History repeats itself. So Anil Bachoo is back in business creating yet another party. He is no new-comer to this type of creation. This ex-member of the Labour Party founded the ?Mouvement des travaillistes démocrates? (MTD) when he was refused a Labourite ticket.

His MTD and what it stood for was once deeply wooed by one Paul Bérenger. But Bachoo finally joined forces with Sir Anerood Jugnauth. At the end of the day, he scuppered the MTD and joined the MSM.

Bachoo is now back in business; with the help of Mukeshwar Choonee. And the question is: why should we or any one give a damn about his party? What are the achievements of Bachoo and Choonee as cabinet ministers after all?

Not outstanding, to say the least? Bachoo has served as minister in various governments. As minister for Commerce and Price control, but also as minister for Transport, Shipping, Public infrastructure etc. Traffic congestion has grown into a monster under this minister.

Bachoo is best remembered for his decision which till now prevents all vehicles from having tinted windows. He said he was prohibiting the use of tinted glass because such vehicles could be used for hold-ups.

Recently he gave the lie to all Japanese engineers, who have designed decorative crash bars for SUV. He came to the conclusion that these crash bars are lethal weapons and caused them to be prohibited to the dismay of all those involved in eco-tourism.

We will not go so far as to say that Anil Bachoo is ?intellectually limited?. The achievements of most ministers of the present government can be questioned. All past governments, be they Labour, MSM or MMM have had in their ranks a majority of mediocre people and few with vision enough to have been architects of change and development, be it in central government or municipalities. And these few men of great competence have not lasted long in politics.

But why on earth do the mediocre have precedence when it comes to choosing candidates or ministers? It all boils down to two factors: communalism and the caste system. The adoption of ?scientific casteism? by the MMM has been a curse to this country.

This party, which started the slogans ?ene seul le pep ene seul nation? and ?la lutte des classes et non la lutte des castes? had Dev Virahsawsmy elected in Pamlemousses-Triolet in 1971 and Rajiv Servansingh in Port-Louis n° 2 in 1976 and as municipal councillor in Plaine-Verte in April 1977.

But alas, the MMM has since then proved to be an uglier whore than the Labour party when it comes to communalism and casteism. And it might be paying dearly for this sin at the hands of Anil Baichoo and Dr Dinesh Ramjutun.

Looking closer at this phenomenon we might be tempted to say that it might be part of a new strategy. Former prime minister, Anerood Jugnauth, brought about his economic miracle by picking and choosing very competent people whom he rightly thought could deliver the goods. In fact, they did and the list of those men is long,

Do we now have a new strategy of choosing people who are ?intellectually limited? just to have a kitchen cabinet and overall control through inter-ministerial committees?

If such is the case, cry my beloved country.