“There is a political vacuum that needs to be filled…

Interview: Sheila Bunwaree

…but bringing back the MSM because of the current disillusionment will be the biggest mistake ever’

* ‘No post-independence government has genuinely pursued economic independence or challenged the country’s exploitative capitalist system’

* ‘Wins such as 60-0 kill any meaningful opposition, thus making Mauritian democracy become quite a paradox’

In the eight months since the Alliance du Changement’s decisive victory, the government has faced a series of challenges. Controversial pension reforms and an ongoing “Reward Money” scandal have dominated the headlines. Now, a new point of contention has emerged: Paul Bérenger’s statement denying any imminent “rupture” within the government. This raises a crucial question: why would the topic of a split even be on the table so early in their term? We spoke with Sheila Bunwaree to get her perspective on this and other pressing issues facing the nation.

Mauritius Times: Since the Alliance du Changement came to power in November 2024, two major issues have dominated headlines. The first is the controversial pension reform, which aims to shift the retirement age to 65. The second is the ongoing investigations and revelations regarding the “Reward Money” scandal, which has led to the arrest of five or six police officers. A third issue is now emerging: Paul Bérenger’s recent statement that the government will not break up. Why would he even be talking about a “rupture” just eight months into this government’s term?

Sheila Bunwaree: The first two issues you mention remain very important to the nation but they have been sufficiently canvassed in other spaces that I prefer not to delve on them. Let me come directly to the third issue.

Berenger is no longer the political icon that he was in the 70s and 80s. That he is one of the main architects of post-independence Mauritius cannot be denied. It must be admitted that he was an inspiration to many people from different socio-economic classes to people of different colour. That was in the early days of his political life, but 80-year-old Berenger seems to have lost his way.

I am not an ageist but a keen observer ofthe functioning of politicians, and what I see in Berenger today in 2025 is an erosion of values and principles as well as an exponential growth of a readiness to “protez so montagne’’.This has led to concerns about the rise of nepotism, favoritism, and communalism within the MMM. A major challenge for the party remains the absence of a clear plan for future leadership, which leaves the question of succession unanswered.

Berenger’s last statement that the government will not break up may hold some truth since both Ramgoolam and Berenger know that this is their last mandate, and they seem hell bent on using the opportunity of the 60-0 to pursue their own interests, often at the expense of the larger public interest. Such behaviour resonates with political scientist Francois Bayart’s ’Politics of the belly’’ butcan also carry the seeds of a ‘rupture’. It is perhaps useful to remind our readers that ‘rupture’ during the campaign meant something entirely different to what Berenger’s uttering of the word seems to reveal of his subconscious mind.

* The early signs of an imminent split would usually be evident to any attentive observer or political veteran. Do you see either or both of the major parties in the Alliance — the Parti Travailliste and the MMM — preparing for what Paul Bérenger dismissed just last Tuesday (August 12, 2025)?

While some would argue that there is “une bonne entente’’ between these two main partners of the Alliance du Changement, there exists another perspective which draws attention to the rising tensions and conflicts. Berenger has a problem – he thinks he knows it all. No one has the monopoly of knowledge, and he fails to understand this. In many ways, an authoritarian playbook has become his hallmark. Ifhe thinks that he can fool people and persuade them that the alliance is holding strong, he is grossly mistaken. The population can actually see through the cracks.

I cannot, however, see through a crystal ball to know whether thepartners areactually preparing for what Berenger dismissed on August 12 but what I am sure of is that the current regime has already lost its credibility and legitimacy. Rebuilding their image seems almost impossible, especially in a context when nepotism seems to have become the order of the day and sharing post-election spoils seems to be their principal preoccupation.

Many are questioning the purpose of the Deputy Prime Minister’s recent press conference, where he defended his salary and that of his associates. The public’s primary concern remains the lack of explanations for unfulfilled campaign promises, and the list of chaired meetings did not seem to address this. And a few days later another press conference to deny any form of favouritism and/or nepotism. The Mauritian population is very discerning and have the ability to judge whether the root of the MSM regime is being removed or entrenched.

* How does the 60-0 electoral victory affect the internal dynamics of the Alliance du Changement? Given the historical volatility of alliances in Mauritian politics, does such a dominant majority create a sense of complacency or does it exacerbate internal rivalries for influence and power?

Politics for many is no longer about being a special call or selfless dedication to the nation. It has instead become a platform for personal gain and self-interest, except for a handful of course.

A 60-0 is in itself the result of a vicious electoral system. Wins such as 60-0 kill any meaningful opposition, thus making Mauritian democracy become quite a paradox.The tyranny of numbers resulting from such a landslide victory in fact encompasses elements of both complacency and internal rivalries for influence and power. It is however not an Either/Or question- one does not exclude the other.

While it is true that our political history highlights the volatility and fragility of certain alliances, each political context is very different. The ruinous state of affairs in which theMSM regime has left us should leave no room for incompetence, inefficiency and indifference and yet this is what is unfolding.

