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4 Mauritius News, August 2012 by AHMAD MACKY Recent political negotiations and discussions seem to suggest that another MMM-PTr alliance is now imminent. Berenger told the press that his party and Ramgoolam are in agreement on almost all aspects of a programme to bring about constitutional and electoral reforms to set up a second Republic. The crucial element of how much power should the new President hold is still to be defined. Should he preside over Cabinet meetings? Would he hold executive powers? Will he be more influential than the Prime Minister? Who controls the Police and Army? Decisive questions! The agreement for electoral reform stems around the establishment of an 86 member National Assembly. 62 MLA’s to be elected by ballots, 20 through the Party List and 4 by way of Best Loser System. The latter is option is where most of the controversies and divergence. In their previous coze cozer, Berenger and Ramgoolam were poles apart as to the compatibility of The BLS and a dose of PR. Ramgoolam has made public, to please an ever popular leftist lobby, that he would do away with the declaration of community for those standing as candidates for elections. So, to complement the system he favours, Berenger is proposing that the Electoral Commissioner’s office be responsible to declare the ethnic denomination of candidates. Can an institution of the state decide on who belongs to which community? What would the criteria be for such classification? Should this not rather be a subjective declaration rather than an objective ruling? The elections are ‘pas pour bientot’ according to Ramgoolam. So there would be seemingly a working arrangement in the form of a coalition, use the ¾ majority to vote on the constitutional reforms, get rid of PMSD and a few ‘recalcitrants travaillistes’, promote Berenger and his lieutenants into ministerial posts, share some of the quangos etc. Then what? Re-negotiate a pre-electoral alliance. Who would be partnering who? Once he has got his PR, would Berenger still want to be PM under a more powerful President in the person of Ramgoolam? Would there be some further coze cozer, would he find a new ‘mon bon ami’ or rather ‘ti frere’? Or still, how would he resist the temptations of going alone in a 3- corner contest? Only the future can tell…as did the Remake 2000! MMM-PTr The interrogations Kailash Purryag, has been sworn as the new President of the Republic of Mauritius on July 21st July 2012 at Le Reduit in the presence of distinguished guests. We notice the presence of the PM Ramgoolam, his wife and other members of Parliament Purryag has been a speaker of Mauritius Parliament for some years but could be replaced by a certain Razack Peeroo, an ex-Attorney General in the Labour government of Sir Seewoosugur Ramgoolam, the very first Prime Minister of the island. It is to be recalled that Sir Anerood Jugnauth who used to be the President of the Republic of Mauritius had resigned from his post few months ago just to join active politics. Mr Jugnauth looks strong, able and willing to fight for according to him, the injustice and social problems facing his country. Kailash Purryag, new President of the Republic of Mauritius Cabinet appoints new ambassadors At the Cabinet Ministers meeting of July, Prime Minister Ramgoolam has recommended the appointment of three Ambassadors. Marie France Roussety is appointed as a Non-Resident Ambassador to the Republic of Seychelles with residence in Mauritius. PM Ramgoolam has also recommended the appointment of Mrs Indira Savitree Thacoor-Sidaya and Mr Azad Dhoomun GOSK as Roving Ambassador for Africa with residence in Mauritius as announced in Budget Speech 2012. A100 MEDICAL OFFICERS TO BE RECRUITED The Ministry of Health & Quality of Life would shortly recruit about 100 Medical Officers under the Pre-Registration Training Schemes to combat the shortage of medical officers in our hospitals and other government health institution. Many medical officers in Mauritius recently have emigrated overseas for greener pastures.
