It was a slip of the tongue of monumental proportions. And it came in very courteous terms: “Laisse-li, lot cout mo pou invite toi.” (Don’t worry, next time I will invite you.)

These words were uttered at the national assembly on Tuesday by our minister of financial services and good governance. Innocuous, in fact, except when you realise that the promised invitation was extended to the leader of the opposition, Paul Bérenger, for a possible debate… on the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation (MBC)! “Mo pou invite toi, pas fatigue toi,” (I will invite you, stop worrying!) he repeated in case the leader of the opposition was about to lose hope of ever being able to realise the only dream he has in life – participating in a debate on the MBC.

As other members of parliament started asking if the MBC was the minister’s private property, “MBC la pour toi, sa?” he looked towards Labour MP Shakeel Mohamed and rubbed it in, “Toi, non, mo pas pou invite toi!” (You, on the other hand, I won’t invite you!)

All this happened as the minister, Roshi Bhadain, was trying to fend off the accusation that the MBC may have turned into “Bhadain Broadcasting Corporation” and hot on the heels of a debate organised by the MBC – now under Bhadain’s ministry – about the British American Investment (BAI) saga; a debate where the minister had a virtually free platform to tell us and our compatriots how without his genius, hard work and competence, the whole country would have crumbled and where he bragged about having been congratulated by the World Bank – no less – for the way he handled the BAI problem, specifying that the whole world will now start to follow our example. Yay!

In the same ‘revolutionary’ programme, Bhadain made many allegations, some of which were contradicted in the communiqué we are producing today where the firm KPMG denies having “agreed to pay fines and penalties”, specifying that the minister’s “statement is not true”. Like many of those involved in the BAI saga, KPMG reiterated its intention not to comment on “media reports to date but awaits the opportunity to account to any competent authority or regularity body”.

It has, of course, been common knowledge that the MBC, for almost its entire existence, has been taking its marching orders from Government House. Bhadain is currently the strongest man in government and is undeniably the one with the greatest leadership and communication skills. He is, in a way, SAJ’s spiritual son. He rides roughshod over his colleagues and reigns supreme in the national assembly. At the last parliamentary session, he talked non-stop, answered questions meant for the minister of finance and was seen whispering answers to his colleague Minister of Business Soomilduth Bholah. Now with the MBC under his wing, no one is surprised that orders are taken from him.

What is disturbing, however, is the impression being given that MBC’s day-to-day decisions seem to be taken in parliament by none other than the minister himself, who sees fit to dangle a carrot when he wishes or crack the whip when he so chooses. So if he decides to turn the MBC into a court of law where he makes statements that we should all take for granted, incriminating people who are not there to defend themselves, he can have it his way. Let the communiqués and court cases follow. Who cares?

When we think we’ve hit bottom, we hear a faint knocking sound below.