‘Undecided’ voters: “Its’s fear of retribution that explains the large chunk of the electorate that claims to be undecided”
|Interview: Touria Prayag
* ‘Checks and balances within a system only work when we have honest, honourable people who respect the rules of democracy’
* ‘Every journalist still fighting today for a better tomorrow for every Mauritian is doing it at the expense of their families’ well-being’
As the former Editor-in-Chief of Weekly magazine and the author of two books — Provisional Charges: the Untold Human Stories and #BLD: When Mauritius Lost its Bedside Manners — Touria Prayag has consistently engaged with pressing social and political issues. In this candid interview with Mauritius Times, she reflects on her journey through the media landscape, her approach to critical journalism, and her views on the current political climate. With an emphasis on meritocracy and a staunch defence of independent reporting, Touria Prayag offers insights into the necessity of integrity in journalism and the vital role it plays in fostering a democratic society. What follows are her thoughts on the evolving dynamics of politics and the challenges facing media professionals today, highlighting the importance of courage and resilience in the pursuit of truth and justice.
Mauritius Times: We haven’t had the opportunity to read you for some time now. Could you explain the reasons behind this absence?
Touria Prayag: I am grateful that you and other readers still recall my writings and miss them.
Let’s say that a page has been turned on another chapter in my career and I have embarked on new projects. Weekly is now being run by younger and perhaps more able colleagues.
* But you have been very silent about it, haven’t you?
You know, when you leave a position that you have occupied for so many years, there are various ways of reacting.
You can choose to do what one of our ex-colleagues has been doing: devote the rest of your life to criticising all the journalists who have been doing their job since, the company they work for and any initiative taken by former colleagues. That is not my style. I have never done that.
I have occupied several positions in the past, some arguably more important than my previous role as editor in chief of Weekly, and when another chapter opened, I closed the door gently behind me and moved on, wishing my colleagues well. Naturally, there are things which could have been done differently. It saddens me that they weren’t, but that’s life. That’s just the way things are.
The best thing you can do when you are brought face to face with human nature is to take it on the chin and keep moving ahead. I am not indispensable to any organisation and, equally, there isn’t only one way for me to continue to contribute to the causes I have always believed in.
* How has your experience of editing a weekly paper been and are there any key lessons you’ve learned from this experience that you would like to share?
I don’t think of myself as a great journalist who has been to the best schools of journalism and is ready to dish out lessons.
I fell into the cauldron of journalism by accident. I was contributing my views to the local press while working in Academia. One day, Jean Claude de l’Estrac, who was then Executive Chairman of La Sentinelle, called me for a meeting and offered me the opportunity to start a new publication in English. Surprised, I told him that I was not a journalist. I will always remember his reply: « Si, mais vous ne le savez pas encore! » (You are, but you don’t know it yet!)
I decided to take up the challenge and I walked into the newsroom for the first time as editor in chief. It was really tough. We had to work on the trial issue (le numéro zéro) of what was then l’express Weekly, had to deal with the finances of the publication, the human resources, recruitment, long unsociable hours…
But we survived and found our place in the local media landscape. Until Covid hit.
* What about your experience with media freedom?
To be perfectly honest, although we were a small publication within a large media group, we enjoyed total editorial freedom throughout our existence. That has always been sacrosanct.
It was difficult for a lot of readers to understand why there were so many different points of view expressed within the same company. The answer is simple: the freedom of expression was something we lived; not something we paid lip service to. Each publication fought for the principles it believed in for as long as it believed in them.
And that is the lesson I would like to share: stand and fight for what you believe in, no matter what the price is. When you no longer can, you grab your pen and shut the door behind you. You don’t compromise on your principles. People may like you or hate you. But they will always respect you.
* Do you believe media freedom is under threat today considering the increasing reports of media outlets – both newspapers and private radio stations – adjusting their editorial stance due to government pressure on board directors, often tied to business interests?
I do not have any information to confirm a direct cause/effect relationship between business interests and the mellow editorial line adopted by the media. Like you, I have been reading about some big scandals spun as the greatest achievements in the world and some ministers’ absurd statements on the economy being taken almost seriously. However, that could be just a matter of appreciation.
I still believe that independent journalists will continue to do their work despite of the pressure. The number of these journalists is shrinking but those who are still fighting need our support and encouragement. We have to always recognise their brave stance and help them promote the principles that they are fighting for.
Every journalist still fighting today for a better tomorrow for every Mauritian is doing it at the expense of his/her career, the well-being of their families and so many opportunities that they will never get. We should be conscious of that every time we read an article. Without the brave men and women doing this job, the situation would be even worse. In these times of disappearing checks and balances, we must be grateful for those who are keeping the profession alive.
* You had adopted a very critical line vis-à-vis both the SAJ- and the Pravind Jugnauth-led governments during the time you were editing ‘Weekly’. What motivated that approach?
I wouldn’t personalise my criticism of governments. Readers who followed me from the beginning will remember my criticisms of the Ramgoolam government when the Labour Party was in power as well, and how I fought tooth and nail against the then personal arrangement between Navin Ramgoolam and Paul Bérenger for a second republic.
I have nothing personal against either SAJ or Pravind Jugnauth. In fact, I knew SAJ personally and had a lot of respect for him on a personal level. What I was criticising were the dangerous measures taken by both governments since 2015: a wave of arrests of opponents on trumped-up charges; unlawful attacks on businesses perceived to be close to the former government; a frontal attack on the rule of law (l’état de droit); and the enactment of laws that encroach upon our liberties.; anti-democratic practices; an unprecedented level of nepotism that has resulted in the country being divided into “nou ban” and “banla”; an atmosphere of fear that has reduced everyone to silence; a level of propaganda hitherto unseen in the country; a series of scandals going to the extent of mafia-style executions… And lo and behold, those things I had been denouncing have all ended up costing the taxpayer billions and we haven’t settled the full bill yet.
All the trumped-up charges against opponents have been thrown out by our courts of law and there are dozens of court cases against the government; the chickens will come home to roost one day as they did in other cases: Betamax has cost us over Rs6 billion, Neotown nearly Rs2 billion and BAI Rs21 billion and counting.
At the time, when I was denouncing the excesses and autocratic practices of the government, many people could not see where we were heading. Today, they do, but it is a bit too late, as the public purse has been squeezed dry out of our hard-earned money to pay for the inane decisions made by the government in our name.Read More… Become a Subscriber
Mauritius Times ePaper Friday 20 September 2024
An Appeal
Dear Reader
65 years ago Mauritius Times was founded with a resolve to fight for justice and fairness and the advancement of the public good. It has never deviated from this principle no matter how daunting the challenges and how costly the price it has had to pay at different times of our history.
With print journalism struggling to keep afloat due to falling advertising revenues and the wide availability of free sources of information, it is crucially important for the Mauritius Times to survive and prosper. We can only continue doing it with the support of our readers.
The best way you can support our efforts is to take a subscription or by making a recurring donation through a Standing Order to our non-profit Foundation.
Thank you.