“The winds of change are blowing even stronger”

Interview: Dharam Gokhool

‘People have rightly come to value their freedom over money, and money-driven politics is likely to have little impact on their voting behavior’

* ‘Missié Moustass’ audio recordings: ‘What we are witnessing may be only the tip of an iceberg of a criminal surveillance system’

* ‘Both Ramgoolam and Bérenger ‘n’ont pas droit à l’erreur’…
… more than just a political necessity, it is their moral responsibility to the nation’

---

In the lead-up to Mauritius’ highly anticipated elections, political tension is palpable, as various alliances vie for the support of the electorate. Last Sunday, the ‘Alliance du Changement’ drew an impressive crowd in Port Louis, drawing comparisons with the ‘Lepep’ alliance’s gathering in Vacoas on the same day. However, despite the energy and enthusiasm displayed by both sides, the path to electoral victory remains uncertain. To shed light on the current political landscape and the challenges ahead, we sat down with Dharam Gokhool, former education minister, for his perspective on the upcoming elections, the political climate, and the reforms needed to restore trust in Mauritius’ democratic institutions.

---

Mauritius Times: The ‘Alliance du Changement’ drew a good crowd last Sunday, perhaps slightly larger than the turnout of the ‘Lepep’ alliance in Vacoas on the same day. However, the outcome of the upcoming elections remains far from certain; one could even say it’s still very unclear. Do you feel the same way?

Dharam Gokhool: From the various comments and clips of both gatherings that I came across and also if we go by opinions expressed by independent observers, the Port Louis crowd was indeed much bigger.

By its composition, it was more diverse, with people of all ages, men and women, young and old, from all communities of our beautiful rainbow nation, and from every part of the country. More enthusiastic, highly motivated and committed to support the change agenda.

Most people came to Port Louis by their own means. In many constituencies, the Lepep Alliance deployed considerable resources — financial and material, with transport facilities, T shirts, “manger boire”, without forgetting the conspicuous presence of Senior Citizens and Bangladeshi workers. I was even told that many who attended were rewarded up to Rs 2000 for their presence at Phoenix.

The Port Louis crowd was much, much bigger in terms of organisation, momentum, enthusiasm and impact. But as you say, until the ballot boxes settle the outcome of these general elections, the battle must be waged on all fronts. The dangers of poll rigging are real with suspicious incidents being reported in the media. No retreat and no surrender until victory should be leitmotiv of all candidates and activists. Eternal vigilance until the final count.

The absolute power arrogated by those whom the former DPP rightly described as an “association of criminals” will stop at nothing in trying to discredit the Alliance du Changement and launch personal, below-the-belt attacks against its leaders, particularly the LP leader, Navin Ramgoolam.

* Don’t you think it’s possible that the “Alliance Lepep” might still devise new strategies to shift the situation in their favour?

My simple and straightforward answer is that the ‘Changement’ alliance will have to be cautiously optimistic and avoid being overconfident. Until final results are announced, it has to be on alert 24/7 mode and keep its adversaries on its radar.

During the last two mandates of the MSM-led government, people have suffered terribly from the inhuman treatment inflicted on the population during the Covid-19 pandemic, followed by the Wakashio ecological disaster, the inhuman treatment of squatters, the ongoing mismanagement of the economy, drug proliferation, the stifling of democracy, state capture of nearly all public institutions through political agents, the deliberate deterioration of our public services, the daily partisan political propaganda of the MBC-TV, scandals of all kinds, cases of fraud, corruption and nepotism, the divisive campaigns fuelled by racism and communalism — the list is not exhaustive.

People will not forget the all the pains and suffering inflicted upon them by the MSM government over the last ten years.

You only need to watch the videos of ‘Missié Moustass’ to get a sense of the troubling influence at play, with a Prime Minister seemingly neglecting his constitutional duties under the sway of questionable forces and by a manipulative and controversial high priestess.

Against this background, I can confidently say that we have a silent majority, deeply conscious of the overall deterioration of the state of our country, and they have already made up their minds in favour of change. In my opinion, these last-minute strategies are more likely to backfire as they will be perceived as desperate moves to hang on to power.

