Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08PORTLOUIS331
2008-09-26 09:36:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Port Louis
Cable title:  

PRIME MINISTER DETAILS MOTIVES FOR CABINET

Tags:  PGOV PREL PINR MP 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT LOUIS 000331 

SIPDIS

ADDIS PASS USAU

AF/E FOR MARIA BEYZEROV

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/24/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR MP
SUBJECT: PRIME MINISTER DETAILS MOTIVES FOR CABINET
RESHUFFLE

REF: A. PORT LOUIS 307

B. PORT LOUIS 312

Classified By: Ambassador Cesar B. Cabrera for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT LOUIS 000331

SIPDIS

ADDIS PASS USAU

AF/E FOR MARIA BEYZEROV

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/24/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR MP
SUBJECT: PRIME MINISTER DETAILS MOTIVES FOR CABINET
RESHUFFLE

REF: A. PORT LOUIS 307

B. PORT LOUIS 312

Classified By: Ambassador Cesar B. Cabrera for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: On September 12, the Prime Minister publicly
announced both a long-expected cabinet reshuffle and the
re-appointment of the current president to another five-year
mandate. The recent cabinet reshuffle is the first reshuffle
executed solely by prime ministerial initiative. In a
meeting with Ambassador Cabrera, PM Ramgoolam explained his
rationale for the reshuffle and for the presidential
appointment. In addition to his publicly touted quest to
"modernize his administration by basing his decisions on
results," Ramgoolam admitted privately that his priorities
were to specialize portfolios, rid himself of "overwhelming"
duties, and prevent any possibility of a political alliance
among the opposition parties. END SUMMARY


2. (C) According to the Prime Minister, who spoke to
Ambassador Cabrera (with POLOFF as notetaker) in a private
meeting on 18 September, the PM had several key goals in the
cabinet reshuffle exercise which was announced on 12
September. These goals included preventing an opposition
alliance of the Mouvement Socialiste Mauricien (MSM) and the
Mouvement Militant Mauricien (MMM) parties and streamlining
ministerial duties. He expects the reshuffle will help
streamline ministerial performance. For example, Ramgoolam
cited the relief of Attorney General Rama Valayden's extra
duty as Minister of Human Rights and Justice as an attempt to
allow his Attorney General room to perform more effectively.


3. (C) Regarding preventing an alliance between the two
strongest opposition parties, the MSM and MMM, Ramgoolam said
that he needs to prevent the MSM/MMM alliance "at all costs."
Keeping the opposition in check was the PM's primary
motivation for re-appointing Sir Anerood Jugnauth president.
Ramgoolam alluded to rumors that MMM leader Paul Berenger
attempted to persuade President Jugnauth not to accept the
nomination, and added that Anerood Jugnauth accepted because
of "his sense of duty superseded all of Berenger's arguments"
and because his age limits any other options for political

contribution to his country. (NOTE: Jugnauth is 78. END
NOTE.)


4. (C) (COMMENT: In recent months, Ramgoolam has come under
fire for having more than one Deputy Prime Minister and for
assigning the Attorney General a ministerial portfolio, both
of which are against the constitution. It was perhaps
surprising, given his candor otherwise, that the PM did not
admit that some of the reasoning for reshuffling was to
alleviate recent criticism against his government. END
COMMENT.)

--------------
OPINIONS ON CABINET RESHUFFLE
--------------


5. (C) Some critics of PM Ramgoolam, like Creole community
leader Father Jocelyn Gregoire, vociferously challenged the
reshuffle as a lost opportunity to bring more ethnic equality
to the cabinet. Gregoire's opinion reflects the struggles
that Ramgoolam has in winning the Creole vote. Ramgoolam
addressed this struggle in his September 18 meeting with
Ambassador Cabrera by recounting the case of Etienne
Sinatambou (Creole),who was the former Minister of
Information Technology and the only Minister who lost his
ministerial title in the reshuffle; Sinatambou was reassigned
to be Deputy Speaker of Parliament. Ramgoolam spoke to the
Ambassador of a discussion he had with Sinatambou before he
accepted the new position as Deputy Speaker. According to
the PM, Sinatambou said he was under pressure from Creole
leaders not to accept the lesser position because it was
"non-ministerial." Ramgoolam insinuated that the Creole
leaders pressuring Sinatambou were "opportunistic."


