Blog: Paul Bérenger’s sinister agenda on the corruption charges brought against Maya Hanoomanjee by ICAC

Although the MMM Leader of the Opposition Paul Bérenger has rightly been making a lot of noise since the MedPoint controversial purchase was concluded in December 2010 at an inflated price of Rs145m (from Rs75m) this does not mean that he does not have a sinister no more hidden agenda. Instead of being pleased that the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has established prima facie cases against several Civil Servants and Health Minister Maya Hanoomanjee of the MSM against whom provisional corruption charges have been lodged in court, his strategy to try and split the mainly Ramgoolam(PTr)/Jugnauth(MSM) coalition government by cajoling the MSM is becoming more and more clear.

When the MedPoint scandal became public knowledge, Paul Bérenger is said to have been targeting two MSM Ministers in Ramgoolam’s PTr/MSM/PMSD coalition government, the first being Minister of Finance Pravind Jugnauth under whom comes the Government Valuation Office, the Chief Valuer Yodhun Bissessur having in October 2010 revalued the disused MedPoint clinic, said to be the Jugnauth Clinic in which Dr Kreshan Mahlotra, Pravind Jugnauth’s brother in law, is the major shareholder, at Rs145m, that is, Rs70m more than the valuation carried out by the No.2 of the same office a few weeks earlier, and the second being none other than the Health Minister Maya Hanoomanjee, both allegedly being « potentially in positions of conflict of interest in the deal, being related parties directly or indirectly » (Mauritius Times « MedPoint: Time to finish it off », 22 July 2011). Far from following what is termed the gestation period in purchases of such dimension with all the complications they entail, the contract was hastily signed in late December 2010 at Rs145m and, in Jan/Feb 2011, ICAC decided to investigate allegations of economic corruption and conflict of interests in the whole affair. Bérenger claimed it was the scandal of the century and exacted the skin especially of Maya Hanoomanjee who he held directly responsible and demanded the setting up of a Select Committee. But not any more, it appears.

In a press conference held on 9th July 2011, Paul Bérenger alleged that, based on ministerial sources, it was PM Ramgoolam who, after meeting with Dr Malhotra, had given instructions to Chief Valuer Yodhun Bissessur to effect a second valuation of Medpoint. At the time, Bissessur had already been charged and suspended from his duties. Bissessur was reported to have said that the instructions to conduct a second valuation came from Maya Hanoomanjee but later allegedly said that he could not remember who gave those instructions, upon which the opposition seized. However, Bissessur did deny Bérenger’s allegations. Although, one would expect such behaviour from a leader of the opposition to get things moving and to demonstrate that he would have done a better job than the PM, it also demonstrates that his strategy was shifting form attacking his former MSM allies now in government to the Prime Minister himself.

« Cadre légal »
As ICAC’s net closed in on the Ministry of Health which was dealing with the procedures to purchase land and building for the purpose of a National Geriatric Hospital per government policy and went for MedPoint, Maya Hanoomanjee was summoned to appear before ICAC « under warning » on 20th July 2011, but she refused to do so and sent in her Counsel Me Rishi Pursem instead demanding explanations why she had been so summoned while she gave an arrogant interview to Radio Plus stating that she was cooperating with ICAC via Counsel but that everything had to be done « dans un cadre légal ». ICAC made her feel the full force of the law and obtained a warrant for the arrest while, the same afternoon, she was taken ill with a « malaise » to the Appollo Bramwell Hospital. The very next day (21st July), in spite of her ill-health, she received a string of visitors, including many MSM faithfuls and also the President Sir Anerood Jugnauth, former MSM leader. This was seen as a demonstration of support for Maya Hanoomanjee. She was arrested in the morning of the 22nd of July, taken to ICAC and then to the Port-Louis Magistrates where she was charged as follows before being released on bail : « Between the month of June 2010 and December 2010, the said Santi Bai Hanoomanjee, whilst being the Minister of Health and Quality of Life, embarked on a course of conduct whereby she, the said Santi Bai Hanoomanjee, ensured that all measures were taken and directives were given for MedPoint Ltd to be favoured over other bidders and that the Bid Evaluation Committee would recommend MedPoint Ltd to the Central Procurement Board as the successful bidder for the acquisition of land and building for the setting up of the National Geriatric Hospital » (Mauricien 22 July 2011).