* Is it not possible that tangible promises, like the 14th-month salary and other financial benefits offered by the government, could sway a significant portion of the public in favor of the ‘Lepep’ alliance and put a break to the momentum for change?

When the ‘Lepep’ alliance came out with these last-minute announcements, they did create some worry in the ranks of the ‘Changement’ alliance.

But as you know, almost immediately, there was a sharp rise in the prices of various commodities including cooking oil. It was largely unexpected, and the ‘Lepep’ alliance was caught in a maelstrom of strong public resentment which significantly diluted the overall impact of the 14th-month salary deal. It was a classic case of a zero-sum game.

On the other hand, the ‘Changement’ alliance took on board the impact of rising prices, and the sufferings of the people, and decided that people deserved to be compensated with a 14th-month salary, which will be paid. By the way, the 14th-month salary was already on the agenda of the ‘Alliance du Changement’, as Xavier Duval, the then Leader of the Opposition had already put a PNQ on behalf of the Opposition in the National Assembly. We must not forget that Xavier was chairing a committee for drafting the manifesto of the Opposition and that proposal had emanated from that committee.

It is sheer hypocrisy for the MSM to claim ownership of this measure just as in the case of the Metro project.

On the contrary, it seems to me that the winds of change are blowing even stronger in favour of the Opposition. We should not also ignore the fact that many in the MSM ranks, including MPs and Municipal Councillors have already left the sinking Titanic…

* It’s possible that electors, both within the ‘Changement’ and ‘Lepep’ camps are starting to grow weary of the constant revelations from ‘Missié Moustass.’ What truly seems to matter more to them now are the tangible promises, like the 14th-month salary and other financial benefits offered by the government. What’s your take on this?

The shocking videos of ‘Missié Moustass’ have revealed the extent of the unprecedented rottenness (‘pourriture’) of the government. People, especially the younger generation, have realised how their liberties, freedoms and justice have been trampled over by this government. The interference with the internet and social media is a flagrant illustration of the totalitarian practices of this regime.

As the leaders of the ‘Changement’ alliance have stated, these elections are comparable to those of 1967. In 1967, we fought for our independence; in these elections we are fighting for the restoration of our liberties which have been confiscated by the MSM government for the benefit of the notorious ‘Lakwizin’ and its acolytes.

People have rightly come to value their freedom over money, and money-driven politics is likely to have little impact on the voting behavior of the population.

* In the past two weeks, the ‘Missié Moustass’ videos, along with those yet to be revealed, have been very enlightening, offering a real ‘eye-opener’ about serious weaknesses in the inner workings of the state apparatus, thereby compromising the security of the nation. Whar your thoughts?

The revelations of ‘Missié Moustass’ have deeply shocked and traumatized the population. People have been outraged by the widespread surveillance of private conversations, even on supposedly secure platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook. More disturbing still, these intrusions raise serious concerns about our national security.

This situation brings to mind the “sniffing” incident at Jacotet Bay. What we are witnessing may be only the tip of an iceberg of a criminal surveillance system, involving sophisticated equipment, costly servers, and spyware technology. No hacker or phone tapper, aside from those within a secret state-run operation, would possess the means to eavesdrop on hundreds of people simultaneously without control or high-level instructions.

The ‘Changement’ alliance government will need to urgently review the entire national security system and reassure the public that there will be no intrusion into their private lives. Trust in our democracy and its institutions must be restored, with a new legislative framework established to protect both national security and citizens’ privacy.

Our international standing as a sovereign democratic state has been tarnished, and every effort must be made to repair the damage. In light of these revelations, significant reforms are necessary to restore public confidence in our institutions.

* * These revelations should prompt significant changes in how we perceive and manage our institutions moving forward. What do you expect from the next Prime Minister in terms of remedial actions and reforms aimed at strengthening institutional autonomy, ensuring better governance, and safeguarding the separation of powers?

Our institutions, such as the Bank of Mauritius, FCC, FIU, IBA, ICTA, FSC, STC, etc., should function in an autonomous and independent manner without any political interference.

