In the 2005 general elections the PTR/ PMSD campaigned on the slogan Putting People First and won on this basis. It’s high time for the population to draw the attention of the government to put the Nation first instead of their own interest for political survival in the forthcoming elections in 2015.

We agree that the electoral reform needs a particular attention from the concerned stakeholders but the government should also understand that there are many major issues that need to be addressed urgently at the same level of treatment as the electoral reform. The country is witnessing an unnecessary political turmoil to the detriment of the smooth running of the National Assembly. The prorogation of the latter on two occasions, is it not in a way baffling the democracy on one hand and on the other hand the Prime Minister is focusing on electoral reform in order to strengthen the same democracy “plus démocrate que moi, je meurs”.

(…) Mr the Prime Minister, Accountability is an important component in Public Administration. (…) By so doing, the government is using electoral reform as a tool in complicity with the main opposition party to deprive the population of their right to information. We are worried about the challenges that are awaiting us and how the government intends to address these major issues. (…).

i. Ageing population

We would like to be informed and enlightened on the World Bank Report submitted to the Government in respect to the National Pensions Fund. The said report stressed on the one hundred billion rupees in the fund and of its investment policy strategy. As per the Report, the NPF fund is used to finance projects of state owned Authorities at interest free loan at the level of 40% whilst on the other hand attention is being drawn on the alarming ageing population which will impact adversely on the payment of pensions to our contributors in the long run. (…) Till now no policy has been defined on the means to invest these funds where return on investment can be assured.

ii. Economic growth

The stagnancy of the economic growth from 2% to 3.5% for the last decade is alarming for the country. (…) We must bear in mind that the government need to restructure the existing economic pillars in order to make them vibrant and competitive, at the same time look for new emerging economic pillars to support the traditional ones. (…)

iii. Unemployment problem

(…) Since the last five years the unemployment rate has remained at 8% which comprises of almost graduate from universities and the female ratio dominates that of men. Our youngsters are compelled to leave the country to find a job elsewhere.

iv. Debt ratio

Every year the Central Statistics Office report is showing an increase in public debts which are now exceeding 230 billion rupees. Domestic debt ratio is keeping the same trend as public debts, a latest survey on debts from families is showing that a majority of middle class families are heavily indebted and unable to pay their debts in time. (…)

v. Law and order

It is not enough to rely on statistical ratio of decimal percentage decrease in comparative to previous years to show that the government is tackling the problem of law and order in the country. (…)