The War on Drugs
The Vice President was in the house recently proposing a bill to tackle the ominous, hot topic of the drugs scourge that is tearing our society apart. In typical SPPF fashion, it is not only too little too late but a classic bull before ox-cart scenario. Lots of talk about big fish, Escobar, pushers, dealers, victims, pti men, bok bok, lapoud, tyalas… which all translates into thousands of broken families, weeping mothers, overcrowded prison and a hopeless generation. This is ‘realite lavi’ beyond 2000!
Mister Spiker was back in his chair after his absence last week and was ready to open the debate to the floor. It is ironic to note at this juncture that Hon. Ferrari brought a motion not too long ago to address this very same issue of ‘Sa fleo drog’ on our society. Back then, the SPPF MNAs refused to entertain his motion. Now that it is being ushered in by their government, the tune has changed! The ghost of Ferrari still lingered…as the bye-election entered its last stretch…
The SBC reporting was being handled by Mr. Onezime (the one brandishing the flag in the open top jeep on Election Day). He chose to apply his own censure by allowing the SPPF MNAs the free mike but choosing to paraphrase and cut down on the SNP MNAs with his dubbing.
The various interventions from both sides of the ‘latab’ produced the usual sparks as we can infer from the excerpts below:
MNA Bernard Adonis – He wanted to stress that ‘gouvernman i serye’ (the government is serious) on this drugs issue. One wonders what they were doing all this time if they were not ‘serye’ (serious). It seems that they were not “serye” (serious) when JF Ferrari was talking about it!
MNA Bernard Georges – Always erring on the side of the law, the Les Mamelles representative was concerned that the bill was leaning too much towards punishment (corporal) but not enough on integration and rehabilitation of the victims of this ‘fleo’ (calamity). He felt that the bill was adopting the wrong approach as we needed ‘ledikasyon’ (education), ‘prevensyon’ (prevention) and ‘deteksyon’ (detection) to muster this evil.
MNA Clifford Andre – It is difficult to understand this guy. One cannot fathom his interventions as he waffles on praising the president…and one wonders why. Our President promised to reign in the Escobar but they are still at large. He reckons that while the population are suffering, the dealers go off on holiday. ‘Problem drog pe depas nou’! (we are being overcome by the drug epidemic) Perhaps he is not really a-tuned to the ‘realite lavi’! (the reality of life!). The problem seems beyond the control of the authorities.
MNA Jennifer Vel – Miss Vel confesses her limitations at not being too well versed with the law but taking a page from the book of the lady who addressed Mr. President in one of his district meetings prior to the last elections - the Escobar are still at large! The school kids in her district of Pointe Larue are only poor victims…well-done sister!
MNA Mitzy Larue – Having had a close encounter with what is going on in this underworld over in Praslin, Hon. Mitzy believes that ‘trafik drog pou elimin nou!’ (drug trafficking will eliminate us!). We need to put drugs prevention in the school curriculum. She is not too happy to see the ‘gro pwason dan zot gro loto’ (the big fish in their big cars) while our young people are suffering. She promised that MNAs will be watching closely that the young are protected…
MNA Jinette Gamatis – The Port Glaud representative expressed her concern about the current drug situation in her district as she passionately implored the dealers and pushers to spare the youngsters of PG. “Na pa lespas pou zwe” ( there is space for them), she believes.
MNA Marie-Louise Potter – The Leader for Govt Biz has a ‘problem’ with MNA Georges about re-inventing the wheel! She vouches that the laws being proposed was ‘zis bouton’ (was only the tip of the iceberg) (wonder why she did not say this when JF proposed his motion!). As she goes off on a castration tangent – “annou rekolte fler, dray sa ban Escobar”, as otherwise ‘nou fouti koman en pei!”
She feels that the opposition are getting confused as dealers will not enjoy 5star treatment and should not expect to go there to get English breakfast… where… au Cap? Sorry Montany Poze! Nou pou dray zot e dil ek zot enn fwa pou tou!”
Shame on the L of GB! It shows how much she is in tune with the problems of the ‘fleo’. The much talked about infamous detention centre ‘kot nou ban zenn pe rimann’ seems to be a non entity for her… as she rambles on… - 2 more minutes blurts the Spiker.
MNA David Pierre – He brought in the notorious ‘bok bok’ ki bat nou zenes, vol zot larzan, detenyr zot apre large san oken sarz’. He feels that the bill will only open more doors to abuse and we need to keep a window open…
Presenting a supplementary bill, the VP stated that ‘sityasyon in grav’ and we need to ‘anmen sa lager’ to rid us of this ‘fleo’ that is poisoning our youth.
MNA Wavel Ramkalawan – The Leader of the Opp. is not amused (and rightly so) that the L of GB adopts this rhetoric of ‘dray zot, bat zot’ as it does not really hit home for the SPPF (he has been a recipient of this treatment on the steps of this same assembly). He feels that there is a ‘mindset’ – oh gosh that word again – and we ought to be using this ‘mindset’ to change the ‘prezumpsyon’.
MNA Charles Decommarmond – This veteran of a politician has lived through several assemblies and therefore can permit himself to break away from the ranks from time to time. He supported Hon Ramkalawan on the issue of extending ‘riman’ as he felt this was a violation of human rights and we needed to “aranz nou lapolis ek nou zidisyer”. - Well-done Sir!
As the debate draws to a close Mr. Spiker orders the VP to sum up and the bill was voted by a majority, despite the abstention of the SNP MNAs.
Indeed! We may have a lot of big fish in this little pond, but it does not mean that we have won!
Annou pa les sa fleo drog detri nou! Annou protez nou ban zanfan ki pe ganny abize!