By Raj Paneken

  «Soté, pilé, dans cot zot kontan, MMM/MSM sont condamnés à aller ensemble aux élections 2019/20» if they want to win the elections. Both parties are fully aware of it, though they may pretend the contrary. Bérenger and his MMM have always been a wagon party and will remain so. The underlying reason is that Bérenger is a persona non grata as Prime minister in the rural areas. The MMM with Bérenger as PM is not the pulling power with the rural electorate which usually decide the outcome of the polls. His Hindu adversaries along with the helping hand of the ‘socio-culturels’ «ban-la pou tire so manze. So parti pou morde la pousière ankor. » Therefore I would advise Bérenger and his party to water down their comments and criticism against their adversaries today who will be their allies tomorrow. Though we know that our politicians are made of a different steel. They say anything and everything against their opponents just to achieve their ends. Then they retract and eat their own words. After spitting into the soup of their opponents, some are even ready to swallow if this can serve their interests. What Bérenger had not said against Navin Ramgoolam and his party before the elections of Dec, 2014― «pianter ek pouritir partou, bizin nettoyé, desinfekté partou, pou finalman li ek so parti rentre dan sa mem malpropté la» by contracting an alliance with Navin and labour. «Marké, gardé» there will be a repetition of that same scenario for the elections 2019/20, but this time with the MSM. In spite of all the venoms they are spitting on the MSM, at the end of the day they will be compelled to hook up their wagon with the locomotive of the MSM, the other alternative would be headlong into  «karo kan.»

MMM will definitely need a locomotive again. And the only genuine and reliable pulling force is the MSM with its positive track record. Xavier Duval with his PMSD and Ramgoolam «avec toutes ses casseroles qu’il traine» are «ban parti Titanic ki pe ale kulé dan eleksion 2019/20.» And Bérenger must have certainly made his mea culpa and come out wiser. He can end up his political twilight years with a flourish. Besides, their positive track record 2000-2005 will weigh heavily in their favour. They are two great political parties which had worked together without a hitch, and the country will benefit enormously from that alliance on the socio-economic level. Concerning the government of Pravind Jugnauth and MSM, it will be entirely in their own interest if they accommodate the MMM on board to be on the safe side for the elections 2019/20.

The country is definitely on the right course for its economic recovery and full employment which will lead to the second economic miracle. Only the bootlickers and political blinkers will tell you the contrary. The country’s economy is on the march of progress. A lot has already been done to redress the socio-economic situation of the country and to alleviate the hardships and sufferings of those who are on the bottom rung of the social ladder.

Today no one can say «mil fwa Ramgoolam ki Jugnauth apré tou so ban fraca.» except the die-hards. All the economic sectors are faring well. The rate of unemployment has dropped. The construction sector is booming. The train of economic development is gathering speed. No one has the right to put a spoke in its wheel. The government has only two years to honour its electoral promises. The year 2019 will be the year of accountability to the electorate. If the results are positive and satisfactory «sur le plan socio-économique» in terms of lodging, job creation, law and order, especially drug-trafficking, economic recovery, last but not least the elimination of abject poverty, the government will no doubt face the electorate with serenity and satisfaction of having accomplished its duty. Most probably the end of 2019 will not see the completion of all the projects. They will certainly need extra time to end up the work started in Dec, 2014. But even with a two-thirds’ achievement, the outgoing government can gloat over its performance.

Do we need a change of government if things are going without a hitch? No! A thousand times no! You don’t change a winning team, but we can consolidate it by taking Ton Polo ek so lekip on board to spare them another thrashing.