The leaders of the PTr, MMM and PMSD were before the press this morning. The first issue discussed was the postponement of the municipal elections. Navin Ramgoolam was the first to speak. He said that Pravind Jugnauth is fully aware that the MSM will not win any mayoralties if it organises the municipal elections. This, he added, “despite the help of Father Grégoire”. As a result, said the PTr leader, the government has decided to confiscate the people’s vote and commit a rape of democracy. “This is the first time that the municipal elections have been postponed for a third time. This is the first time that 10 years have gone by without this ballot being held. And this for reasons that don’t hold water”, he declared. Navin Ramgoolam also deplored the fact that the President of the Republic had given his assent to the law. For him, the government fears a stinging defeat.
The PTr leader also returned to the ruling of magistrate Bibi Azna Bholah, who struck out the provisional charge against the Principal Pharmacist of the Ministry of Health in the Molnupiravir case. “It’s a slap in the face to Icac. But we can also see how the government is acting. It is using every possible institution against its opponents”, he said. He added that the magistrate had concluded that there was no evidence linking Naeck to this offence. “Despite all this, the Icac tried to pin the blame on him, forgetting Mrs Allagapen and Mr Chuttoo. Not to mention Dr Ori, Minister Jagutpal and Dr Joomaye,” he said. For Navin Ramgoolam, when we see all this, we are entitled to wonder whether we can trust the Icac.
“There is unanimity in the country to condemn the postponement of Municipal elections”, says Bérenger
Speaking at a press conference, Paul Bérenger also commented on the postponement of the municipal elections. “There is unanimity in the country against this decision. Everyone condemns it. This is the first time that all the political parties, on the initiative of Rezistans ek Alternativ, have joined together in a joint petition. This is unprecedented”, he declared. He added that it was symbolic that on the very day that the government violated democracy, Pravind Jugnauth confirmed that he would not be bringing in a Freedom of Information Bill. Paul Bérenger has also declared that at the earliest opportunity, the organisation of regional elections will have to be made compulsory in the Constitution.
Duval criticised ICAC
The opposition leader, Xavier Duval also commented on the ruling of magistrate Bibi Azna Bholah at a press conference. He also denounced the fact that the commission wanted to make an official from the Ministry of Health the scapegoat in this case. “The magistrate mentioned huge flaws. I’ve always said that ICAC only deals with minor cases. It falls asleep on the big cases”, he declared. He also commented on the budget, which will be presented on Friday 2 June. “We are expecting a populist budget… for electoral reasons”, he said. At Question Time, Xavier-Luc Duval confirmed that Irfan Rahman’s response was “expected”.
