Blog: Mistake

I fail to understand why such a brilliant person like Rama Sithanen can commit the mistake, I may even say blunder, of bargaining the position of Minister of Finance with the Prime Minister before he even gets a ticket or wins a seat for the 2010 elections.

Rama Sithanen is too intelligent not to know or realise that all cards have to be redistributed after the Labour-PMSD-MSM alliance was formed. Many sitting ministers, MPs and junior allies of the Alliance party may not even get a ticket.

The Prime Minister has acknowledged that Rama Sithanen has been a good Minister of Finance and performed well. But is his performance good enough to guarantee him the next position of Minister of Finance?

Many of his colleagues as well as the Prime Minister have realized that the measures taken to stimulate the economy during the world financial and economic crisis and the other reform measures that were introduced have done a lot of collateral damage to the common men, the lower middle class and the public servants. The bottom line is that there is no feel good factor among the population and many taxpayers may have to borrow money to pay their taxes. Rama Sithanen must know that statistics can be interpreted either way — to show an excellent performance as well as a declining one.

Many Labour supporters believe that it is time to humanize the next budgetary measures and Rama Sithanen may not be the right man to do so. Besides, his decision to challenge the prerogative of the Prime Minister to appoint his ministers is not appreciated. But for the good service he has done to the country, the Prime Minister has offered him a ticket and I am sure he would be given an important ministry to handle.

Every Member of Parliament should realize that he/she is dispensable and he/she is not superior to other colleagues. Our short history has shown that we have had excellent finance ministers. The finance portfolio has been held by Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, Sir Veerasamy Ringadoo, Sir Anerood Jughnauth, Paul Bérenger, and Vishnu Lutchmeenaraidoo among others. Their achievements and contribution have not been less than that of Rama Sithanen.

I still believe that he has a place in the Labour-PMSD-MSM team. His relationship with the Prime Minister should allow him to reconcile himself to this new situation. He should throw all his weight in this battle by the side of the Prime Minister. It is no time for petty quarrels and petty politics. The mistake he did by threatening to resign upon the appointment the Governor of the Bank of Mauritius, Manou Bheenick should not occur again.

In fact, he should learn from the master strategist, Navin Ramgoolam. In year 2000, Rama Sithanen committed the mistake of leaving the MSM and joining the Labour only to lose the election. Navin Ramgoolam committed the mistake of thinking that the MSM and MMM would not come together. But they did and subsequently, he lost. He had also made the mistake of underestimating the psychological contribution of socio-cultural organizations. They all had rallied around the slogan, “Mille fois Jugnauth!”

This time, Navin Ramgoolam had planned his strategy since his reconciliation with SAJ. He supported Pravin Jugnauth during the by-election of No 8 which allowed Pravin Jughnauth to come back to Parliament and I still remember Pravin Jugnauth holding the Labour flag after his victory.

Navin Ramgoolam managed to discredit and isolate the MMM. He kept talking to Paul Bérenger for nearly three months but in his heart of heart, he knew that the only alliance he could make was only with the MSM. Many people are surprised that he has given 18 tickets to MSM. In fact, he has consolidated the alliance by attributing the tickets of Les Verts Fraternels of Sylvio Michel, the tickets of MMSM of Madan Dulloo and of MSD of Anil Baichoo.

Rama Sithanen is too wise not to be aware that this alliance is in the largest interest of the Labour Party and its leader. He is committing the same mistake as Vishnu Lutchmeenaraidoo did on the issue of the MMM-MSM alliance in 1990. Lutchmeenaraidoo went into wilderness for 20 years to finally join Paul Bérenger again. Sithanen should swallow his ego and join the team. In fact, all party leaders of the alliance should assure him of their understanding and support, particularly, Pravin Jugnauth.

It is still beyond my comprehension what motivated Paul Bérenger to open negotiations with Ramgoolam for an alliance. He has had already an experience of working with him and being kicked out. It was from the opposition that the MMM won the 2000 election with the MSM after which he became Prime Minister. However, as usual, we all know that Paul Bérenger is his own enemy.

After the defeat of the MMM in 2005 elections, he weakened the opposition by breaking the Jugnauth family and snatching the status of leader of the opposition from the MSM.

Paul Bérenger caused so much bitterness that SAJ advised his son never to work with him even if he had to end up into ‘caro canne’. SAJ remembers the traumatic experience of 1982 when he became Prime Minister. MMM nearly drove him to madness. It wanted to install the party supremacy over the Cabinet. SAJ resisted and with the help of the Labour establishment and SSR, he split the party, created the MSM and became Prime Minister in his own right in 1983.

I am glad that Paul Bérenger has reorganized the MMM and is standing as a challenger to Ramgoolam for premiership for the next five years. This is how it should be in a democracy. He has got over his regret for not having done so in 1982. He relied on SAJ and Harish Boodhoo to win. Had he done so, he could have been Prime Minister in his own right in 1982 but I feel there is some flaw in his character as the Shakespearean tragic heroes which caused their downfall at all times. Moreover, he has not been able to command the trust of his colleagues and friends. At one time or the other, they had all left him and afterwards, some returned. I hope he will not commit the mistake of alienating them again.

It is an encouraging sign that finally the choice will be between two alliances with Ramgoolam and Bérenger vying for State leadership. Mauritius is too small a country to pretend to be able to influence world economy or politics. It is positive that all parties proclaim their attachment to democracy.

The MMM had abandoned its leftist ideology. Practically, there is no much difference in the programs of both blocs. On the 5 May 2010, people will have to vote for one whom they will trust to lead the country better in the interest of the masses. All political parties and leaders have learnt that people do not commit mistakes. They have voted in and out government and humbled those who thought they were indispensable.

Navin Ramgoolam is right when he says that nobody is indispensable, including Rama Sithanen and himself.

P.S: A glaring example is that of P. Chidambaram, one of the ablest ministers of Finance of the world who ensured a growth rate of over 9% for his country and contributed to take the Indian nation on the path of a super power. However, as a disciplined soldier, he readily accepted to serve in a different capacity under the command of his Prime Minister. At no time did Chidambaram told Manmohan Singh that he needed to stick to his former Exchequer job. And India is the largest and most vibrant democracy of the world...