THE TALK OF THE TOWN, STATECRAFT V/S STAGECRAFT OR A SHOUTING MATCH.

Before I go into what I am going to say below, please allow me to preface it all with the following observations. One can detect a mood of frustration in the country among people who are expecting things to happen on the part of the present government who has been elected with an absolute majority with a programme for profound changes. Which is why today the battle in the press and on social media is about the appointment to government bodies of “undeserving” individuals. Giving the matter an exaggerated amount of time and ink means relegating to the backburner genuine problems which are more pressing. Paul Berenger (PRB), father-in-law of Cure, and Eshan Jumun, father of Nabiiha, have become the villains of the piece. PRB and specially Juman seem to be utterly incapable of dealing with the headline news.
As we know, all fathers try hard to ensure a comfortable future for their families. Lest we forget, PRB should occupy a prime place in the history of labour struggles in this country and his is a tough feat to follow ………….for example, braving “tontons macoutes and the nick” to clinch a historic 12% salary increase in the early 70s. As for Eshan Juman, he was very popular because of his proximity to the ordinary people and of his sacrifice to keep the Labour Party candle shining when its leader was in the “caro cannes” and this won him the first place in his constituency at the last elections.
These two MNAs have been crucified in public for nepotism. Is it the case that they have acted in a perverse way? Do you remember JFK in 1960 who appointed his brother Bobby as Attorney General of the USA, a country that can’t be called a banana republic?
Mauritius shares similarities with India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Singapore. The people in those countries have elected Gandhi, Shariff, Rahman and Lee Kwan Yu dynasties. In Mauritius, in spite of loud noises about “papa piti deals” we have elected and re-elected Ramgoolam and Jugnauth dynasties. “Plus hypocrite que ca, tu meurs!”
Our definition of family, parivar in calcatia, is so elastic that the members of each “community” and “caste” become family in some way or other through blood or marriage or both. Remember: we have fraternities and sororities in the developed world, clans in China, tribes in Africa, and Parivar castes in India. After all, are we not the children of the same God and so are we not families or Parivar? Would it then be absurd to say that no Mauritian is entitled to a government job in order to avoid being tainted with nepotism?
Let us be honest with ourselves and give up this type of forked-tongued talk. All those behind this campaign should ask themselves if they are qualified enough to evaluate the competence needed for any job? All those against PRB should ask themselves if they would have joined him behind bars in the 1970s. If not, are they only good to throw mud while enjoying the 12% salary increase shamelessly? For a just share of the national cake, the blood relatives or close relatives of PRB and Eshan Juman, or for that matter of all MNAs, should be judged by their qualifications, and not solely by their lineage. The whole nation should then query any appointments if it can be shown that better qualified candidates, evaluated on their IQs and EQs, have been denied their opportunity.

All in all, one should not attack an appointment just because of the parentage of the candidate but one should also look at the qualifications of the said candidate and see if she/he will do justice to the job in question.