After Ten Years: Rodrigues Autonomy In Below Expectations

"Mi-figue, mi-raisin. "The Minister and leader of the Movement Rodrigues Rodrigues (MR), Nicolas Von Mally, is adamant that the results in the context of ten years of independence of Rodrigues. He says honestly that "there were many missed opportunities. We must learn lessons, go ahead and do not make the same mistakes. "

Friday, Rodrigues blow ten candles autonomy. On 12 October 2002, the President of the Republic at the time, Karl Offmann, and the then Prime Minister, Sir Anerood Jugnauth, inaugurated the Rodrigues Regional Assembly. This was the starting point for a Rodrigues self ambitious. Ten years later, the picture is somewhat mixed.

Politically, Rodrigues is divided into two and suffered ten elections in as many years. Economically, this island of 38,000 inhabitants took off slowly so that poverty remains a problem unsolved. Major problems that predated independence have not found solutions. Access to water remains a problem and prevents the island regain its status Mauritius attic she had of yore while the unemployment rate remains very high.

Nicolas Von Mally also admit that autonomy has not "brought great changes, but for that we need resources." Large projects have failed, said the Minister of Rodrigues. "Autonomy is a good tool, but its use depends on the worker and based on good relations between the central government and the regional government and between the Minister of Rodrigues and the regional government," he says. And at this point, we must recognize that the relationship between these components have not always been rosy for different reasons.

"The major issues such as the economy, education and the environment should not be subjected to party politics and demagoguery," says the Minister of Rodrigues. He points an accusing finger at his political opponents, namely the elected representatives of the People's Organization Rodrigues (OPR) and his former partner Johnson Roussety that after a few years as Chief Steward founded his own party.

At the OPR, it returns the elevator. "If autonomy did not work as it should, it is mainly the fault of the central government and the MR who did everything to block machinery. Everyone has unfortunately not at heart Rodrigues, "said a party official Serge Clair.

Joe Lesjongard not chew, for its part, not his words, Minister of Local Government in 2002, it was he who led the process towards independence. "On the Democratic plan, a big step has been done before, but the rest did not follow. It is a disappointment unwillingness of both sides, "he said. "There was at that time a lot of hope in autonomy. Everyone was put together to make that happen, but at some point, politics took over and we have lost the true meaning and autonomy. '

Joe Lesjongard, Rodrigues has no authenticity. And it is not only the fault of politicians, but also the private sector in Mauritius. The latter has "dropped Rodrigues. There was a tourist achievable vision, but nobody did. In addition to large tour groups, the MTPA also never considered complementary Rodrigues as a destination. Nobody played the game. " This is all that there was no real development. "Economically, Rodrigues died," laments Joe Lesjongard.

As for the famous law that the electoral system with a dose of Rodrigues proportional so strong that each regional government to govern the island with a very small majority, Joe Lesjongard says that in 2002, the idea was to come up with something that could be changed thereafter. "This is the Rodrigues Regional Assembly to come up with proposals for amendments to the government and the National Assembly. Is that this has been done. If so, where did it go, "he asks.