In the eyes of the Leader of the PMSD, the population of this country must surely be a bunch of gullible nincompoops! Consider this. A few months ago, the nation was placed on a mode of high and excited expectancy upon the announcement of a deal heralded as a personal feat of the Minister of Tourism. The announcement was that a contract had been signed with the FIFA (International Federation of Football Association) to the effect that the latter would use Mauritius as a station for the forthcoming World Cup event in South Africa. Some three thousand two hundred hotel rooms would be ‘requisitioned’ to enable teams and spectators alike to use our country as a sort of base to rally the various cities of South Africa during the football bash of the year This news brought in a sign of justifiable relief among the public at large, but more specifically within the tourism industry, having due regard to the bad patch that the latter, among others, had gone through over the past so many months since the economic turmoil hit the world. The direct and indirect windfall gains would have been manifold!

From the hotel owners to the air companies, from the local transport industry to the tour operators, from the boutique owners to the street hawkers, everybody was relishing in advance of the event. We were all literally gripped by the excitement that somehow we would be in the midst of the action that would unfold in neighbouring South Africa. But lo and behold! Our adrenaline level dropped drastically a couple of days ago when FIFA announced with regret that the deal was after all not on, on account of the less than poor response obtained at the level of reservation for the use of Mauritius as a rallying station. While disappointment slowly seeped in as we realised that the chance of a very viable commercial cum cultural opportunity had been stomped, Minister Duval had nothing better to declare on the waves of a private radio than this unfortunate downturn and loss for the country was but “a blessing in disguise”! How could the loss of such prospective lucrative business be a blessing? The Minister, of course, never bothered to explain, if explanation there ever is. Resultats lor Resultats indeed!

Come to think of it, one just has to peruse the various departments that fall under the purview of the Ministry of Tourism to gauge the kind of results that have been achieved. Practically all are in doldrums. Cronyism has overridden competence; under-qualified opportunists have been gratified with over-paid advisory positions while well-qualified youngsters on the job market are left in  limbo; persons known to belong to politically adverse parties are being lured to abandon their political convictions with the promise of temporary contractual jobs while others are being threatened of deprivation of promotion or indeed the possibility of filling a vacancy in the local administration bodies. Public funds earmarked for certain sectors are being diverted to unproductive tasks but which could fit the description of electoral lures. The Ministers of Environment, Public Infrastructure and Local Government, it would appear have had some of their responsibilities taken over by their seemingly hyperactive colleague. The Audit Department known for its high sense of duty and independence of action will surely closely scrutinise the various questionable expenditures imputed to such budgetary lines as the Tourism Fund. A management audit of the entire sector would also help to disentangle its apparent troubling ramifications with certain non-governmental organisations, call centres and travel agencies and bring to light the activities or rather non-performance of certain so-called representatives of the sector abroad. And indeed, what of the not very honourable behaviour of a couple of honourable members of Mr. Duval’s party who hold public office?

Yet, the vantage points around the country every so now and again are strewn with blue party streamers announcing “Resultats lor Resultats. Of course, one knows quite well that whenever exams are sat for results are obtained but these could very well be “FAIL”!

Lest we forget, some forty million rupees of public funds have been squandered with Minister Duval’s blessings for “Mauritius, c’est un plaisir!”, a slogan so derided and already slipping into oblivion. Maybe, “Maurice, c’est un Allet Retour!” would have brought at least a smile on the face of the Mauritian who,since July 2005, has seen the dreams sold to him shattered! - Vijay Makhan