Each person representing the nation in parliament has the moral responsibility to put our country back on the rails of development, butI leave it to the judgment of the people of Mauritius to decide whether this is happening. This 60/0 gives the regime the possibility to bring in certain amendments to the constitutionwhich canhelp to consolidate our democracy but instead they choose to wait for a full-fledged review of the constitution. Some people have started doubting whether this review will ever come to fruition, especially whenthey see how those holding the reins of power show their might, arrogance and propensity to control everything.

What raises more doubt is when we witness shifting sands- people who had some form of balanced thinking and objectivity during the electoral campaign are now kowtowing to their Master’s voice.

* Beyond the handling — or lack thereof — of the Air Mauritius problem, and the unresolved energy issue that threatens a potential year-end electricity blackout, a new matter has emerged: the appointment of Frédéric Curé as chairman of Airport Holdings Ltd. Why should Berenger be embarrassed or worried about Curé’s appointment?

Both Air Mauritius and the energy sector are crucial to the sustainability of the country and to the re-positioning of our little island state or should I say Oceanic stateat this complex and uncertaingeopolitical juncture. I am afraid that the challenges we are confronted withmay remain unresolved for a long time to come, given the way things are evolving.

Amidst all the difficulties we are faced with, we have a DPM, as mentioned earlier,who finds nothing better to do than call for two consecutive press conferences. I have already referred to the first one earlier, but this second one is much worse. Here we have a father-in-law DPM defending his son-in-law’s nomination as Chairperson of Airport Holdings.He also chooses to speak of his daughter’s appointment as Junior minister and his sister-in-law as ambassador in Mozambique.

What a waste of precious time in an era where accountability and productivity should be the essence of any meaningful governance. Berenger claims that he knew nothing about these nominations. The Mauritian citizen is no fool! Would Paul Berenger be embarrassed or worried? I think not!

*The appointment of Curé could create a perception of nepotism and a conflict of interest, potentially contradicting the principles of good governance and meritocracy long advocated by his party, the MMM. However, is that sufficient reason to disqualify Curé from the post? Or Eshan Jumah’s daughter from the board of the Competition Commission?

The appointments of Frédéric Curé and Nabiihah Juman, while a legitimate exercise of their right to serve, have raised concerns. While their status as family members of politicians is not the primary issue, some observers argue that the lack of a transparent recruitment process appears to go against the principles of meritocracy and good governance.

The electoralpromise regarding the setting up of a selection committee seems to have been forgotten. Worse still is when certain parliamentarians come on air to tell us that theypromised a selection/appointmentscommittee onlyfor certain constitutional posts. It is rather difficult to come to terms with the ethical chaos dominating the current political scene. We wonder how long some will continue to be more equal than others.

* One would have thought that a 60-0 electoral victory would provide this government with a tremendous opportunity to do great things for the country, in spite of the “lourdhéritage” left by the previous administration. What do you think theycould have taken up for the good of the country?

There is a lot that they could have done for the country starting by respecting certain key promises. Nine months down the lane, the price hike on food items which affects the poor and the middle class disproportionately is still out of control. We hear of a stabilization fund, but we are yet to see its results. Meanwhile significant number of Mauritians are suffering from malnutrition as revealed by the recent FAO report on ‘Food Security and Malnutrition in the World’. We all know the story behind the price of petrol but what we saw was a mere drop ofRs5 per litre.

Another area which needs urgent attention is the transition to renewables. The DPM’s alarmist tone about a possible blackout in the months to come is obnoxious. That there is arisk of an energy crisis cannot be denied, but this does not justify thecontinuous usage of coal on the scale that it is being used currently. The disguised protection ofthe IPPs does not augur well for a small multiethnicsociety such as ours.

The optimal use of our ample solar resources could have led to a faster transition away from coal. Can you imagine that a place like Zimbabwe has some 70% of its power generation coming from renewables. If l’Alliance du Changement was serious about a just transition, it could have had all schools, universities, hospitals, hotels, new buildings coming up,install solar panels. This is not too difficult a taskbut without the political will, it remains a mammoth one.

Two othergreat things for the country would have been the setting up of the selection/appointmentscommittees for transparent recruitment and the promotion of meritocracy as well as the immediateintroduction of the ‘Freedom of Information’ Act. These could have gone a long way in mitigating the State capture that is hovering on our heads. The people of Mauritius feel cheated. The perpetuation of a culture of opacity is causing a lot of resentment.

* On the other hand, there are ominous developments on the horizon: Trump’s tariffs and his overall political unpredictability. With our AGOA status in the balance, the economic fallout of all taken together could significantly impactour already fragile economy. Given these external pressures, what concrete steps should the government be taking to mitigate the risks to our economy and help us steer through this turbulent international landscape?

