Gone are the days when there were trustworthy politicians, like Jules Koenig, Emmanuel Anquetil, Sookdeo Bissoondoyal, Sir Seewoosugur Ramgoolam and Sir Abdool Razack Mohamed, whose ideologies were envied even by foreign statesmen. A well-known political analyst once wrote: “It’s not the kind of government that the country has got which is to be blamed; it’s the population who chose them which is at fault because such a population deserves this type of government”. There comes a time when the electorate has to choose between the devil and the deep blue sea when voting for a government because they are left with no alternative.

Today we have an elected government, which has been ceaselessly accused of associating itself with big capital and of parceling out one community into their different castes to ‘divide and rule’. Yet, this government’s policy, if we have to believe it, is to “harmonize” all communities and fight communalism. This is what I call dramatic irony in politics on the part of its decision makers who claim to be uniting the population.

Certain political leaders are not feeling the pulse of a transitional population that will be voters in 2005. According to vast criticisms, this population has been taken for granted for quite a long time. There are symptoms of a political outburst and great transition ahead. The population knows that such a change is inevitable, as they are counting on it to happen due to their frustrations.

The government’s mode of governance is not up to public expectations. Today many people see this government with great reservations. What does the government stand for regarding the social values of this country? I leave the general public to guess the answer. There are perhaps a few valid political figures in the government who are doing a great job; as for the rest, it is for the electorate to draw its own conclusions.

This is the danger where this government could face lots of problems in the forthcoming general elections in 2005. One of them is that the good and devoted MPs in the government could pay the price for the ‘black sheep’ MPs. It is high time that our decision makers in the top government hierarchy get rid of those “black sheep MPs” if such a government wants to retain any popularity. For instance, MPs who had brushes with the law, even if there were no court convictions, should not be considered for investiture because public perception has already condemned them.

Furthermore, if any new political party wants to succeed in the general elections, such a party should by now have already recruited political figures worthy of respect. Such a new political force must have convictions and qualities to compete with other political parties, provided its aim is to understand the day-to-day social and economic problems of the population. It’s only then that the population will be ready to accept such a transition from traditional political forces. The alternative political force would have to prove itself in deeds rather than words and good governance would be expected at all times. On the other hand, the people are getting fed up to see that our existing political parties are constantly protecting the same old politicians that have never been compatible with the population. Therefore, the electorate wants new blood with good governance that would give incentives to both young and old.

On the other hand, the political manifesto of a major party, according to my sources, could be based on communalism and that’s the only way it thinks it could attract popularity. This party should know that adopting such a strategy could be beneficial only on a short-term basis. After all, the electorate is becoming less and less communal-oriented in a lay society. With hindsight, the population would reject such a devious strategy.

As it stands today, the people are condemned to vote for the same old political parties, as they have no other choice. However, absenteeism could be the name of the game at the next general elections.

<B>by Ahmad MACKY</B>