Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Gaël Rangain
Published on 2024-04-18 11:00:22
The leader of the PTr, Navin Ramgoolam, has, for the first time since the departure of the PMSD from the PTr-MMM-PMSD alliance, given the reasons for this rupture. He thus reproached the PMSD for holding discussions at the highest level with the MSM while still being in the opposition alliance. “You can’t eat salad at both ends,” he said after a meeting between the senior members of the PTr and MMM at the Henessy hotel yesterday afternoon. In response to a question from the press, he maintained that Xavier-Luc Duval was personally involved in these discussions with the MSM. “Discussions were taking place behind our backs with the MSM,” he exclaimed.
“Neither Paul Bérenger nor I wanted to exclude Xavier-Luc Duval from the alliance. It is completely false to say otherwise,” Navin Ramgoolam explained, adding that he had initiated the gathering of the three opposition parties “because the country is already under the control of a family clan that has confiscated the Mauritian state.” He then listed the problems affecting the country, such as drug proliferation, corruption, nepotism, security, law and order, etc.
“It was in the aim of pulling the country back from the brink that we decided we needed to come together to oust the government. As former Prime Ministers, we have a responsibility and we cannot allow the country to drift. That is our motivation,” he explained, emphasizing that everyone understood that to conclude such an alliance, sacrifices had to be made. Navin Ramgoolam continued that these discussions had been ongoing for some time. “That is why, following a question from the press after the executive meeting on March 20 regarding the distribution of tickets within the alliance, I responded 35/17/8. It was not finalized, but this formula had already been discussed. I had made it clear that the PTr could not have less than 35 tickets for obvious reasons. We are aware of the municipal campaign led by Pravind Jugnauth,” he said.
“I know when they met, where and at what time, as well as who was present and who was leaking information. This means that the PMSD was in discussions on both sides when Xavier-Luc Duval came to see me in the presence of Bérenger and told me he wanted ten tickets, including one in constituency No. 3. This meant replacing Eshan Juman with a candidate from the PMSD. I did not agree. Duval had claimed that Abass Mamode had been elected. I told him that Mamode had been elected with votes from the MMM and the PTr. In any case, the PMSD’s elected representative in the constituency would become a turncoat, as is the case with Abass Mamode. That’s why I rejected this proposal for ten tickets and a candidate in No. 3,” the Red leader continued: “At Xavier’s request, I met Adrien Duval on Desforges Street. He made the same proposal as Xavier-Luc Duval, which I rejected. He mentioned the role of Speaker. I made it clear that it was planned for this position to go to the MMM and that discussions needed to be held with their leader. There was talk of two ambassadorial posts and the vice presidency. Despite these meetings and the concessions we were willing to make, discussions with the MSM continued,” revealed Navin Ramgoolam.
Regarding the meeting on April 13 at Riverwalk, Navin Ramgoolam stated that he had told Xavier-Luc Duval that discussions needed to be finalized. “His body language was negative. He gave the impression that he wanted to prolong the discussions. He even said that if the discussions were to end, he would not attend the May 1 meeting and would organize an open day in Grand-Gaube. That’s why I announced to the press the meeting scheduled for the following day to finalize the discussions. On that day, I confronted Xavier-Luc Duval with the facts regarding his meetings with the MSM and the ongoing proposals. He did not deny it. We asked him if Kushal Lobine and Richard Duval would be candidates, and he said at the moment, yes. Therefore, no confirmation. He told us that discussions needed to continue. I pointed out that a decision had to be made that Sunday, which he did not accept,” Navin Ramgoolam emphasized.
The PTr leader stated that Paul Bérenger had made concessions. Therefore, it is wrong to blame the MMM leader entirely, he said. “Xavier-Luc Duval’s statement is an MSM refrain aimed at demonizing Paul Bérenger. I never thought that Paul Bérenger would make so many concessions to save the alliance,” he conceded. Navin Ramgoolam criticized the seating arrangements imposed by the Speaker, Sooroojdev Phokeer. He noted that the decision was made to keep Ritesh Ramful, Mahen Gungaparsad, and Arvin Boolell out of the cameras in the chamber “for base communal reasons,” while also criticizing the Speaker’s behavior towards Paul Bérenger and Rajesh Bhagwan.
Yesterday’s meeting focused on mobilization for May 1. He announced that on April 30, the PTr and MMM leaders would lay wreaths at Caudan in front of the statues of SSR and Basdeo Bissoondoyal before heading to Saint-Jean. Regarding the electoral program, which was under Xavier-Luc Duval’s responsibility, Ajay Gunness and Osman Mohamed were chosen to co-chair these deliberations. He warned against a fake survey commissioned by Sun Trust and against the NSS leadership which, according to him, “threatens those who want to attend the May 1 meeting in Port Louis.”
Paul Bérenger noted that for the first time, the PTr and MMM would participate together in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Saint-Jean cemetery. Concerning the electoral program, he confirmed that work would be resumed and that discussions on candidacies were held yesterday afternoon.
Read the original article(French) on Le Mauricien
