Of Real Change
By Chetan Ramchurn
There is an eerie feeling in Mauritius these days.
The
political landscape is being redefined. The strangeness is familiar. We
have witnessed it whenever a coalition dies or takes birth. This time is
no different.
The story is scripted but never ceases to amaze by its sheer ridicule.
This is
in line with the zeitgeist. Form takes precedence over substance. As
evidenced
by an unneeded PR system instead of the uprooting of financial
masquerading in
politics
The characters are familiar. The undermined faction is all
alone, contemplating defeat. Desperate and occupying the moral high ground;
their haloed figure talking about trust and telling us that he fears none. Others,
left stranded in wilderness and out of the fray for long, have a shot at a last hurrah. There is
some solace for them as the limelight beckons for a short stay. Some who have
yet to make it; rejects of mainstream parties, failed leaders of paltry movements,
serial party switchers, pose as the future. The media tries to give us some
hope that it is not all dynasties. Political protégés from impotent
institutions want the golden ticket, their slice of the cake. Our P.M wants all
of it. The certified yes-men are at ease having no trouble segueing from one
partner to another. The lure of power is indeed strong.
Beyond the noise lies an opportunity for grand scale change.
This is a chance to dream big and pursue the possibility of doing away with our
past demons. The burden of pre-independence divisions was
made clear when a thinly-veiled mention of the illusory Hindu hegemony was used
as political carrot to gain any form of mileage by a decaying party. The
elimination of the BLS is a progressive step of significance but should augur
greater upheavals. The accountability of elected members remains a sore spot
with little done to cure a malady that allows incompetents to be present in
positions of power and authority. Our democracy is broken with the renewal of
ideas that has been halted. To ensure that this is no longer the case, the
system cannot promote the voting of incumbents. The limit on the
number of mandates needs to become a reality.
Legislative amendments mean nothing without economic
bravado. The vulnerability of employees has been further deepened with little
protection offered to them and laws that are clearly not here to protect them
against corporations. This is why we need a leadership that is strong
and can act in favour of those that cannot defend themselves. Paul Samuelson pointed
out that the three roles of a Government are to redistribute income fairly, to
provide quality public goods and thirdly through monetary and fiscal policies
as well as regulations the ensuring of macroeconomic stability. There is the need for
leaders that can afford us this type of environment.
There is clarity after chaos. The post-independence years
have been troubled; while progress has been achieved, corruption has flourished.
No real attempt to regulate parties has been made. The middle class has
increasingly been weakened. Politicians should aim at bringing real
transformation instead of being sidetracked by gossamer changes.
