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Le Morne Brabant: The PM ill-advised?
On Friday 23 May 2008, the Prime Minister appeared on the TV to tell the nation what he had been briefed to tell: the inscription of Le Morne Brabant Mountain on the World Heritage List. Taking up primetime is always a risky venture for a politician but the PM was prepared to take up the gamble because he was briefed that he was going to break monumental news. The incumbent Minister of Arts and Culture who is best known for causing hilarity with his incongruous verbiage, sat, for a change, poke-faced, on silent mode; at least while I watched. The next day, the Leader of Opposition, without verifying his History notes, which is unbecoming of him, took up the relay and claimed paternity of the event. However, nothing could have been further from the truth. Someone should have crossed-checked the information and the PM would have been spared the credibility gap. Worse, what if the site gets rejected? Actually, the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), one the two Advisory Bodies mandated by World Heritage Convention, had recommended, earlier on that Friday, the inscription of Le Morne Brabant Mountain on UNESCO?s much coveted list. Nicolas Sarkozy, in person, is battling for French gastronomy to be inscribed.
Someone ought to have briefed the PM that ICOMOS, whose services are hired at astronomical prices, had refused to recognize the outstanding universal value of the Aapravasi Ghat in April 2006. However, the 2006 session of the World heritage committee overruled the recommendation and inscribed the site on World heritage List in July of the same year. Once beaten, ICOMOS wants to play it safe especially that Mauritius has been courting the WHC Chairman by giving him lavish receptions. As the Official Guest at the national celebrations this year, he was given princely attention. There have been lots of raised eyebrows. Anyway, that?s not the point. The point is that ICOMOS recommendations are not a make-or-break issue but a wrong advice can be and that on many fronts.
As it is, the PM must be like a jilted bride?till July.
The Rover</B>
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