? Or heaven forbid, nationalizing in the national interest? Nah, I reckon and its only a guess that with help from invisible hands the big gangs resolved years ago not to rock the boat too much but to keep politics a closed shop where new parties and unions are either put under an umbrella or the sword. I mean, if the IMF and their backers control the Treasury, does it really matter which puppet gets to run the country?

Contrary to the Ptr who has within its ranks mostly (not to say wholly) radicals, thorough bred Hindu nationalists, and a small segment of pro-independence and business shark Mauritians, the MMM is comparable to a multi-flavored milkshake which looks unrecognizable and tastes like utter confusion. The fact that the MMM always pulls the shortest straw during each general election or as an offset to each main party coalition which it get involved with, goes to prove that its leader doesnt talk the talk of the Mauritian majority, but then again thats an understatement. Can anyone imagine Paul Beranger screaming Tant ki mo la pas bizin zot peur!? Putting this eternal MMM debate into its real perspective and considering the Mauritian relativity/reality is the first procedure to be checked before even considering the debate. But anyway one looks at the issue, the MMM should not be what it is today: The Jugnauth dynasty stepping stone. A word of advice to Paul Raymond Beranger, if he wishes history to speak well of himself, carry on what you started in 2010, go solo during each general election because it doesnt matter if you never become PM again, that position never was and never will be yours to occupy. What matters is if you start hooking up with your bad old allies and bring those bad allies to power for obvious reasons. To which hell probably answer: The MMM is my baby, Ill abort if I want to Sure Paul Beranger has a huge chip on his shoulder, nobody can know the meaning of the saying Vengeance is a dish best served cold better than he does, but poor old Paul will always get screwed. Its high time he replaces himself with someone who CAN stand on a podium and say: Tant ki mo la pas bizin zot peur! Thats what Mauritian politics is all about and theres nothing anyone can do about it. The MMMs infamous leader has to do what the Ptr has done throughout the years: Adapt Metamorphose or Die. Over to you now Popol . . . PS: Please do not take it lightly!

J'aime lire les articles de ce Monsieur. mais je ne comprends pas pourquoi il accuse que les gens du MMM d'hypocrisie. Jamais il n'a os se servir de ce terme a l'egard des travaillistes... et dire que ceux-l font preuve d'hypocrisie tous les jours... M. rainer ne les voit sans doute pas, pour des raisons bien simples. Sa proxinit avec les travaillistes ou avec des gens qui sont proches de Navin Ramgoolam. Dommage... que M Rainertombe lui aussi dans l'hypocrisie de ceux qui veulent cacher leur partisanerie sous de belle envoles verbales...ou vertes!!!

thank you all for your brilliant comments - let's hope someone in the mmm reads them.
@rudra: i can be accused of many things, but being close to labour, or any political party for that matter, is not one of them. nice try though.

I am not here to rescue Mr Rainer from blinkered cheerleaders but to my mind I rate him among the few (only?) mainstream columnist worth reading. If he has biases, like everybody, it is certainly against deception/gibberish and for inclusive/progressive policies. Although sometimes I do detect some toxic groupthink within his otherwise healthy contrarian views. Unwittingly I am sure but still I wonder for how long can he survive in such bad company. Of course while being a genuine eco-warrior at the same time. Keep advocating your beliefs please.

N.Rainer is wrong - Berenger's statement that the MMM has retained its "values" over the years is PERFECTLY RIGHT. One should not confuse the MMM's values with Berenger's actions (and WORDS) as a Trade Unionist in the GWF, where his tactics were planned to build up his personal credibility, which would THEN be used to serve his personal climb to POLITICAL power. From the very start, he has been instrumentalizing the Worker's cause, to fend for his personal ascension to Personal power. ALL THE CHARACTERS he's forcefully installed at the helm of the GWF e.g, were only meant to be steps on whom he would tread to arrive at the head of the country. Once there, his 1st decision was: dismiss 13,000 poor recruits and long time unemployed (who largely voted for the 60/0 election victory) and earning Rs 200/- per month.In the same breath, he then gratuitously gave Rs 57Mn to the Sugar Barons BEFORE THE AVRAMOVIC COMMISSION EVER made any payment recommendations. He then proposed to increase the price of basic foods/Rationed Rice and Flour BY 50% etc and called on the poor to eat sweet potato and manioc instead - and this provoked the mutiny that ousted him from power.The MMM ideology has NOT CHANGED SINCE IT WAS ADOPTED AT THE VERY START BY THE INCUMBENT. IT WAS ONLY HIDDEN UNDER THE MISLEADING & FALSE PRETENCES OF THE ''LANGUE FOURCHUE'' OF ITS FALSE AND MACHIAVELIC PROPHET. N.Rainer should learn History before mixing up everything and crediting the MMM with VALUES IT NEVER HAD SINCE AT LEAST 1973, if not really since1970 in fact, when it had been kept well hidden under the carpet of socialist words.