Blog: The MSM Scheme

The conspiratorial move of the MSM Ministers to resign after and in support of Health Minister Maya Hanoomanjee clearly demonstrates that they do not have much faith in the law.

Their political decision is designed to put pressure on the Prime Minister, on ICAC and on the judicial process when the judicial system is supposed to be independent of politics under the concept of Separation of Powers.

The MSM Ministers' excuse is their belief in the "innocence" of the ex Health Minister, who had been arrested by ICAC and charged under PoCA further to their investigations concerning the scandalous purchase of the unused MedPoint Clinic.

Mrs Hanoomanjee was the Health Minister involved in this transaction, and no doubt took very important decisions to carry through the purchase of MedPoint, which was hastily concluded end December 2010. She is also said to have written a note "Dear Pravind" regarding the purchase at around Rs145m. All in all, it may rightly or wrongly appear that it could have been an affair between MSM and relatives, hence the alleged suspicion of corruption and conflict of interests.

ICAC has been investigating this government purchase since January 2011. Yodhun Bissessur was the first person to be suspended from his duties and charged. Nearly seven months down the line, many people, including Paul Bérenger's opposition, have been screaming that ICAC was taking too long and they feared a cover-up.

But on 9th July 2011, in a press conference, as per his alleged "ministerial source", Bérenger accused PM Ramgoolam of being the one who had given Bissessur instructions to carry out the second valuation after meeting with Dr Malhotra.  Denying the allegations, including by Bissessur and Malhotra, the PM referred the matter to the Police for the diffusion of false news and defamation of character.

In the meantime, ICAC had issued an arrest warrant against Maya Hanoomanjee on 20th July 2011 for refusing to appear before their investigators the same day when, instead, she chose to give an interview to Radio Plus effectively challenging the "cadre legal" of ICAC. But before the warrant could be executed, she had already been admitted to Apollo Bramwell Hospital as a result of a malaise.  She was arrested on the 22nd of July 2011 and taken to ICAC before being taken to the Port Louis Magistrates Court and charged under PoCA.

That same afternoon, Bérenger was questioned on his allegations against PM Ramgoolam. In a press conference the next day, Bérenger changed his original story from an alleged "ministerial source" to another alleged "professional source". Though he was at first given the benefit of the doubt, his explanations are glaringly incredible.

As far as the charge against Maya Hanoomanjee is concerned, Bérenger is not calling for her resignation as he used to. Instead, he said it was entirely up to her and up to the PM to revoke her. In so doing, his strategy is clearly to split the coalition along party lines.

When Sir Anerood Jugnauth, former leader of the MSM, swiftly visited Maya Hanoomanjee in hospital the very next day after the warrant was issued, this appeared as a support of the MSM Minister. All other MSM Ministers were also very supportive. The then Minister of Finance hurried back on 25th July 2011 amidst an outcry that the charged Minister should resign which she refused to do. Bérenger congratulated Pravind Jugnauth for being so concerned while condemning PM Ramgoolam for remaining in London to receive his decoration at the Inner Temple Inn of Court. In the morning of the 26th July 2011, the Minister of Finance and Vice PM Pravind Jugnauth, Health Minister Maya Hanoomanjee and four other MSM Ministers, resigned but stated they still form part of the government coalition as backbenchers.

Their move clearly demonstrates that they do not have much faith in the law. Their political decision to resign is designed to put pressure on the Prime Minister, on ICAC and on the judicial process when the judicial system is supposed to be independent under the concept of Separation of Powers. But will the DPP succumb to pressure and withdraw all charges against Maya Hanoomanjee and the other Civil Servants when ICAC has established prima facie cases against them?

It would not be far-fetched to see that the MSM, which had the support of less than 6% of the electorate around the May 2010 general elections has hit the PM and stabbed him and his coalition government in the back. The PM is expected to congratulate ICAC for doing its work with professionalism and total independence. Let's face it, MSM's concerted and well-calculated act is an extreme and nasty piece of work not only carried out in the absence of the PM but which also attempts to bring political pressure on the due process of the law.