People in Rodrigues at the moment may have the feeling they are in Mauritius. Such sudden changes in the political landscape have never occurred in the island and some of the comments are much like the ones heard during the last electoral campaign in Mauritius. While the former chief commissioner, Serge Clair, is saying the two resigning members of his party, the Organisation du Peuple Rodriguais (OPR), are simply“renegades”, the island will have no leader at its head until the end of the week. The President of the Republic, Sir Anerood Jugnauth, is flying to Rodrigues on Friday to attend the oath taking ceremony of the new chief commissioner, Johnson Roussety.

Serge Clair and his party never had to face such animosity as during the last few days and he appeared quite upset by the resignation of the two OPR members. Robertson Mercure was the first to quit the party on the 22nd of July. He asserted he was “very sad to leave but could no longer face the internal tensions and plots of the party”. But the political landscape would not have changed if another member had not followed his lead. After the resignation of Robertson Mercure, the OPR still had a majority in the regional assembly.

However, last week the former chief commissioner had to face another heavy blow.To show her solidarity towards her former fellow candidate, Marie Lindsay Castel submitted her resignation as well. She explained that she could no longer stand the fact that all their projects were being held up owing to boycotts by people within their own party.

Serge Clair and some of his supporters might have imagined that Marie Lindsay Castel would soon return to the fold but their hopes must have vanished when both resigning members clearly said they would support the opposing party, Johnson Roussety’s Mouvement Rodriguais (MR).

In view of the “indiscipline and ingratitude” of the two resigning members, Serge Clair and all members of the party had to face facts. All of them resigned from their posts at the regional assembly, with the result that Johnson Roussety will take the oath on Friday in the presence of the President of the Republic.

<I>The MR leader is aware that his island has a lot to do to achieve development but he is confident that, with work and creativity, the people will achieve the objective.</I>

As from that moment, Johnson Roussety is confident that Rodrigues will begin a new era. He has already said his new team – which will remain secret until the official ceremony – will tackle what he considers to be flagrant injustices. He intends to meet the minister of Trade, Rajesh Jeetah, as soon as he gets into power about the price of ration rice, which people from Rodrigues can’t afford. Likewise, he will do everything possible to review the benefits granted to fishermen in case of bad weather. He appeared to be against the authorities’ decision to split the island into four regions and to grant benefits accordingly. He finds such a system discriminatory.

He has also clearly expressed his intention to remain as he has always been, that is close to the people of Rodrigues. He is aware that his island has a lot to do to achieve development and growth but is confident that, with work and creativity, the people will achieve their objective. Tourism, fishing and agriculture will of course be at the centre of development but the future chief commissioner also wants to develop other sectors.

Serge Clair, even though he first appeared weakened by the events, has already said he is getting ready for the next elections. But both parties will be hanging on the President’s every word in the next few weeks, as he will be the one to decide on the type of elections Rodrigues will have to face.

If the President decides to dissolve the regional assembly, then general elections will be organised in Rodrigues within the next three months and Johnson Roussety will only be the chief commissioner of a caretaker government for that period. If Sir Anerood Jugnauth chooses not to dissolve the assembly, then by-elections will be organised within the next three months and the commissioners will remain in their posts until September 2007…