6. (C) Opposition member Nando Bodha, MSM member and Member
of Parliament (MP),praised Ramgoolam's handling of the
reshuffle. In a September 17 meeting with Ambassador Cabrera,
Bodha commended Ramgoolam's decision to appoint Arvin Boolell
Foreign Minister and considered Boolell well suited to handle
the portfolio thanks to his experience working with
international organizations, such as the European Union.
Bodha also commended the PM's decision to keep Anerood
Jugnauth as president. Bodha, however, was convinced that

PORT LOUIS 00000331 002 OF 002


even with a new cabinet, Ramgoolam's Social Alliance will not
be able to carry out its full term and insistently predicted
early elections in 2009 following the release of a new
budget.

--------------
PREVENTING THE MSM/MMM ALLIANCE
--------------


7. (U) When asked if Anerood Jugnauth's re-appointment as
president would prevent an MMM/MSM alliance, Bodha said that
the re-appointment is a peripheral move and it wouldn't
affect with whom the MSM makes alliances for projected 2010
elections. This is similar to press statements made by MMM
leader Paul Berenger, who said the continuing presidential
mandate would have no effect on a potential MSM/MMM alliance.
Likewise, in press statements, Pravind Jugnauth, MSM leader
(and son of the re-appointed president) welcomed Anerood
Jugnauth's re-appointment but added that it would "not stop
an MMM/MSM alliance."


8. (C) In the September 18 meeting with COM, Ramgoolam
conceded that the presidential re-appointment may not deter
an MMM/MSM alliance, but that it was a necessary move for him
to "keep all of his options open." The PM noted that he
would have other opportunities to prevent the opposition
party alignment, including by supporting one side or another
during a possible upcoming MP bi-election. In sum, Ramgoolam
said that it is too soon to broker any public alliance now
and that he is more than happy to keep his options open.

--------------
RAMGOOLAM MORE POPULAR THAN HIS PARTY
--------------


9. (U) The latest Business Magazine Public opinion survey,
which looked at the Government's track record and political
figures' popularity, was taken in mid-August. When the
public was asked about their favorite political figure as
Prime Minister, Ramgoolam came first (31 percent),beating
Berenger (28 percent) and Pravind Jugnauth (8 percent).
Ramgoolam remains the most popular figure and has a 55
percent approval rating. Although, based on the poll, the
public still considers Ramgoolam the best fit for the PM
position, his Social Alliance party is not as popular. When
asked for which alliance they would vote if the legislative
election happened the following Sunday, 41 percent of the
public said that they would vote for an MMM/MSM alliance,
while only 29 percent said they would support the Social
Alliance. Regarding alliance popularity, the survey shows
that 49 percent of the population is favorable to the idea of
a new MMM/MSM alliance, with the majority of support coming
from the General Population (53 percent),followed by the
Hindus (50 percent),and Muslims (39 percent). Only 32
percent would like to see another Labor Party/MSM alliance,
and only 21 percent preferred a Labor Party/MMM alliance.


10. (C) Ramgoolam seems to have the pulse of the people. His
decision to change his cabinet and his persistence to prevent
an MMM/MSM alliance fit well with the latest Business
Magazine bi-annual public survey published on September 17.
Despite Ramgoolam's popularity and 55 percent approval
rating, however, he still has some trouble within the Creole
community. According to the survey, out of the 45 percent
that were dissatisfied with him, 59 percent were from the
Creole (or General Population) segment of Mauritian society.

--------------
COMMENT
--------------


11. (C) Against the public discontent and opposition
pressure, Ramgoolam, ever the shrewd politician, is
deflecting the blame for unpopular policies on 'old guard'
cabinet members and baiting the swing opposition party (MSM)
in the same breath, by reshuffling his cabinet and
re-appointing MSM stalwart Anerood Jugnauth as president.
Ramgoolam looks to be avoiding any public alliances and to be
focusing political attention on himself instead. This could
explain his rash of unilateral moves as of late, such as his
unilateral decision to re-shuffle the cabinet and the
unilateral decision to change constitutional law to allow him
to have additional vice prime ministers. Clearly,
pre-election maneuvering is underway in Mauritius.
CABRERA