The weekly press conference of the Mauritian Socialist Movement (MSM) took place in the afternoon of Friday, February 11. Various news items were on the agenda of the government party, the departure of Jenny Adebiro from the Mauves’ authorities, stole the show. The opportunity was thus given to Joe Lesjongard, Alan Ganoo and Subashnee Roy Lutchmun to comment on the situation prevailing in the ranks of Paul Bérenger’s party and the reasons why many activists found themselves at the side of Pravind Jugnauth.
For the Minister of Public Utilities, the situation is very clear. According to him, the militants no longer find the values that the MMM embodied in the past. Joe Lesjongard said that if the party represented an ideal before, the decisions taken over the years but especially the zig-zags of Paul Bérenger, have changed the deal. He maintains that currently, many members are inhabited by a feeling of weariness, frustration and disappointment. He says that the entire base of the Mauves is depressed and desperate and that some have had to throw down their arms because they want to work for the country and fulfill their patriotic duty. A goal that the MMM is moving away from year after year, he added.
Joe Lesjongard did not fail to emphasize the fact that the MMM is controlled by a single click of people. He maintained that only the ideas and decisions of Paul Bérenger are praised and that all must follow behind even if they are against. He added that the latter has a lot of hidden agenda. In this vein, he spoke of the alliance that Paul Berenger wants to conclude at all costs with the Labor Party. The president of the MSM is of the opinion that the militants and the electorate do not want this alliance but that the leader of the mauves does not manage to realize it. In fact, the minister said, “if Berenger is in a position to do this, he will do it, even if no one agrees with him.
According to Joe Lesjongard, Pravind Jugnauth’s team did not need to make any effort to seduce members, let alone buy them, but that they come automatically because the MSM now represents the values that made the charm of yesteryear of the MMM. Moreover, he deplored that every time a member leaves the MMM, the communicators hasten to say that it is money politics but without ever questioning themselves. For him, other members will still join them because the sun party has taken another place on the political chessboard now.
The MSM has not bought anyone
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Alan Ganoo, agreed. He said the MSM has not bought anyone, nor does it feel the need to. Moreover, he points out that the members who leave their parties to join Pravind Jugnauth are people who have minds, intelligence and can not be easily influenced. The former MMM pioneer, put forward the fact that as a good politician, it is normal to make the effigy of his party but that at no time, people were forced to join him. According to him, it is just easy to read that the party led by Pravind Jugnauth, best illustrates the hope that patriots have, to participate in the advancement of their country.
Minister Ganoo : “The mission of the expedition is in the interest of the island”
On the other hand, he spoke about the expedition that a Mauritian and Chagossian delegation is pursuing on the Chagos Archipelago. He said that this trip is extremely important so that Mauritius does not lose 4800 km2 of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). He said that the objective is to make a survey that will be used in order to have concrete arguments for an international dispute with the Maldives. He explained that the point of contention between the two countries revolves around the delimitation of the maritime territory in relation to Blenheim Reef. “We must have arguments and evidence to ensure that Mauritius does not lose 4,800 km2 of its EEZ. The mission of the expedition is in the interest of the island,” continued Minister Ganoo.
In this context, he condemned the fact that Arvin Boolell described this expedition as an affront to the British and American authorities. “Ena enn mision important kip e bizin fer mai la osi pe vinn fer politique. Nou au gouvernement nou pa pe fer oken afront ar personne mai nou pe travay pou nou zone économique exclusive. Linn dir ki li pena enough information. Mai kan pena information fodé pa met zizman” he said.
During the same press briefing of the MSM, the parliamentarian Subhasnee Luchmun Roy made a statement about the resumption of classes in the classroom, a week ago. At the same time, she recalled the health protocols put in place for the smooth running of classes despite Covid-19. She praised the effort of parents in relation to the vaccination of children against the virus.