Institutional integrity must be high on the agenda of a future government.

Furthermore, the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) should be revamped completely to enable it to play its role as an independent national broadcaster in line with a new mandate, without any political pressure, so that never again the government of the day can use it as a propaganda instrument. Private media operators must be encouraged to allow for diversity of opinions and views.

In parallel, it is imperative to introduce a Fiscal Responsibility and Debt Management Act to ensure the judicious management of public finances, limiting unnecessary expenditure and strengthening transparency and accountability.

The powers of the National Audit Office should be strengthened to enable it to initiate corrective measures regarding waste and misuse of public funds. Additionally, the vital role of our National Assembly as the foremost institution for ensuring public accountability and transparency in public affairs must be re-established and reinforced.

Finally, to strengthen justice, we will fully support the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), ensuring it has the necessary resources to effectively fulfill its mandate. With these reforms, it is hoped that the ‘Change Alliance’ will restore citizens’ trust in their institutions, ensuring transparent and accountable governance for the future of Mauritius.

* The ‘Missiés Moustass’ revelations have also highlighted the risks of abuses that can occur when excessive power is exercised by a Prime Minister. It would perhaps be pertinent to seriously consider immediately a limitation of his term. What do you think ?

These revelations show the dangers of excessive concentration of power. The issue of limitation of the Prime Ministerial term of office has been a subject of intense debate recently.

Instituting a term limit for a Prime Minister is a challenge. Unlike a presidential system, where the head of the executive is directly elected by the people, the prime minister in a parliamentary regime draws his legitimacy from Parliament and can be recalled as long as he enjoys the confidence of a majority of’ elected MPs. This means that a term limit could interfere with parliamentary will and, by extension, that of the electorate.

Nevertheless, to avoid abuses, the manifesto of ‘Changement’ alliance proposes to strengthen governance mechanisms to limit excessive influence of one individual. This includes the creation of independent parliamentary committees and improved transparency of public appointments and expenditure.

These measures will guarantee a balance of powers while fully respecting the principles of our parliamentary democracy. Thus, the “Changement” alliance will ensure that the democratic ethos and values scaffold the office of the Prime Minister, bolstered by rigorous governance rules adapted to today’s challenges.

* With two strong leaders at the helm of the “Changement” Alliance, do you foresee a smooth implementation of the government’s program?

Both Ramgoolam and Bérenger are experienced politicians with impressive track records. They must have gauged the pulse of the population and understood their legitimate expectations through their numerous interactions during the campaign.

The programme was agreed upon after extensive consultations and discussions between the various parties of the Alliance. In the event of any differences, they will need to demonstrate maturity and responsibility so as not to disappoint the electorate.

Given that this may likely be their last mandate, they have no choice but to ensure the success of their mission. “Ils n’ont pas droit à l’erreur.” (They cannot afford to make mistakes.)
They will also need to consider the legacy they will leave behind for both the present and future generations. More than just a political necessity, it is their moral responsibility to the nation.

* At some point, all party leaders or heads of government reflect on their ‘legacy’—what they hope to be remembered for. How do you think history will judge the leadership of Navin Ramgoolam and Paul Bérenger, and what lasting impact do you believe they could have on the country’s political landscape?

The leaders have travelled to every corner of the country and have listened to thousands of our fellow citizens of all ages. The people have opened their hearts to them to convey the most important message of this campaign:

“We trust you; don’t let us down. Think of our children and our youth. Think of our motherland, scarred by ten years of poor governance and all the excesses of a totalitarian regime. Restore the trust of the citizens in state institutions, restore responsible management of the country’s affairs, elevate yourselves to the status of heads of state, and restore the honour of our country both regionally and internationally.”

Respect for human dignity must be at the centre of all the thoughts and actions of both Navin Ramgoolam and Paul Bérenger. Let us never forget that our people came in different ships, but today we are all in the same boat. The two captains have the duty and responsibility to steer the country towards a new destination, a new future for all. This must be their one and only mission. They must strive to leave behind a united, strong, dynamic, and confident Mauritius, proud of its future.

---

Mauritius Times ePaper Friday 8 November 2024