As the executive, probably realising the futility of continuous acrimony between Government House and Le Réduit showed signs of relenting last Wednesday, the shock came from the president. The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) sent a list of eight people to be appointed as members of the Public Service Commission. By law, it is the president who appoints these members in consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the opposition. By convention, the PM sends his list and, unless there are relevant objections (which there usually never are), the president approves the list submitted by government.

In this case, President Jugnauth had his counter list. On this list, he has kept just one name taken from the other list and, while PM Ramgoolam had proposed former Head of Civil Service Regis Yat Sin as one of the five sitting commissioners, President Jugnauth appointed the latter as chairman. Reports suggest Ramgoolam had no time to react (but that opposition leader Berenger had time to approve) and, before he knew it, the list was made public.

As debates are raging as to the real role of the president of the Republic of Mauritius (perceived as a rubber stamp), the latter has decided to exert the little power that he legally holds. PM Ramgoolam asks a probing question however, “What about morality?”

<B>Opposition led by Paul Bérenger is saying that the government has no right to demand that President Jugnauth retires as they do not have a mandate to remove him. But it seems the PM is well aware of this.</B>

Those close to him argue that President Jugnauth does not have the legitimacy to oppose PM Ramgoolam’s proposals “because the latter (Ramgoolam) has a fresh mandate from the people whereas Jugnauth was appointed president following an electoral agreement between two political parties, which the people has just revoked”.

Opposition led by Paul Bérenger, on the other side, is saying that the government has no right to demand that President Jugnauth retires as they do not have a mandate to remove him. But it seems the PM is well aware of this. At his press conference last Saturday, Navin Ramgoolam did not at any moment attack the President. Instead he was conciliatory. “SAJ was himself prime minister - he has served this country. He should know that the way he is acting is not right. I appeal to his common sense.” He does not demand that the president step down; he puts forward arguments to show that SAJ is not acting as an apolitical president.

The situation does not bode well for the country. At the presidential address ceremony that took place on Friday according to convention - in the sense that it was the president himself who delivered the address despite rife speculations that he would not be invited, the opposition refused to return to the National Assembly for the adjournment. The reason? Paul Bérenger was not happy with the “electoral tone” of the address, which reminded him of an “electoral campaign.” The leader of the opposition was referring to the not-so-subtle criticisms of the former government’s actions that the successor had included in the address to explain the corrective measures it intends to take.

For the government, all this boils down to a conspiracy from the opposition and the President to stop the new government from functioning. Is there indeed conspiracy on the part of the opposition together with the President? One can only speculate and the speculations are rendered easier with this almost overt attempt by both Bérenger and SAJ to have the president portrayed as the “president of the Opposition.” While the drama is unfolding in the worst possible way, the country is going deeper under.

<B>Highlights of the programme-speech…</B>

The programme-speech was more or less based on the issues presented by the social alliance during its electoral campaign. Among them, social issues are given much prominence. The avowed aim is to combine economic with social measures so as to improve the lives of Mauritians.

• The eradication of unemployment is a major target of the government. This should lead to a revival of the economy – as it should boost consumption. A drop in the trade deficit as well as the public debt and inflation should also play their part.

• As the government considers that Law and Order has deteriorated during recent years, it intends to improve the situation. The amendment of the Police Act, the purchase of modern equipment and staff training are some of the major actions envisaged.

• Although we had thought that education would suffer from a “re-reform”, the government doesn’t intend to bring in so many changes. The main one will be the re-conversion of Form VI colleges into Forms I-VI colleges as they were before.

• The government said it would abide by its regional and international commitments on environmental issues. An institutional and legal body will be set up with that aim.

• The giving-up of the targeted approach for pensioners and free transport for students and pensioners will be effective as from September.

• Democratisation of the economy was the leitmotiv of the social alliance during its campaign. A commission chaired by Cader Sayed Hossen will have to make recommendations on the best way of providing access to resources for everyone.