It was said almost casually, in a very matter-of-fact way. Of course, in the country’s supreme interest. And you know who are those who hold this country’s interests supreme. None else than politicians. Our dear prime minister has proved it once again.

Because a bye-election would cost too much to the country (never mind the outrageous way that money is being wasted by this government over everything and anything as long is it suits them), Mr Bérenger thinks it might not be too good a thing for the country to go through a bye-election a few months before the deadline for the general elections. Fair enough. He has a point.

Opposition leader Navin Ramgoolam happens to share this view. For different reasons. He wants general elections; he has wanted them for a while now. Fair enough. Fair game, one would be tempted to add.

As Ramgoolam pointed out in his press conference, the prime minister has only one of two options opened to him. A bye-election or general elections. Little did Ramgoolam know. Or little did we know for that matter. If the law, as it stands, gives Bérenger only one of two options, it is only a mere, minor problem that can easily be solved: let’s amend the legislation!

Brilliant, huh? Such a clever man, that Bérenger. And do you know what the best thing is? He has found what is in his mind an infallible excuse: “Pravind needs to present his second budget. But, of course, it could be done earlier than May (when Parliament has to be dissolved if they choose to go straight to general elections) but “we don’t like the idea too much”. And, what do you do, when something doesn’t please you, Mr prime minister? Easy! Get rid of it! “It will be a small thing. We’ll just need to amend the law and it will allow us to present our last budget.”

I’M SORRY? GIVE US A BREAK! Can you believe this man? Bérenger is careful to add though, that he is not acting like SSR, holding on to power. Are you not, Paul Bérenger? Then, what the hell are you doing? Oh, maybe, he only wants to be given the chance to be generous to the people just in case he doesn’t come back to power…

All this would be funny if it were not so serious. This is a message to the prime minister: No, you cannot do as you please. This is a republic you are heading right now, not the central committee of your political party, you cannot dispose of the law as you please and you must get back to reality. And you cannot have the proverbial cake and eat it. It is rather impossible to do…