Sadly, no political regime in the post-independence period has truly tried tomake Mauritius become economically independent and steer us away from an exploitative capitalist economic system. Our economy has been built on cheap labour and a series of preferential arrangements: The Lome Convention, the multifibre agreements, the EPAs and more recently AGOA.Many of these have long been phased out and now we are, like the rest of the world, facing the tariff tantrums at the Oval office.

Unlike many other countries, however, we are not blessed with natural resources. The only resources we have is our people, many of whom want to leave the country because of thepersistent nepotism and many others are not skilledfor an increasingly technology dominated labour market. We also have a huge exclusive economic zone whose potential has unfortunately remained untapped.

Steering through this turbulent landscape under these circumstances demands that we use our collective intelligence and best brains to(1) to diversify our economy with emphasis on food security and engage in significant cuts on food imports; (2) encourage the rapid development of renewables – we must move fast towards a just transition; (3) the blue economy deserves much better than mere rhetoric- we must encourage productive investment in this sector;and (4) we must hone in our economic diplomacy and use the opportunity of the Africa free trade continental area(AFCTA, Cecpa with India and partnerships with China) more effectively.

We could perhaps start with the setting up of a few embassies in places such as Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania and even Senegal for instance. We can and should optimise on the African dividend. In short, we must get our priorities right.

* It is not known what is the government’s official strategy to address the potential economic fallout from global pressures and trade instability, and whetherthey are exploring new trade partnerships or focusing on diversifying the economy to reduce reliance on vulnerable sectors. What are your thoughts on these issues?

Unless we pay meaningful attention to the notion of a development model itself: reducing reliance on vulnerable sectors and effectivetransformation will not happen. Shifting from an emphasis on consumption to emphasis on investmentis not tantamount to a change in the model of development. Moreover, if investment continues to cumulate in nonproductive sectors such as the IRS, RES, real estate for instance.

We can only have fundamental changes in our model of development if the economy, society and environment are not thought of in silos and are allowed to articulate with each other, leading to productive growth and green jobs rather than opening up sectors which can ease illicit financial flows or encourage jobless growth for instance. There can be no change in the development model if the neoliberal ideology continues to dominate the model, accentuating inequalities and poverty on the way.

Professor Paul Tracey and Neil Stott are right in reminding us that lasting change starts with ‘reframing how society understands an issue…”. The issue here is the development model.There is a lot of unlearning that needs to be done by certain neoliberal economists and policy makersbefore they can relearn how to shape and plan the economy for a better, more inclusive future for all.

It is a good thing that we now have a Ministry of Economic Planning cum Financial Services. We have seen some kind of a strategic plan for financial services, but we are yet to see the shaping of a clear economic vision. Greater proactiveness is required to adapt and evolve with the rapidly changing global landscape.

Let me end by saying that without the right woman or the right man in the right place, the future will continue to be very gloomy. Sadly the latest nominations/appointments seem to signal a very wrong direction that the country is embarking upon.

* At present, no credible alternative has emerged to challenge the current government alliance. Nando Bodha’s proposal to bring the MSM into a unified opposition front was rebuffed by other extra-parliamentary parties. This raises the question: are we in for a long wait for a viable alternative to emerge?

I touched earlier upon the volatile nature of political alliancesand its implications for the country earlier but what is perhaps most important at this juncture is to actuallyprepare a credible alternative. The country needs new blood with new ideas, values and ethicsthat do not get shaken by immediate self-interests or fear of autocrats.

What we have seen at the last election in November 2024 is ‘un vote sanction’ and not “un vote d’adhésion”. All the more reason that the current regime must tread with care if it really wants to leave a positive legacy as claimed by some of them. We are constantly told that they have four more years to go and that they will ‘try to keep their promises “au maximum’’.But as the dictum goes: “plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose” seems relevant here. There is in fact a political vacuum that needs to be filled but bringing back the MSM because of the current disillusionment will be the biggest mistake ever.

Extra parliamentarianshave good reasons to rebuff Nando Bodha’s proposal of uniting withthe MSM. I wonder whether Bodha has become amnésique– is it not the same Bodha who spoke of “lódeur de la mort qui rode autour du MSM’’? But this said, the MSM, like all other political parties, is not only made ofcorrupt and/or shady people. There may be some decent people within the ranks of the MSM who are still able and willing to serve the country.There should be no room for those along the political spectrum who have reached their expiry date.

I do not think that we have to wait for too long for a credible alternative but what is essential and most pressing is to facilitate and enable the emergence of a credible alternative.A recent Afro Barometer report actually shows that some 80% of the Mauritian population is not inclined towards or close to any specific political party.

If extra parliamentary parties can engage with this mass around political literacy and awaken their political consciousness as well as arm them with the necessary tools and a political conscience to reject all form of ‘money politics’ engaged in bythe mainstream parties, then there is a good chance for something innovative, creative and which means business to come up.

Mauritius Times ePaper Friday 15 August 2025