Every year at this time, the Audit Office presents its report on the use made by public officials and parastatal bodies of public funds. As inevitable as the day follows the night, the report is a telling catalogue of misuse of public funds. Mauritius is not alone in carrying out this exercise. All countries do so and all other countries await with trepidation the publication of their Auditor’s report. The reason is simple since all those who are guilty of misuse and/or unauthorized use of public funds are taken to task.

In Mauritius, the Prime minister has dismissed the Audit’s report and has gone further by saying that abiding by the report will bring the country to a standstill. This is highly irresponsible on his part as his remarks amount to a blank cheque given to the public officials that the business of waste of public funds can and will continue as usual. These remarks are a departure from his previous remarks a few weeks ago when he said that he was not aware that there were so many “magouilles’’ going on under his watch. The citizens of this country have the right to expect that their taxes should not be dilapidated and that accountability be part of the governance process.

Never in the history of Mauritius have so many scandals and acts of corruption been so numerous and so widespread. It seems that corruption is the oil that keeps the machinery of the State operational. Public officials who are paid out of public funds to take decisions only in the national interest are barred from being influenced by other considerations. But this has turned out to be a pious wish as the Audit report reveals rampant malpractices. Those who give money for decisions to be taken in their favour know that this is what makes the bureaucratic world go round. If the money is not there, the decisions are simply not taken. Investors and entrepreneurs are acutely aware of the LICENCE RAJ. The option is to wait forever or to pay and obtain the licence. Even India did away with the Licence Raj decades back.

Something is definitely in a paralysis mode. The whole thing has to go to RESET. The Prime minister is seeking more powers as President and he will in a hundred days change our lives. I absolutely abhor the 100 days talk. But he already has all the powers both under the Constitution and in practice. Nothing happens without his OK. No one is appointed without his blessings and those who are revoked from their substantive office are the victims of his decisions. So what more powers does he need? He should know that his late father crafted the Constitution in the way it is in order to concentrate all powers in the Prime minister. The situation has not changed and there is no need for any additional other power. But what is required is someone prepared to take decisions and to take them having only the national interest at heart.

Passing the buck is childish. By the way, this may be the reason why more than 50% of Mauritians who were polled declared that they would be happy to emigrate. Confidence in the country is ebbing away.