Party President Joe Lesjongard, Secretary General Maneesh Gobin and Education Minister Leela Devi Dookun Luchoomun hosted the MSM press conference yesterday, Saturday, October 15. Several current issues were discussed including the election petition, the autonomy of Rodrigues, the launch of the metro in Curepipe, the report of the judicial review, and violence in schools.
It was the Attorney General who commented on the Judicial Review report. “It is shameful, never in the history of the country has a Judicial Enquiry report been made public. It is not a public document,” he said.
The report of a judicial inquiry is sent to the magistrate and the DPP, but to no one else. How did it end up in an editorial office? This is not a credit to either the magistrate’s office or the DPP’s office. I hope, said the Minister, that in the interest and credibility of his office, Satyajit Boolell takes the appropriate decisions and initiates an investigation. He stressed that two investigations are underway and wondered if the revelation of this report, has not prejudiced the investigation. Moreover, he launched this appeal: Let the institutions do their work. Justice is done in court, not in a newsroom.
Joe Lesjongard has been very vocal about the statements of Paul Bérenger and others regarding the autonomy of Rodrigues and the electoral reform. He stressed that the presence of the Prime Minister in Rodrigues demonstrates the place that this island and its inhabitants occupy in the heart of the government. The MSM has always had great regard for the people of Rodrigues, whether under the late Sir Anerood Jugnauth or now under Pravind Jugnauth. Regarding the water problem in the 10th district, Pravind Jugnauth assured that he will give all his support to the Rodriguan people to find solutions, said the President of the MSM.
At the same time, he said: “without MSM not ti pu ena the autonomy of Rodrigues.” Explaining that the MSM has supported this action from the beginning to the end. “I take this opportunity to tell Berenger that he is in the wrong place to say that this is his property. But everyone will remember my involvement in this process because I was the minister of Rodrigues at the time. We must also recognize the commitment of SAJ, Paul Berenger and even Pravind Jugnauth who was in government at the time,” explained this MSM spokesman.
Another point addressed by Joe Lesjongard was the electoral reform. He recalled that the MSM has on two occasions worked on a bill on this subject, but it did not get the support of the opposition.
It was an opportunity to bring a good electoral reform, if there were points of disagreement we could have discussed. But the government did not want to hear anything.
Another announcement: experts are working on the problem of traffic jams in the region of Curepipe and soon solutions will be brought.
Joe Lesjongard recalled that MSM members as well as their leader have held meetings in all 20 constituencies of the country. The opposition, on the other hand, has not even been able to hold a march. They held one or two conventions, but it was almost a fiasco.
Talking about the beginning of the parliamentary year, the minister said that they are fully motivated and have a lot of plans. We are also ready to answer questions from the Opposition. “We are a united team that is taking over the parliament and we hope that this time the Opposition will act in a better way and that we will have democratic debates. Parliament is sacred”, he said.
For her part, the Minister of Education, Leela Devi Dookun -Luchoomun discussed the reform of the education system, which has been in place for at least 6 years, for the welfare of children.
The aim, she said, is to enable the development of children. The minister took the opportunity to recall the whole program, put in place to ensure the integral development and emotional balance of children.
At the same time, Minister Dookun returned to the incidents that took place in some schools. She said she was upset by the attacks on teachers. We cannot tolerate this situation, she said.
Children, teachers, principals and even parents have rights but also responsibilities and we must assume them.
She condemned the case where parents assaulted a teacher on school premises. “We will not tolerate any form of violence in schools,” she said.
“Violence must not be allowed to enter the field of education. The school must remain a safe place. There are protocols to be respected for teachers, parents, and students,” the minister said firmly.
