It is customary during this festive period to wish everyone well and hope that they will do good. This surfeit of goodwill unfortunately disintegrates into nothingness when the harsh realities of January hit. But again this is something that human nature is used to and, with grace and disbelief, people are prepared to put up with almost anything at this time, including those Presidential or Prime Ministerial end of year addresses on the publicly funded MBC but which is operated as the mouthpiece of the powers that hold sway for the time being. A comparison between what was said last year and who said it and what was said this year will be most enlightening.

But this is not the season of the year when such intellectual pursuits are in favour. From the apathy that permeates our population, one is entitled to wonder at whether or not there are any seasons in Mauritius. In other countries they really do have seasons.

The Arab spring which started early January 2011 led to multiple changes in Governments in the Arab world. Even Colonel Muammar Gaddafi who was jubilant when Ben Ali of Tunisia fell and paraded his naivete in saying that his people “loved” him had to face the grim reality of what his people’s love actually meant. There was something rotten in the countries with seasons and, although people took time to realize the gravity of their plight, still they struck and removed the stench.

The President in his end of year message to the nation harped once again on the bane of corruption which, according to him and Transparency International, poisons Mauritian lives and the cost of doing business. Naturally MedPoint was not mentioned as such but the point was made. But what will the President do? Much talk of a 2000 electoral remake has placed the President in the spotlight.

In democracies, institutions must be allowed to function and no institution ought to represent that little pebble which grinds to a halt the machinery of State. It is unhealthy for Mauritius to have an institutional paralysis and all those who, like the President or the Prime Minister, hold power must put an end to it. Clarity is what is required and it would put a shine on the President’s standing if either he put all rumours of a 2000 remake and his role in it to rest or he comes out and leaves Reduit Government House. He will then have all the time from La Caverne to plan a remake and to chart a road to the offi ce of Prime Minister.

Uncertainty is bad – both for him and the country. I am sure that all the gossip about his plan to stay on until he goes to the London Olympics in his capacity as President is unfounded as he has all the resources to do that independently of any office.

Otherwise people will remind him that there are seasons after all. As in other countries where people have experienced an “Arab spring” or a Russian winter or even an Egyptian summer after the spring, is it too much to hope for an awareness of seasons in Mauritius? Season’s greetings are fine but no Mauritian season is likely.