“We cannot simply sit back and watch. We must go the extra mile to save our country”
Interview: Sheila Bunwaree
* Political financing: ‘The ‘Kistnen Papers’ could have indeed lifted the lid, but there does not seem to be genuine interest in uncovering the lid’
* ‘We must develop a multi-pronged strategy to stop any kind of evil collusion between donors and political parties’
* ‘Mauritius 2024 cannot continue with the usual ‘casteist and ethnic calculation’
In this in-depth interview, Sheila Bunwaree discusses her reasons for departing from the MMM, highlighting the issues she perceived within the party and her broader political motivations. She addresses the urgent need for a unified opposition, emphasizing the importance of ethical leadership and a coherent societal project to guide Mauritius forward. She also offers a critical analysis of the current political environment, calling for greater inclusivity, particularly for women, and a departure from entrenched practices of division and corruption. Her vision includes electoral reform, enhanced political literacy, and a revitalized political system that serves the common good. As the country approaches a critical election, her insights provide a comprehensive look at the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
Mauritius Times: You may have had valid reasons for leaving the MMM, but the timing of your decision, right before the upcoming elections, does not appear to benefit the opposition to the current government, especially if you still align with this opposition stance. How do you respond to this?
Sheila Bunwaree: It would have been a scar on my conscience and an insult to my political and emotional intelligence, if I were to stay on.
The forthcoming elections are a determining and defining moment for the future of our country. The opposition has the moral obligation to stand united around a common Societal Project in the interest of the common good. Positioning candidates- women (many more) and men who have the ethics, the competencies, the conviction, the drive, the passion from the broad opposition spectrum is absolutely necessary if we truly want a new direction. I recall being on one of the private radio plateaus together with Ashok Subron, Ritesh Ramphul some months back, where we spoke of the urgency of changing the system and a government of transition. Revisiting the Constitution was also on the agenda. But how do we do this if we remain divided?
I am afraid that the opposition – parliamentary and extra parliamentary — is taking too long to give us the right signals for a unified new direction. I have for a long time now, been in favour of a United Opposition — an opposition which has innovative ideas, around a meaningful societal project for the common good. I am determined to assist in uniting the opposition, with many more women in the equation. A new social contract, informed by human dignity, opportunity, meritocracy as well as gender lenses, is absolutely necessary. Read More… Become a Subscriber
Mauritius Times ePaper Friday 2 August 2024
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