<B>By Deepa BHOOKHUN</B>

I am seriously considering sending a memo to Minister Sithanen. I think I have truly devised a way of filling up those desperately empty state coffers. By taxing “blah blah blah”. So that one day, Pravind Jugnauth could be taxed and the next day, Paul Bérenger, then Prem Raddhoa, Rama Valayden or any one of the ministers including the primus inter pares if they feel inclined to talk nonsense.

Oh! Imagine the amount of money one could make out of trade unionists! Humm… I am thinking there might be a little glitch somewhere in my proposal, though, as they might want to tax me… Definitely going to have to think of a way to exclude journalists from this money-making little wonder I have just devised! See, I am learning fast from our two-faced politicians!

Ok! Back to the memo. I’ll take Jayen Cuttaree as an example to illustrate my point - and also the fact that I am not biased as I really do like the guy. I think he’s a gentleman really and this goes to show that the venture will be profitable with even gentlemen talking nonsense!

Mr Cuttaree demands that the AG step down because Rama Valayden has been found guilty by a court of law, the highest in the land. Now if the MR leader does not comply with the instructions given by Honourable Cuttaree, members of the MMM in Parliament will walk out whenever the AG is making statements or answering questions. If Jayen Cuttaree meant what he said, then I think he should definitely stay out.

Rama Valayden has been found guilty, in a court of law, of defamation. Not of rape, not of swindling, not of drug trafficking, not of corruption. Defamation is a misdemeanour that most politicians have been found guilty of at some point or other in their careers. Defamation is a misdemeanour that the press is regularly found guilty of, in a court of law. Defamation is an unhappy occurrence when it happens in the press because it is most certainly not what we aim for but defamation is one of the first rules of the game called politics. Jayen Cuttaree, of all people, should know this.

Should we be surprised that Rama Valayden, a politician, made defamatory remarks about Jayen Cuttaree in 2001 when the latter was in government and the former in the extra parliamentary opposition? If any of you reply yes to this question, I’m afraid I’m going to have to call you a hypocrite.

I am not saying it is right, I am simply saying that’s the way things have happened. So five years later (oh Justice! Justice! where art thou?), the court finds for Jayen Cuttaree and I say, good for him. If he has been defamed, then he should be compensated. And I say shame to Valayden and his government, going on about false news when it seems they are as guilty as hell of providing the false news.

But for goodness sake! Let us have a sense of perspective here. The AG should step down because he has been found guilty of defamation? Preposterous nonsense.

The kind that qualifies for the taxation!