The Mauritian parliament: A real circus.

I had the opportunity of assisting a session of the Legislative Assembly while in Mauritius.
I was shocked, and at the same time appalled, by the level of debate which I witnessed.
Only a handful of the parliamentarians are good and they are mainly from the MMM ranks.
Paul Beranger is outstanding and serious, well prepared and documented. Without him, (and Rajesh and Kee Cheong) that assembly  would  be like a Spanish Auberge or a street corner debate or what I hear kot marchand journal dan gran matin.
Anyway Question time was dull and boring. Some MLAs cannot properly frame a question, let alone speak English properly. Ms Anquetil, from the majority, was reading a question prepared in all intance and purposes, by the Minister to whom she was asking the question. This was so obvious. Watching the difficulty she encountered in asking supplementary questions, I wonder why she had to speak in English when she had been to Le Lycee Labourdonais ?
Another one, Nando Bhoda was reprimanded by the speaker, as he could not make the distinction between a question and a statement!! He was enmeshed in his questions/statements while trying to defend his poor record as Minister for Tourism and the flop concert at La Citadelle.
Some Ministers of the Government overtly displayed their lack of skills in answering questions, forgetting that they are accountable to the general public. Misleading Parliament is an offence under the Westminster system. Answers have to be accurate, clear and explanatory to the nation.
I was very surprised to see how most of the ministers do not have command of their respective portfolios. Some cannot even read and speak proper English. Zot koz anglais en Kreol. It would be better for them to speak in Kreol.
Some Minsters evaded questions and were vague in their answers. This practice is reprehensible if not disgusting. The nation need to know how public finance is used and not abused.
Misters of Navin Ramgoolam Government are definitely very incompetent from what I saw and heard. They are more of a shame to the nation. Mauritius deserves better.
The  PM is to be blamed, for choosing such a bunch of incompetents to be in cabinet and responsible for the running of the country. BBJ, among others, needs to seriously consider his retirement as he was inaudible and so brief. It is clear cut that some Ministers are there for specific reasons i.e to make hay while the sun shines. However, according to public opinion, their suns are setting...
The government team is so bad that there is urgent need for general elections. But instead Navin is unashamedly fishing for transfuges to consolidate his slim majority.
Navin was right when he declared that his team is weak. He should add incompetent as well.

Time to get out of Afghanistan

JULIA Gillard has used a surprise visit to Afghanistan to praise the bravery of our troops just over a week after three Diggers were killed in a shock attack. (The Daily telegraph)

It is now ten years since our troops have been fighting in Afghanistan under difficult circumstances which have caused many casualties. Soldiers as young as 22 years old were killed by the Talibans and lately 3 of our boys were shot by a soldier of the Afghan army. Today (9 November 2011) another three were shot and wounded, again by an Afghan soldier.
Our involvement in Afghanistan is supported by Tony Abbott (the opposition) and Julia Gillard (the government) which means that they are both equally responsible for the killings of our soldiers. They  have blood on their hands and will have to answer.
On my radio programs I have long advocated that we should get out of Afghanistan. It  makes no difference whether we leave now on in 2014. The USA, France, Canada, Netherlands, Italy among others, have started pulling their troops out. Our Prime Minister and Opposition Leader are still insisting that we have to complete the mission. Which mission ?
We went into Afghanistan after September 11 in the broader strategy of "War on Terror." Afghanistan was a hub of terrorists and the base of Al-Qaeda. It was also their training camps not to say their breeding grounds. The multinational troops succeeded in outsing the Talibans from power and destroyed to some extent, the training camps of the terrorists.
But the fight was hard for our soldiers despite their military technologies. The Talibans know the "ground" too well as they have been fighting the Soviets there for years and won.
They have a ground advantage and control the mountains. The  border between Pakistan and Afghanistan is under the full control of the Talibans. They even control parts of Pakistan.
The Pakistan government is also unable to control the Talibans; worse, some of its intelligence is collaborating with the Talibans. This is how many Al-Qaida leaders were hiding in Pakistan.
The killing of Bin Laden was a big victory for USA and the West in their war on terror. There is no doubt that Al Qaeda, as an organisation, is now weakened. Many of its leaders have been killed and the rest are being monitored closely.
The West's armies won some victories but will not win the war in Afghanistan. They know they cannot win the war and negotiations have started with the Talibans. The killings of soldiers from within, show that their intelligence is also not efficient. Many Afghan soldiers who still have allegiance to the Talibans, have infiltrated the Afghan army.
Millions if not billions of dollars have been spent and there is no winning signs. There is  no way of establishing democracy in Afghanistan, just as it is in any other Muslim countries. The Talibans are extreme Islamists fundamentalists and they want Afghanistan to be an Islamic state.
Amid Kazay has failed as a leader, his government is corrupt and has corrupted the two or three general elections held there. He will not survive politically when the troops are gone.
It is time for Australian troops to leave Afghanistan, just as we left Iraq after a failed mission. Leave now or later makes no difference. Bagdad, after the intervention of the West, is now the most dangerous city in the world which means that we achieved nothing.
Kabul will never be a peaceful city neither. So it is better for the Afghan to decide on their fate and how they want their country to be ruled. It is pointless to fight an unwinnable war. Time to get out NOW.
GDL. Twitter: @louisdelamare

Comments form Marie Armitage
Salut,

Everytime there is another victim in Afganistan, emotion runs high and the debate about bringing the soldiers back home comes up. I am normally a pacifist but there must be a good reason why the Australian troops are still there. Anyway I hope there is. I believe if there is no presence at all in that part of the world, it will quickly breed those murderous fundamentalists again. It is hard already to control them because of the traiterous geological terrains. Nobody can go in those mountains. What will be the consequence of the troops pulling out? Soldiers, and their loved ones and the Government know the risks of this vocation. If Alqaida breeds there again, then all those who have lost their lives would have been in vain.
What is the west doing to control Pakistan. Control Pakistan, then pull out of Afganistan.

In reference to Baghdad being the most dangerous city in the world, well at least there is a spirit of rebuilding and when talking to those living in Baghdad, you can feel that there is hope. We must not forget that under Sadam regime, not all parts of the country was peaceful as we all know.

M.

Hello, Salut, Bienvenuto

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GDL
Twitter; @louisdelamare
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