This year, Mauritius is celebrating its 55th and 31st anniversary of being an independent and republic nation respectively. In case you’ve forgotten, mark the date! It’s 12 March 2023. The usual fanfare, with the hoisting of our national flag, singing of the national anthem and indulging in fancy speeches about how united a people we are, will be expected. Anniversaries are THE time for rejoicing. In order to feel the general pulse nationwide, an interview with none other than the Motherland has been exclusively conducted.
Hello Motherland! How have you been?
Oh, you do make me blush when you call me Motherland, you know? I’m your mother, the mother of all mothers, of course, but there’s absolutely no wrinkle on my surface. Am still very young and fresh despite the scorching summers. Nature seems to love and ravish me…
We’ve witnessed the unconditional love of heavy rains for you recently…
Telling me! The cyclones have been quite shy but always trust the heavy downpours to make special appearances.
Special appearances?
Well yes! Heavy rainfall is that elusive visitor whose next appearance has proved to be problematic to predict. Ask the MMS (Mother of Meteorological Services). Despite the top-notch radar in their possession, they have been woefully wrong on multiple counts…including predicting when rain would fall. No wonder my dear children have been afflicted with flash floods and water build-ups. Such occurrences have now become highly hazardous, with the slowing down of my system. If you want my honest opinion, that’s totally unacceptable in 2023!
A few inches of water and everything’s stalling. Whose fault is it?
I wonder if there are competent planning sections in our municipal and district councils! My surface is now riddled with concrete jungles! Where will the water go? Absolutely everywhere, obviously! Building permits are given on the sly, in exchange for financial favours while you lot are fast asleep. After seaside resorts have gnawed into my natural sandy coastlines, now you can find buildings being erected on the far ends of mountains! What monstrosity! You’d expect some decent drains at least. No! They are either insufficient, not well maintained or clogged up with rubbish by my naughty children. I feel utterly suffocated at times.
Let’s change the mood. Surely, you’ll be elated to see the four colours of the national flag everywhere, in your honour.
I wonder if you’re being sarcastic, ignorant or simply out of touch! You, my children, are woefully divided today, as we speak. For that, you need to thank the same politicians you’ve been electing decade after decade. Spare your thanks for the leeches of some pseudo socio-cultural associations, which also spread the hate. What am seeing is how you are being pitted against each other, without realising it. You’re indulging in blame games but these leeches which are supposedly elected to maintain ancestral norms and values in the name of socio-cultural mores are playing you!
Playing us?
Unfortunately, these very people wearing cloaks of devotion are ruthlessly fighting their own battles. They want further national board memberships or cherry-picked tenders to get some quick bucks, using the guise of godliness. No wonder they readily kowtow to seasoned politicians and chant out holy mantras for their selfish benefits: ‘East or West, Backstabbing Fools are the Best!’
That’s terrible! Surely the situation of law and order will cheer you up?
Now, you’ve got to be joking! Come on!
Don’t you believe in the sanctity of our institutions?
Forgive me, my child. If I say yes, I would be perjuring myself. Have you seen the sorry state we’re in? Beggars belief! I can now understand the increase in lawlessness throughout the island. We’re heading towards ME being a rogue state if nothing’s done. And I fear we’ll be stuck in a disastrous status-quo for quite some time.
A rogue state? Aren’t you better than that?
My naive, foolish child! When drug traffickers who have been condemned in our sister island get a free pass to get whatever the heck they want here, what do you call it? When these same traffickers are bestowed privileges upon privileges with no-one giving a damn for so so long, what do you reckon? These filthy lots are given VVIP treatment here, polluting my children’s lives and futures, while mercilessly laundering money. Isn’t my dignity sacred anymore? Why are traffickers pushed under the radar? Why does no-one bat an eye?
Again, I’ll come back to the institutions in charge of law and order…
In charge? Dear lord, hear yourself! Who’s in control? You tell me? Who cares?
The CP (Comic Protector) has been ultra vocal in his outbursts against the judiciary…
So, you see! When the CP starts attacking the very institutions he has to collaborate with, you know we’re going to the dogs. A Comic Protector has the prerogative to be upright and to extend his magnanimity to all deserving citizens. It seems to me that he enjoys airing his dirty laundry in public…
How can a CP (Comic Protector) be so irresponsible then?
Elementary, my dear child! With the full blessings of his sunshiny leader. Otherwise, he is nothing but a henchman who has been catapulted to stardom even though his own house is literally burning down. Unluckily for him, I guess watching his offspring systematically get in trouble with the law is proving to be his downfall. His darling progeny seems to enjoy the whiff of dirty money a bit too much. I understand that a particularly generous National Flower Pot President, who does nothing consequential, has graced his fabulous derriere, for some dubious reasons…Oh life!
At least let’s be optimistic…It’s your anniversary!
Enjoy your share of the national cake, if you can! Am afraid that most of it is gone to these looters who pretend to care for you and instead have nothing but utter contempt for you! Beware of sweetly sick rhetoric. Remember, I, your Motherland, will always be there for you.
BHAWNA ATMARAM