POLITICAL IMBROGLIO: A large zip on Paul’s mouth…

When Paul Bérenger retires from Politics, the greatest loser will not be Mauritians but the local press. His declarations and his stands on political matters lately have confused everyone, even those close to him who usually reads his mind. What a pity! He is a unique kingmaker who ends up losing power to the king after land sweep victories since 1982.  Isn’t he the most write-able person?  In the local press hall of fame, Jugnauth, Ramgoolam and Duval are poor seconds to this man who is the champion of baffling foes and friends alike. He has repeatedly wanted to convince us since 1976 that elected members of the ruling party were longing to join his opposition party and yet has not learned the obvious lesson that the hemorrhage has affected his own party rather than that of his opponents. He tried it in 2012 too and I bet he will try it again if he is given the chance.
Since the talk of the 2000 remake, he has been feeding us daily with his antics… labour is the architect of all nepotism, communalism, favouritism, in fact of all corruptions of the century and he will lead a crusade to cleanse the country of all its tars and confirms his commitment to win the next elections with Aneerood Jugnauth. At the same time, he wants his poor Militants to believe that Alan Ganoo is negotiating “electoral reforms” with Ramgoolam. And then a miracle! He makes a litany of propositions for a second Republic while his partner is completely silent. Then a bombshell! His negotiations with Jugnauth are alive and Ramgoolam as a partner is written off. Are Militants really so gullible? Come on, there are smarter ways to justify a claim to fame other than double-speak which borders on idiocy? Is there a better way to demobilise one’s supporters?
Shakespeare saw danger coming from the silence of those who think too much but very often, when Berenger opens his mouth, his “base” gets a chill and a feel of disaster. In fact, if the  MMM leader wants to know the whole truth, he should recreate the relaxed atmosphere prevailing during MMM’s early days and allow his grass roots freedom of speech: he will learn to his dismay the unpalatable truth that in the event of a LP-MMM accord, his troop does not want to start the countdown for 90 days from his appointment as PM by Ramgoolam. They don’t trust Ramgoolam. They had to throw out his father in 1982 and they can’t condone the son for the same shortcomings. Jugnauth, on the other hand, is frank and outspoken but reliable; he has kept his word last time: he will not hesitate despite all kinds of pressures, to see to it this time also that Bérenger accedes to Premiership with the FULL POWERS bestowed on Mauritian Prime Ministers. In that event, wouldn’t he have the leisure to leave his mark at the PMO? Isn’t the occasion to be able to complete the revolution started in 1982 luring enough? Which is more attractive: being a footnote in history as the Number two of Navin or to be recognized by istory History as the architect of Modern Mauritius jointly with Aneerood?
Are the “base” also careless or pathetic? It is also infuriating that the MMM and the Militants, a group which started as a power house of ideas and the champions of reforms can accept, as flunkies, the poppycock of their leader? For many people, they can win back respect if they put a large zip on Paul’s mouth and tell him that wisdom is slowly becoming alien to him and that there is a limit to foolishness? Remake 2000 is MMM remake of History.