Monday last, many Mauritians became acquainted with Tina. Our thanks to Radio One. The station was instrumental to the encounter, albeit virtual. It was Rama Sithanen, Deputy Prime minister and minister of Finance who, on the airwaves, introduced Tina to the nation.

Please, don?t throw stones at us, and let?s invite the Honourable Prime minister to cool down ! We are not spreading false news and certainly not alleging that minister Sithanen is an "entremetteur". In fact, Tina is a mere acronym for "There Is No Alternative". The minister reminded us of Tina, in his endeavours to convince people that only his solutions are feasible, in the present socioeconomic entanglement.

Such a bold statement from over-confident Sithanen is no surprise. We are used to such muscle flexing. After all, our minister of Finance is second to none, isn?t he ? But what is baffling, is Sithanen?s reference to such a right-wing approach embodied in the Tina concept. Readers nearing retirement, surely remember Tina, the mid-sixties American theory, which became a recurrent slogan during the Thatcherian era, in Britain.

We thought that, as an LSE alumnus and member of the Labour Party, Sithanen would have rather chosen to be closer to the ideas of Anthony Giddens as expressed in his "Third Way". Giddens, at a time, a prominent figure at the London School of Economics and Political Science was very influent in Tony Blair?s inner circle.

Any way, there?s no need to quarrel over Sithanen?s ideological posture. Let?s only record that, at times, coincidence is an excellent stage director. At the very moment when the Deputy Prime minister and minister of Finance called in Tina to convince us that sacrifice is unavoidable, another Deputy Prime minister asked us to meet RITA.

But, who is Rita ? Well, that?s not a person. As Tina, it?s an acronym, coined after seeing a picture of Xavier-Luc Duval, Deputy Prime minister and minister of Tourism on the front page of an evening daily. It stands for " Repulsive Indecent Trifling Attitude".

Quite a number of Mauritians were almost convinced by Sithanen?s arguments, when they caught sight of the incongruous snapshot. What a provocative scene : minister Duval sprawling on the future First class seat of Air Mauritius, at the recent Salon du tourisme.

We are told, he was trying to ascertain the degree of comfort provided by the seat. Take the bet of the day ? Duval is looking forward with eagerness to be on board for the inaugural flight of the new aircraft. Managers of the national airline would be well advised to check about the expectations of honourable rumps. Forget not, the "lev paké" scheme is still on.

How come our politicians are so contemptuous towards the population ? Showing off one?s propensity for luxury paid from taxpayers? money, in the face of those toiling for a crumb is simply outrageous. And Sithanen dares talk about Tina?

Maybe he is right as there seem to be no alternative to the lavish mode of living of some ministers. These will keep on showing Repulsive Indecent Trifling Attitudes (Rita).

JED