The Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM) is turning on the charm. The party seized the opportunity of its delegates’ assembly on Sunday at the Plaza to confirm its determination. Even if chances that the party leader, Paul Bérenger, recovers the office of opposition leader are dwindling (see inset), the party appears to be in a confident mood. He made it clear that the MMM was already a “national party” – ready to go it alone in the next elections.

Criticisms against the government were rife to attract all those who could have been disappointed since the coming of the Social Alliance to power. The MMM leader said he would give his full support to trade unions to obtain correct wage compensation but also to fight against the coming Labour Act – especially the ‘hire and fire’ concept. He also threatened to support the DWC workers in a hunger strike if the promises made at the High Powered Committee meeting to give jobs to former workers were not kept.

He asserts that, unlike the government that “has betrayed the public with promises that it has not kept”, the MMM has retained its inner values and beliefs in social equity and national unity. The party has had time to rebuild itself and is now ready face the next general elections alone. In any case, it will not accept any alliance where it will not be the prime force. “We will not negotiate,” warned Steven Obeegadooo, member of the political bureau.

<B>Political landscape remains unchanged</B>

The visit of the leader of the Organisation du Peuple Rodriguais (OPR), Serge Clair, may have surprised a lot of people. While he was expected to take sides with the opposition, he made it clear that his party would remain independent from all Mauritian political parties. He met the leaders of the three main parties – the prime minister, Navin Ramgoolam, the leader of the Militant Socialist Movement (MSM), Pravind Jugnauth, and the leader of the Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM), Paul Bérenger – but he did not commit to supporting any of them in Parliament. The prime minister said he was satisfied with the decision. This was probably linked to the fact that rumours were rife during the past few days that Serge Clair might choose to support the MMM – thus helping Paul Bérenger to recover the office of opposition leader… Nando Bodha will keep his place until further notice!