On 22nd July 2011, ICAC also charged three Civil Servants from the Health Ministry of Maya Hanoomanjee, namely, Jayraj Hauroo, Président of the Bid Evaluation Committee, Om Kumar Dabeedin, the Permanent Secretary of the Health Ministry and his assistant Ajay Kumar Utchanah.

Bérenger shot himself in the foot
Further to his allegations against PM Ramgoolam, the ICAC investigators interviewed Paul Bérenger in his home on 22nd July 2011 as an outsider to the MedPoint deal to give him a chance to substantiate his allegations. It turned out it was all hearsay and that he had shot himself in the foot. He did not even reveal his alleged ministerial sources. He could have made it all up to attack Ramgoolam, who knows? Clearly disappointed with the swift actions taken by ICAC, he gave another press conference on Saturday 23rd July 2011 where he explained what he had said to the investigators. But, this time, he was careful not to repeat the allegations he made against the PM as the Police are also investigating his alleged « diffusion of false news » and « defamation » of the PM’s character. In Mauritian Patois, he said that he informed the investigators that :

1. On 30th April 2010, five days before the last general elections, the Health Ministry issued a tender to purchase land and building for the purpose of a Geriatric Hospital when Rajesh Jeetah was the Health Minister and that the said tender was « tailor made » for MedPoint.
2. Later PM Ramgoolam presided over a Ministerial Committee concerning MedPoint, and that, « d’après ses dires », Pravind Jugnauth had requested not to get involved in the MedPoint deal in any manner whatsoever.
3. The Chief Government Valuer (Yodhun Bissessur) has said that he could not recall who gave him instructions for the revaluation of MedPoint.
4. He expected ICAC to question Minister Rajesh Jeetah and the Prime Minister

But those explanations have absolutely nothing to do with his allegations against Ramgoolam. At no time did he show that Ramgoolam had given instructions to Bissessur after he had allegedly met Dr Malhotra. By Bérenger’s own implied admission, he seized the opportunity of Bissessur allegedly not remembering who gave him those instructions and fabricated a story against the Prime Minister by trying to steer Pravind Jugnauth in the clear. While, at first, people gave him some credibility as independent polls have demonstrated, especially as Ramgoolam is deemed to know who gave the second evaluation instructions, now they may very well see him as a dangerous and perverted liar. If the Police finds that there is a case against him for diffusing false news and for defaming PM Ramgoolam, in the UK he would have been tried before a jury, « dans un cadre legal », of course!

Also, although ICAC may decide to speak to the PM to put his denial of what appears to be Bérenger’s fabricated allegations on record, Rajesh Jeetah is not concerned with this case even though the tender may have been issued when he was Health Minister. It is the present Health Minister’s responsibility. If, again as alleged by Bérenger, ‘Jeetah’s original tender’ was « tailor made » for MedPoint, Maya Hanoomanjee should have discarded it. But she did better.  She relied on a second much higher valuation which even included unused second-hand MedPoint medical equipment. Where is the tender for this one, Mr Bérenger? Can we fabricate one?

Conclusion
Is Bérenger really after truth and justice or after power? By attacking PM Ramgoolam and Minister Rajesh Jeetah because he is a Labourite and by cajoling the MSM by making out that he understands the « indignation » of the MSM in the light of the arrest of and subsequent charges brought against Maya Hanoomanjee, he is trying to lure them to leave the government alliance and to ally with the MMM. People would undoubtedly remember how the MMM/MSM former government amended the constitution, disbanded the Economic Crime Office after Mrs Indira Manrakhan had decided to summon the then MMM Minister Jayen Cutaree. At the last May 2010 general elections, Bérenger was literally begging for an alliance with the Labour Party led by Navin Ramgoolam to accede to power, but he failed dismally

Even though it goes without saying that Ministers on whose heads hang criminal charges have to resign since they would command neither the respect nor the co-operation of Civil Servants and people generally, speaking of the criminal charges against Maya Hanoomanjee, Bérenger said that a Minister who has been arrested, charged and released on bail has the moral duty to resign but that such decision has to do with « ethics » and that it was entirely up to the Minister make that decision. Bérenger went on to say that if the Minister does not resign, it is up to the Prime Minister to revoke her (l’Express 23 July 2011 : « Hanoomanjee arrêtée par l’ICAC : Bérenger dit comprendre « l’indignation » du MSM »). Any reasonable person can see the flirt of Bérenger with the MSM and that he is wishing for, if not advising, Maya Hanoomanjee not to resign in order to force PM Ramgoolam to revoke her. In so doing, he hopes to break up the government Alliance.