One more blow this week. The prices of petrol and LPG cooking gas take their toll. With the ripple effect, in a few weeks, we shall be having some more taste of the promised « sanzman ». Members of the government add insult to injury showing an unbearable offhandedness. While consumers are being starved and taxpayers fleeced, ministers, advisers and other government officials are enjoying the best moments of their life. Fantasies are being realised and wildest dreams are coming true.

The Primus inter pares, himself, sets the pace. As leader of the flock, he naturally takes the lion?s share : an airborne marathon across continents, oceans and ideologies. The Havana-NewYork-Bucharest via London and Paris journey took voyager Ramgoolam and his company to the ends of the ideological spectrum. Spend a day with Chavez, Ahmadinejad and Lula. Afterwards meet Bush and Blair. Later sympathise with Chirac and the francophone leaders. That?s a nice performance isn?t it ? The album is full, shots have been taken. No worry, until the theft of the MBC camera is uncovered.

At the same moment, deputy Prime ministers Sithanen and Duval were also hitting the road. Sithanen had reasons to be in Singapore for Bretton Woods? annual mass, while Duval and some others were playing tourist in Deauville. The Top Resa and Escales Mauriciennes expedition has cost the Exchequer around Rs 4 million. Details of the expenditure are still forthcoming. Hopefully, by next year, another Stauffer would leave the pack and inform us about bouillabaisse and flying over the Mont-Blanc. Let?s leave aside roving Faugoo, Samlo and the likes. These are small fry.

Now, such persons are calling upon the population to endure sacrifices in the name of a new mindset. But Lord, where is World Bank special envoy Mansoor ? He was supposed to run a cut-cost unit.

What a mess ! Mauritius appears to be topsy-turvy. In almost all sectors people are putting up protests. The government has managed to stir discontent in various social categories. You name them, they are there : campement owners, taxi men, street vendors, invigilators, nurses, fishermen, school clerks, social workers, etc.

It is not in such a rotten atmosphere that the country will achieve economic growth. Our leaders know this, but they just don?t care. As for the official opposition, its members seem to be more interested in the pursuit of their personal career than the plight of the population.

Pravind Jugnauth?s lieutenants have only one leitmotiv : prime ministership for the unelected leader. Bérenger has gone for a stroll in the neighbouring countries as advised by his « petit frère » and Ashock Jugnauth is daydreaming about the supremacy of his surname. It will be hard to reconcile those conflicting ambitions and cement such a miscellaneous collection of « serpent, gros fey and lariaz ».

In the meantime the situation is worsening and Mauritius looks like the raft of the Medusa. The captain lacked competence and wrecked the ship. Let?s hope Mauritians do not end up in folly as the Medusa?s crew.

<B>JED</B>