“Ramgoolam is a gentleman“, says the MMM leader in a press conference this morning. Paul Bérenger was referring to a short article in today’s edition of l’Express, which he described as mean-spirited. L’Express said that Nando Bodha could be excluded from a possible Labour-L’Espoir alliance but Paul Bérenger said that this is totally false. “This is false. Everyone knows that Bodha and the Labour party have a difficult relationship. But Ramgoolam is a gentleman. He has made it clear that he is not going to make Bodha an issue during electoral negotiations,” said Paul Bérenger.
He also referred to the meeting he had with Xavier-Luc Duval and Navin Ramgoolam at the latter’s home in Riverwalk yesterday. Paul Bérenger recalled that an electoral agreement has already been ratified for the municipal elections. However, discussions for an alliance for the next legislative elections will continue as from January 2023.
Bruneau Laurette’s security must be guaranteed 24 hours a day
In a press conference this morning, Paul Bérenger spoke about the case of Bruneau Laurette. He said that he would have preferred the social activist to remain in an isolated cell rather in prison. But he said he would have been even more concerned if Bruneau Laurette had been held at the Beau-Bassin prison. He said that Bruneau Laurette’s security must be guaranteed 24 hours a day.
“Stop issuing permits to Taiwanese fishing vessels”
In a press conference this morning, Paul Bérenger denounced the government and the authorities regarding the management of the Yu Feng No 67 case, trapped in the reefs in St Brandon. He said the government, the maritime authorities and the National Coast Guard have shown incredible and dangerous incompetence. “We have not learnt from the Wakashio case. We did not buy tugs. We did not train people. We have not reorganized the National Coast Guard,” he said. For Paul Bérenger, the National Coast Guard has been rotten by the government. But most importantly, Paul Bérenger called for Port Louis to stop issuing fishing permits to Taiwanese vessels in the St Brandon area or in the intercontinental waters shared with the Seychelles. “We don’t know what these Taiwanese vessels are actually doing. Moreover, the conditions on these ships are hellish,” he said. Paul Bérenger also mentioned Chinese fishing vessels as a problem.
“The MSM is doing everything to get one of its own into the DPP post,” warns Bérenger
The MMM leader faced the press this morning, and spoke about several issues, including democracy and freedom of expression. He first denounced the new directives of the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA). For him, this is a further attack on democracy and freedom of expression by the MSM government. But for Paul Bérenger, the biggest danger is the position of Director of Public Prosecutions. Paul Bérenger said that the MSM is doing all sorts of contortions to fit one of its relatives into the position of DPP, even at the expense of meritocracy. “A very great danger threatens the constitutional position of the Director of Public Prosecutions,” he warned.
The creation of a possible Financial Crime Commission has the MMM leader worried. He said that the ICAC is a “washing machine” and added that the creation of the Financial Crime Commission aims to remove the little independence that some institutions still enjoy. For the MMM leader, the government wants to ensure that all institutions become like the ICAC.
