CHETAN RAMCHURN
Of concern to those presently in office is the pattern from history books. All landslide victories (with a majority of above 50 seats for the winning faction) were followed by defeats. Be it in 82,91,95 and 2000. Having supported change, I welcome the ousting of the previous team but cannot quite understand the many mistakes of the new regime in the opening weeks. True, the last 10 years were scandal-filled ones but people can forget and 5 years is a long time.
A presidential PM?
The first of them is the erroneous conception of what a PM can do. Ramgoolam might think that the ill-advised and -fated 2nd Republic of 2014 has been approved in 2024. For how else can someone be so adamant to pick someone who has been repeatedly rejected by the electorate to act as Minister of Finance in the shadows. Have his neo-liberal reflexes finally been tamed? Have we not learnt enough from the occasional spats with Bheenick that he talks and walks right? He has everything to prove. May he finally understand that there is the need to protect the people and not the export-lobbies at play.
Another Vice-President. Why?
Another issue is the apparent decision to keep the utterly useless vice-presidential post to please his partner. This already shows a demarcation from what had been initially promised by the at least one of the candidates in the now-in-power alliance. While some of the old faces that have been given a new lease inspire confidence and authority, most are still baffled by the choice of Phokeer’s replacement. Really, this is change? Even those within t=he MMM ranks fail to understand how this makes any sense.
Renewable Energy?
Another crucial choice was the choice of the one at the helm of the Ministry of Energy. Under the former mandate, this ministry was marred by allegations of corruption, we could have wished for someone with an immaculate past and a sound knowledge of sustainable solutions. Not quite what we are being handed…
This is the grace period which will last between 3 and 6 months, may we hope that this government does not err as badly as the previous one. Already, they seem to be all engaged in dull PR without caring to remind us what their programme for the coming 5 years will be. In the catalogue of change for the sake of change: Junior Ministers instead of PPSs that are likely once again to be selfie-takers that do not contribute much.
Nonetheless, let us hope for the best.