Book That Makes Mauritian Voters Smart As Hell Published

It's available in several locations worldwide since yesterday. The Mauritian diaspora will be able to understand GE2024 and politics in their motherland and elsewhere like never before.

Can’t Find Referendum in Electoral Manifestos

Searched for the word in the manifestos of the three main political blocks but didn’t find it. It’s not in the 15 key measures of the MSM/ML alliance although it was there in the social contract of the Lepep Alliance in 2014 when there were only 12 key measures. That’s a pretty bad sign when you add surveillance state and the flat tax.

What was not difficult to find was the French word for sugar. It popped up fast at least a few times in each one of them. So these three parties will keep us mired in a low-growth trap for the next few years if we vote for them. We don’t have to. 

Kuma Fin Dekoloniz Moris

Ek trwa zafer. Nu sistem elektoral FPTP, taksasion progresif e sutenab ek talan. Sa li ti vre promye 37 banane apre lindepandans – ladan 14 an ti top parski nun regle ban problem difisil kuma bom demografik ek fin mont welfer steyt. Me depi 2005 nun rant dan en period de rekolonizasion ek flat tax Sithanen kin kas nu lekonomi. La ena enn deziem tantativ pu ranplas FPTP ek en sistem otokrasi ki pwena PR ek la lwa anti-transfiz ek si pa ki lot gonaz. Fer tan u lavwa. Ek diman en referandum lor sa zafer fondamantal la kuma Lepep ti mete dan pwin nimero 9 kontra de konfians dan so manifes elekroral – tiek paz 7. 

Free Education Turned 40 in January

I was planning to have a write-up coincide with the anniversary of this crucially important national event. It just didn't happened. Got quite busy on Kozelidir: this is post no. 123. Haven't posted this much in five years. Also the thirteen pieces on The Jag! this year -- a new record -- took a lot of time and effort. You can imagine how much when you read some of these essays and when you consider that only ten such posts were published over three-and-a-quarter years. Still I am not about to let 2017 disappear forever without saying a couple of things.

First is that some people consider Free Education -- for secondary and university students -- as an electoral bribe that was bound to happen after students gathered on the GRNW bridge. Since when does mindfulness always happen after a protest? Our youth took to the streets in May 1975 while the beautiful electoral pledge was announced seventeen or eighteen months later. We know who implemented free education. You may not know who came up with the idea. Returning to pledges wasn't Lepep elected on the promise of a second 'economic miracle'? Still waiting for it eh? Let's not forget Navin Ramgoolam who promised to Put People First but ended up putting most of us last. Or Sithanen who told us poverty would disappear by 2015. Saying something is one thing. Doing it quite another.

The other thing is that granting Free Education was consistent with the extraordinary stuff accomplished by that generation of Mauritians who were born between let's say 1900 and 1945. You know the great people who proved Meade wrong and build the welfare state. Among them a couple of people really stood out: Kher Jagatsingh and his biggest fan, Seewosagur Ramgoolam.

Here's what KJ -- who many consider as the hardworker who has contributed the most to the advancement of Mauritius -- had to say about the implementation of Free Education:

"When almost by accident and force of historical circumstances, I was offered the portfolio of Education and Cultural Affairs in January 1977, I was already aware of the long and arduous task that awaited me. It was a crucial and decisive time to be Minister of Education and Cultural Affairs. This colossal task of reform and development was a real challenge, the like of which I had never faced before."

Phenomenal work doesn't always get recognised overnight.

Referendum Legislation Could Save Lepep From Electoral Mayhem

Beyond satisfying an electoral pledge it would provide it with important feedback on pressing national issues and opportunities to course correct. For example there is a very wide consensus in our country that we don't need the Metro Express just like saddling the CWA with a management contract is an act of zero governance. While it's true that Government can reverse immediately these two crazy decisions without organising a referendum there are other matters of utmost national interest that it would not want to lump together with a general election. These include electoral reform and the full legalisation of abortion.

Lepep has nothing to lose and everything to gain from deepening our democracy with such a legislation. It knows how smart voters are in seeing through all kinds of wicked schemes. Like the one that was put in front of them in December 2014. And of course a referendum organised before the next by-election would steal a lot of the opposition's thunder plus allow Mauritius to strike something off her bucket list.

2014: The Year in Review (Q4)

October: Parliament dissolved in trivial manner. Don't bet on Sithanen to eliminate poverty. June happy Pistorius gonna pay something. Mauritian democracy competitive again. Tackling unemployment: how do the zinkus stack up?

November: Indira's assassination: 30 years already. Suddenly, Labour/MMM to create 60k jobs. Something for you to sniff.

December: What voters want. 63% of poll says Ramgoolam not winning majority. Reform wasn't good for poor. Mauritius says no to wicked plan. Claudette's visit turns 35. Manou's dismissal is inelegant and silly.

Read the review for Q1, Q2 and Q3.

Manifestos For Two Major Blocks Now Available

L'Alliance Lepep released its manifesto eight days ago while Labour/MMM did so today. Or 58 days after the people at Lalit made their electoral program available. And that has made the recommendation of Abraham Brilloff handy again.

Labour/MMM announced that they will increase old age pension to Rs4,000. This confirms at least two things: one is that they don't have a serious economic plan -- why are we not surprised? -- and two they've been on the defensive for the past month and a half. Lalit has 28 candidates of which 43% are women.

It also shows us how important it is to have a competitive democracy. Which is the foundation of both our electoral setup and system of government.

So the best outcome is that no block gets more than 35 seats and some toxic candidates don't get through.

Labour Party Fails To Beat Record

They released their electoral manifesto today which is 9 days before we go to vote. That's what they did in 2005 too. Which gives you an indication of the amount of respect they have for us voters.

Took a quick peek at it and as you would have guessed it has a fair dose of rubbish.

Remember, sniff but by all means don't swallow.

To Be Sniffed But Not Swallowed

I guess Abraham Brillof's recommendation that we handle financial statements like fine perfume apply to electoral manifestos. I am saying this because the one for the MMM is available since today which I painfully managed to download after several tries a little while ago.

I took a quick look at it and I must say I'm not impressed. Will wait for that of their opponent before launching hostilities.

Political Leaders Show Little Respect For Our Democracy

Manifestos are still not out less than 12 days before Mauritius goes to vote. In 2005, I think Labour released it 9 days before July 3rd. Technically, they can still beat this poor record if it becomes available in the week-end. I don't think the MMM did any better.

And of course Ramgoolam and Berenger will not face off in any televised live debate and grilled by a discerning audience. Unlike what's going on in the UK these days.

The 2010 Aston Martin Windshield Sticker