<B>By Deepa Bhookhun</B>

If I were an election observer from abroad and I was observing this particular electoral campaign, what would I make of it? What would I write in my report? My attention would sure be attracted to a few things that go out of the ordinary to say the least. I suppose I?d write them in my notebook in note form. Let?s go!

1. President?s wife (mother of candidate) goes campaigning. Press and opposition protest. General outcry. Wife sheds criticisms off and keeps on campaigning. She goes to people?s houses and they tell her to go away because she should be at the State House.

2. Both blocs make their electoral manifesto public only one week before polling day. (Spent the preceding ones insulting each other)

3. Both leaders speak of national unity but go to great lengths to remind the people of Mauritius that they are different? (a bit weird)

4. PM has no enemies, only opponents (but somehow seems to enjoy insulting them!)

5. No debate about respective bloc?s manifestos. But PM does not seem to like opponent?s cover. (He must have liked contents.) About cover he said ?hands are groping- don?t know what they were trying to hold beautiful white hands?? (I am totally lost!)

6. PM also criticizes deputy leader of Labour party? because the latter is old! (He?s 70) Reaction? Deputy leader says : ?At least my hands don?t shake and my moustache doesn?t vibrate.? His leader adds, ?Bérenger forgets, he is 60.? (No comments)

7. Ramgoolam thought the PM and DPM and their team looked like ?the Dalton brothers?. (Hum?quite amusing though, would never have thought of that myself!)

8. Violence everywhere, people carrying weapons and injuring others, one killed so far? and PM saying he?s very satisfied that elections are peaceful. (OK, I?m a bit puzzled)

9. Candidates debating on radios and quibbling about everything but the essential. (Oh, the women are worse!)

10. Boring TV messages from politicians : they sit, look at you and do a soliloquy that would have put Hamlet to shame. (No debates)

11. Still waiting to see two aspiring PMs on TV (strange, TV programs don?t mention them so don?t know for when they are scheduled.)

12. Haven?t seen press interviews either. (Maybe at the eve of elections ? a bit perplexed politicians here rarely seem to give interviews to newspapers. Seems they like giving press conferences though.)

13. PLASTIC!!! Everywhere! (They call it folklore)

14. Most bizarre experience. Would sure like to come back in five year?s time! (to see if they have caught up with the rest of the world, ha ha!). But I?m glad, I don?t live here.

<B>P.S. </B> : hope no one finds this because I have heard politicians can be very intolerant to humour and criticisms!