Africa-Press – Mauritius. On the first anniversary of the Alliance du Changement taking office at Government House—following the general elections of November 10, 2024—relations between the leaders of its two main coalition partners, Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam (leader of the Labour Party) and Deputy Prime Minister Paul Bérenger (leader of the MMM), are far from harmonious. The tone was set unequivocally during Saturday’s Central Committee meeting, where Bérenger addressed the state of relations between the two governing parties. The Deputy Prime Minister has given himself until next Friday’s Cabinet meeting to decide whether he will remain in government. In the meantime, he plans to chair tonight’s meeting of the MMM’s Political Bureau, following the majority parliamentary group’s preparatory session for tomorrow’s National Assembly sitting. Additionally, Central Committee members have been summoned by their leader to a special meeting next Saturday.
Following Saturday’s Central Committee gathering, party activists left with a firm conviction that “the crisis is far from over”—contrary to any reassurances that might have been inferred from recent comments or body language observed during the last Cabinet meeting. On the contrary, the message conveyed during the Central Committee discussions—led by the Deputy Prime Minister and MMM leader—was clear: “we are heading into crisis.” However, Bérenger will make his final personal decision based on developments over the coming days, while leaving it to the Political Bureau and Central Committee to ultimately determine the party’s course.
Next Friday’s Cabinet meeting is being framed as a critical juncture to assess the political situation within the government and the relationship between the two leaders. According to cross-checked information obtained by Le Mauricien from multiple sources after Saturday’s Central Committee meeting, one key issue that could tip the balance in this ongoing coalition crisis concerns the chairmanship of the national airline, Air Mauritius, following the official, forced departure of Kishore Beegoo at the end of October.
Ramgoolam and his deputy appear to hold divergent views on who should lead the airline’s board in its effort to relaunch operations. The MMM leader’s candidate is none other than Megh Pillay, who currently serves as Executive Chairman of Airports Holdings Limited—the principal shareholder of Air Mauritius. The Prime Minister is reportedly unenthusiastic about this option, with sources at Government House suggesting he has a different nominee in mind.
Another point of contention is the delay in launching the Constitutional Review Commission, announced in the President of the Republic Dharam Gokhool’s program speech on January 27. The original timeline stipulated that the Commission should have been established one month after the announcement, yet no progress has been made to date. Following last week’s government tensions, it was agreed that a Cabinet memorandum on the matter must be submitted for Friday’s Cabinet meeting. The Commission’s work plan is expected to prioritize electoral reform, particularly the issue of ethnic declaration by candidates in legislative elections.
Before next Friday, early signals of the MMM leader’s next move—currently acting in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs—will need to be closely monitored, especially during tonight’s Political Bureau meeting, where he intends to address the conduct of certain MMM ministers. On Wednesday, the Deputy Prime Minister chaired a working session on regional cooperation projects. Also scheduled this week—before Attorney General Gavin Glover departs for London—are further discussions on the Chagos issue.
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