Troukler
FOREX IN THE BANK – WHAT FOREX?
Many of those who were fooled by Michel’s announcement that he was going to lift foreign exchange controls soon may have taken him too much at face value. It seems they have been going to the banks in droves to get a little something to travel with. Alas, what Michel failed to tell them was forex inflows had been drying up at a furious pace that it did not mater whether there was any forex controls or not. There was simply no forex to control! The SPPF top brass are busy siphoning out their rupees ahead of the devaluation (deregulation) they have promised the IMF.
In any case, isn’t it high time they learned to see through SPPF’s words and actions? When Michel proposed to lift foreign exchange controls there was absolutely nothing to sing and dance about. He was simply giving us back another liberty that he had taken away. In case you are one of those who are desperate, take note of this: if you want the $400 dollar forex allocation you better make sure you get to the bank by 5:00 a.m. However, I cannot guarantee that there won’t be another 25 people already in the queue when you get there. If that’s the case you might as well just go back home because only the first 10 receive forex on any particular day. That’s Jj spirit for you!
ECONOMY MINISTER, IN ABSENTIA
Is this the last we’ve seen of Mukesh Valabjhi seems to be the question on everyone’s lips ever since State House announced his resignation as Executive Chairman of PUC and Managing Director of SMB. However, the man is far too young and his superiors have far too much at stake to leave his ‘talents’ idle; which means that he is bound to resurface in one form or another at the appropriate time (probably as campaign manager when Danny challenges Michel to be the next SPPF presidential candidate). Meanwhile, rumour has it that the real reason Michel did not name an Economic Affairs Minister is because Number 1 has asked that this portfolio remains under his control. With all this talk of devaluation after the National Assembly elections and all those rupees still left to be converted, a cool (very cool) head is needed. So guess who is running the Economics portfolio? Spot on, you are!
THAT DARN R.500 NOTE
I was just as surprised as you were when I heard the authorities warning of fake R500 notes in circulation recently. But then after thinking for no more than 50ns I quickly realized that this call came too close to the elections for it to be pure coincidence. So now it seems that there is a fair number of people out there who will not only have to find the means to pay for a new ID card to replace the one they sold but he or she is also probably stuck with a fake R500 note. Not only have they ended up with a candidate they didn’t like but they’ve also been fleeced! I’m hoping that if there is such a thing as the political equivalent of riding for a fall, this is it. You’d think he’d know which way to caste his vote next time!
THEY HAVE SOLD OUT ON THEIR PRINCIPLES!
It is clear that certain individuals have sold out on their beliefs for a few thousand rupees during the last presidential election. One gentleman from Praslin is known to have said once that the day he become SPPF his father will turn in his grave. Well Sir what do you think daddy would have said if he could speak from the grave? “My son is a turn coat”, most probably.
Another gentleman tried to extract one thousand rupees from the Democratic Party. The next time we saw him he was on the SPPF stage asking us to do what he himself did not believe in only two weeks before the election. How can they look in the mirror every morning and be at ease with the image that they have become?
THE SWEARING-IN CEREMONY
President James Michel has announced his not-so-new cabinet of Ministers. All the ministers he inherited from the former Administration of Mr. France Albert Rene have kept their jobs. There have been no casualties and that in itself is reward for bad performances. Strange behaviour from a man who wants to effect changes in the way that his government will be run. However, we do have three new faces which bring a much needed breath of fresh air and some style into the Executive. The two women will help in achieving the gender balance that was lacking in the previous cabinet.
Talking of the previous cabinet, Minister Sylvette Pool must have been the most kissed dignitary this side of the Equator last Wednesday. First she was given a congratulatory kiss by the President. Then Danny followed, and then Pat did the same as did the rest of the gang. Not to miss out on the action the VP came up and pecked her one (or was it two?) and the President rounded things off with 2 more. She must have been feeling pretty chuffed with herself after all this. Hey did you see the look on Dolor’s face? He should have taken a hint from Herminie and just stay away. And finally, Pat Pillay did not wear a hat. Thank God for that!