The nation may say “we are fortunate to live in a democratic country”. Elections are called almost every five years; the electorate are called upon to cast their vote. By doing so we choose and elect a clan to represent us, to speak on our behalf. However, we have so far failed to realize that we have constantly elected a bunch of people who are related by blood, have some family ties or are close associates by default. Over the years we have allowed the same politicians over and over and over again to manage the affairs of the nation and to advocate on our behalf freely. This has inevitably led to favoritism, deceit, deception, endless corruption, marginalization, mismanagement and persistent decay of our institutions. My fellow compatriots we are at a cross road; it is time to wake up, challenge the system, stop the rot. Some representatives are accountable to no one, neither do they care because they know too well that we have become complacent.
Complacency and lack of control on our part have allowed the system to deteriorate further to an unthinkable and unacceptable level. As always at every General Election campaigns are lunched, organized and orchestrated which is nothing more than an expensive public relation exercise designed to modify public opinions and win votes. Some desperately try to lure the electorate and make promises as per party manifesto which they guarantee to fulfill within the life of parliament, usually 5 years but those promises are quickly forgotten once they are in, obviously without any thought of how the poor electorate and their families who voted for them in will be affected. They change their minds and freely alter their manifesto without any justification; to meet their own needs and satisfy their own greed knowing very well that they are untouchable due to the characteristic of our society. Some parliamentarians are members of an exclusive club who wine and dine together. They shield each other because they are members of the same breed. All the howling that one hears is nothing more than a public exercise designed to pacify opinion. The powerful elites quickly learn that they can act without constraints, that they have freedom to break the law which entails no consequences. Sadly, they believe they merit their privileged status. They not only abuse the system; they also seem to feel entitled to abuse it. This is class based self-interested advocacy which has led to the inevitable persuasive limitless elite corruption and criminality. There has been consistent noise particularly following the last few years to create the appearance of accountability and transparency; they have so far been impotent. People are dragged into kangaroo court where the same people are the Judge, Jury and Executioner. Like magicians they are masters in creating an illusion of accountability while promoting the elites to do immoral acts with impunity. Rewarding some kind of behavior has never been the foundation of a well-functioning capitalist society. The inevitable consequence is corruption and more corruption.
Leaders of any political denomination has a right to claim ownership of a party nor should they be allowed to pave the way for blood relations or close associates to take over. No one is willing to relinquish power even if they have been booted out. The whole system process is fatally flawed. Tickets are handed out in order of preference, first to blood relations followed by close associates down to concubines who are catapulted into safer seats. The same practice is used in the job market. We know too well how some politicians like to spread their tentacles by placing their own in position of power and prestige, indeed this is another way of meritocracy. Sadly, our political culture and mainstream discourse are now shaped by the same filthmongerers. Sons and daughters of wealth and politically connected family who spent most of their adult life wallowing in privilege shelters hedonism. They have soaked themselves in luxuries whilst the majority have to think how to cope with the demands imposed by punitive measures deliberately designed to make the rich-richer. Perhaps some of our leading advocates do not seem to have arrived at their position through much hard work or intellectual struggle.
The history of Mauritius has consistently pointed out towards a system where the same family or close associates are regularly elected. Fine. Great! But some have failed because they have not been conducive to their political practices. Some politicians are constantly breaking promises and people are fed up with career politicians who look and sound the same. They have mastered the politics of destruction and lies fuelled by greed. Some high profile officials are our representatives and ex-officials who continue to enjoy all benefits and paid by the tax payer. Promise so much and how much has been achieved? Whatever is done it must be accountable to the public, whichever way is chosen to spend public money. The careless ways of spending money go on perpetrated by some political connections. Any country or organization managed and controlled by certain people will certainly lead to slow and painful death. The body language, the eye contact of some elites easily points to a hysterical behavior knowing well that they are losing it.
My friends, listen to your feelings, examine your conscience. We must demand the democratization of every party. Prospective candidates must be obliged to go through a selection process where they will be made to fight for their seat and justify their existence. We need to balance the MP’s recruitment process and do that in such a way that is fair and proportionate. The present system cannot be allowed to continue because there is a damaging concentration of power in the hands of an unrepresentative elite. We must build and sustain a society free from the tentacles of immoral and corrupt politicians. We must find ways to reach ordinary people, advance individual empowerment and promote social justice. And due to lack of transparency, I believe that the press should take in their stride to educate the public on the best way to democratize the selection process. They should continue and indeed intensify the pressure, anyone is free to keep their political color whatever denomination they are from. They must instead use their vote to get rid of a hierarchy system which has dominated and dictated our culture for quite some time. A political party is not a “Private Property”. About time power has to return to its people.
DAVE BUHORAH
