Deepa BHOOKHUN

I hear our friends the trade unionists are enraged that government is looking into the possibility of imposing a toll fee to enter Port-Louis during peak hours. I, on the other hand, hope to God Government goes ahead with this rather unpopular decision but obviously I will not be joined in my prayers by our enlightened trade unionists. Well tough luck really.

I often wonder what goes through the minds of trade unionists every morning as they wake up and find out what?s been happening in the world while they have been in la la land. I would give everything I own (not to worry, it?s not much) to know if they actually think and properly digest any information and its implications before they open their mouths.

They will have to excuse me for getting personal but I find their latest outburst about the Rs100 toll fee to enter Port-Louis between 7 and 10 am ludicrous. They want the bus way but don?t think people should be made to pay to enter Port-Louis. It seems that the whole concept of relieving traffic congestion by proposing an alternative mode of transport is Greek to them. Let?s try and decipher it for them in plain language. People will not take the bus to go to work because of habit and other complexes. So, government needs to find ways of discouraging them to take their cars into Port-Louis.

The bus way in itself without the ?penalty? of paying a toll that is high enough to hurt the taxpayer?s pockets, will not work because there will be no incentive to hop on the bus every morning. How difficult is this to comprehend?

Rs 100 is too high a fee? Well that?s the whole point isn?t it? The toll fee is meant to work as a disincentive not as an invitation to bring your car into Port-Louis, add to the pollution, worsen the traffic jam and make everybody?s life a tad more stressful. No Sir!

I?ve thought hard about those trade unionists and whether there is a way to help them change their mindsets in a way that would bring them at par with the reform Mauritius is going through. Because, let?s face it, any country needs strong intelligent trade unions and I?m afraid to say that so far they are not fulfilling the requirement of intelligence. So I came up with a clever solution. Maybe we need to send them abroad for a while. Expose them to the experience of countries like Singapore where the people together with the authorities have successfully made a break with conventional wisdom, countries that have set aside their prejudices and dared.

Why, I am even prepared to donate a small amount of my meager salary to help fund that much needed trip. Trust me it will be money well spent, if only for the fact that we won?t ever have to be subjected to some of their ridiculous stands and opinions.

Except that paying for their fare and living expenses abroad might comfort them in their beliefs that people are owed a living.

Damn! I?ll have to think harder.