May Day is over. Labour Day has been the usual political farce where the main parties have been anchored in their conflicts about the size of the crowd they were able to pull. Last week’s public holiday did not change much compared to other years. After weeks of mobilisation, the Labour party, the Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM) and the Militant Socialist Movement (MSM) have all been boasting of being the ones to attract the majority of partisans.

But reality is well below their big speeches. Their rallies did not manage to attract many people and they can’t even admit it. We went through a harsh electoral campaign less than a year ago and nothing could make us believe that the next general elections will take place earlier than in four years. On the contrary, the crowds present tend to show that the Social Alliance continue to attract the majority of electors – at least those present on May Day.

In view of all this, I can’t help wondering why all parties have insisted on making such a big fuss about May Day. It may be due to the fact that no party wanted to be seen as a “loser”; each had to raise the bidding to make sure it would not seem to be the “odd one out”. If pushed, the two opposition parties might have had something to prove to their electorate with their rallies. The MMM and the MSM were not so much on stage to criticise the government but rather to establish their own identity and show they can survive, even when they are no longer together. At worst…

Their childish insistence on organising such a big event for May Day appears even less comprehensible when we think of the minister of Finance’s speech on stage. Rama Sithanen indeed seized the opportunity of this popular event to make his first speech as a responsible minister of Finance in a country faced with major difficulties.

Don’t be mistaken about this! Rama Sithanen’s attitude and words have been perfectly honourable within the past few days. For the first time, a member of the government dares to speak the truth to the population. He swapped his shy speeches about the difficulties in textile and sugar sectors for strong and intimidating ones on the need for the population to tighten its belt… at all levels.

He will be presenting his first budget in exactly one month and no doubt he will need courage to take a number of unpopular measures to help the country benefit from better times in the future. He started showing his courage and determination on May Day. But choosing an event that must have cost a lot of money to speak of the necessity for the population to contribute to the government’s efforts to save money appears quite… ironical.

Likewise opposition parties could have shown their commitment to see the country out of the difficult economic situation by moderating their ardour and… budget on Labour Day.

Rama Sithanen has already warned that government will have to set the example by reducing wastage, inefficiencies and frauds in the public service.

But it would have been a strong signal had all the political parties decided not to waste their money on rallies that proved nothing at all.