Eliézer François »  » I am shocked »

I an letter sent to the presse, the former minsiter of Housing says that he was  » terribly shocked, to say the least, by the way the MBCTV has reported MAM’s press conference, last night 19 June 2019″

Attention: The Head of News – MBCTV

Dear Sir,

I feel terribly shocked, to say the least, by the way the MBCTV has reported MAM’s press conference, last night 19 June 2019.

Your report gives the impression that I belong to that category of sycophants and bootlickers that surround the Prime Minister, Pravind Jugnauth. It’s a SHAME!

At the very beginning of my press conference I stressed on the point that, unlike some other people, I refuse to say that the Budget of 2019-2020 is 100% good or totally bad.

For example, I welcome the reduction in the price of petrol and cooking gas; I welcome the increase of Rs.500/ for old age pensioners and the advanced payment of Rs.1,000, pending the PRB recommendations.

But, I find the increase of Rs.30/ allocated to a fisherman who is incapacitated by bad weather conditions to go out fishing, as degrading. Whereas, workers on the tea plantations get an increase of 100% in their allocations. Alan Ghanoo is perfectly right to point out that the budget is discriminatory toward one particular section of the mauritian community. While Smart Cities are being built in Côte D’or, Triolet and elsewhere, Georges Christophe is stil asking, in vain, for a ‘Centre Polyvalent’ at Batterie Cassée for the youths.

On the other end, ironically, the Prime Minister keeps talking about multi billions of rupees that Mauritius has received and still is getting from Saudi-Arabia, China, India and some European countries, and the Minister of Sports proudly announces an increase of Rs. 20,000/ on the prize awarded to an athlete.

I also criticised the timing of the announcement of 9 september 2019 as a public holiday, although I personally campaigned in favour of that on 17 April 2019.

Quote: ‘Par ailleurs, nous demandons au Gouvernement Lepep de proclamer le 9 septembre 2019 exceptionellement, un jour de congé public, pour commémorer la visite du Pape François.’

I’m of opinion that government lepep should not use Cardinal Maurice Piat, nor the catholic church, through Père Gérard Mongelard, to obtain political advantages.

Among the other issues I raised during MAM’s press conference is the MBCTV’s policy. The MBCTV should adopt a policy of fairness and impartiality towards parliamentary and non-parliamentary opposition.

Members and political activists of the government shouldn’t be allowed to use the MBCTV, under the cover of press conferences, to deliver long electoral speeches.

Furthermore, I state that if the opposition parties in Parliament do nothing to stop this unfair practice, MAM will lodge a formal complaint to the IBA against the MBCTV.

Meanwhile, I formally request the MBCTV to do something during tonight 7.30 news bulletin, or at its earliest convenience, to clarify MAM’s position in regard to the 2019-2020 budget.

Eliézer François JP

Leader MAM