As Nomination Day gets closer, tensions within parties and alliances are increasing. Both sides are having much difficulty in finalising their lists of candidates. The leaders are trying to satisfy the majority but this is not proving easy at all on one side or the other.

Prime minister, Paul Bérenger, admitted at his weekly press conference that there are some “inevitable problems” between the MSM and the MMM – the two main parties of the ruling alliance – when trying to reach a consensus on the list of candidates. But he insisted that this always happens between two partners and added that the list should be finalised by the end of this week.

It is a fact that everyone cannot be satisfied and there will inevitably be disappointment and resentment when the list is released. However, this time, things could be even worse because of the government’s desire to present more women. Of course, as the PM puts it, “one more woman on the list means one man out… and this doesn’t mean that men have done a worse job!” This doesn’t take into consideration the possibility that some of these men are already macho!

<B>No offence to anyone</B>

As for the opposition, things are far from being easier… They seem to have as many problems, if not more, in finalising their list. Their main problem is not exactly the same, but is rather the number of partners involved in the Social alliance. With six parties forming the opposition, its leader, Navin Ramgoolam, must be having a real headache. Of course, he will take the great majority of tickets. But the problem arises as he has to share the few remaining ones between the other parties without offending any of them.

Navin Ramgoolam did nothing to appease the situation when he announced last week that Rashid Beebeejaun would be the deputy prime minister. The opposition leader had said quite recently that the name of his DPM would be known after the elections depending on each party’s results. Xavier Luc Duval, leader of the Parti Mauricien Xavier Duval (PMXD), who was nominated for this post inthe general elections in 2000, must have felt really bad since he was convinced that he would get the post.

In fact, rumours were rife about his joining the ruling alliance but he had denied them, saying he perfectly understood Ramgoolam’s attitude. He at the time looked sure of his position in the opposition alliance. Things are now totally different and the possibility that he joins the government is not to be cast aside. His possible frustration might thus lead to changes in the political landscape.

Between now and the day the lists are ready, the campaign goes on. Besides the good deed to small planters (see below), the minister of Social Security, Sam Lauthan, has also been kind to the elderly. He was at a recreational day for the OAPs in Cité Martial last Saturday and seized the opportunity to enumerate his treats for pensioners. He announced that they would benefit from subventions to buy dentures and 30% discount on air fares as from July.

<B>Avalanche of promises</B>

As for Paul Bérenger, he is trying to do anything he can to avoid criticism in this electoral period. Along with his clarification that the former Labour government is to blame for the South Eastern highway (as it had committed itself with the African Development Bank), he wanted to make sure he had no problem with the fact that Private Parliamentary Secretaries (PPS) were still in post despite the dissolution of Parliament. He met them yesterday and asked them to step down pending the Supreme Court ruling. Labour has contested the fact that the latter were still functioning and could thus influence the electorate thus making the poll “not free and fair”.

As for Navin Ramgoolam, he keeps going with his avalanche of promises to be kept as soon as he is voted into power and his attacks against the government especially PM Bérenger (it seems he’s not very concerned about Pravind Jugnauth, whom he considers as negligible - SAJ’s little son and Bérenger’s puppet…).

Education, law and order, unemployment and the high cost of living… These are as many themes that the opposition leader hammers on to show how chaotic the situation in the country is…