<B>By Pauline ETIENNE</B>

Now that the euphoria of parties and celebrations are over for (almost) everyone, let?s get back to reality! What have we all been doing the most during the past two weeks? I can bet most of us would reply "shopping" to this simple question?

Although many of us have complained of the difficult times we may have experienced during the year, it seems that the end-of-year bonus has been the panacea for many. Every frustration that we may have encountered throughout the year seems to have disappeared with the shopping fever of the festive season.

Surprisingly enough, this fever has not even stopped after Christmas or the New Year?s eve? It persisted until the weekend ? with a small lull on Friday. Probably because people wanted to take full advantage of their days off with family and friends.

Well, now that the vast majority is back to work, the comeback to the real world may prove hard for some. Subsisting until the end of January may be an amazing feat for some ? especially with the bad news that the population have been facing recently.

The coming rise in the price of flour and the one already introduced on diesel have been real pains for consumers who will undeniably have to tighten their belts as from now. With some luck, the reforms launched several months back will start impacting on the average citizen? But this will probably not happen overnight (as we?ve noticed for the past year) and hard times are probably not over yet.

In his message for the New Year, the prime minister, Navin Ramgoolam, has however taken the commitment that those who really need it will be granted special allowances to face increasing prices and the loss of purchasing power. This should help them wait for brighter days. But this requests much solidarity and a strong sense of responsibility from other citizens. Those who can afford it must accept that others are in a more tricky situation and need help.

The public may play the game but the government must keep its commitment for a brighter future and the results must be seen this year if they want people to keep confidence in them!