Our national debates on electoral reform always cause a smile at the pious references to UN resolutions and signed conventions – as though these really matter in the minds of our local politicians! For example, just look at the way the CEDAW ( Convention for the Eradication of all forms of Discrimination Against Women) is treated year after year. At the moment, we don’t even know whether the terms of the Local Government Act will hold good for the General Elections!

So here’s an idea: why not kill two birds with one stone and save face on two fronts, by respecting both signed UN conventions at one and the same time? All the government needs to do is to reassure the UN that the BLS is dead and that a process of electoral reform is underway, sure to be complete and implemented for the General Elections of 2020. That gives us seven more years of debate and general amusement, surely more than enough time to finally get it right?

At the same time, we promise the UN that while awaiting the heralded changes to the Constitution, at the General Elections of 2015, the critical eight seats will be allocated to women candidates. This will not yet bring women’s representation to anything like the 50% we have signed up for, but it will be a far more respectable figure for the international monitors, and hopefully will encourage more young Mauritian women to decide to engage in politics, a definite plus for the country! A silly suggestion? Maybe so, but I believe no sillier than some others circulating at the moment, and something for us to think about on the 8 th of March.

Thank you.