24.10.2018
LALIT has been holding neighbourhood meetings all over the country in the past six-to-twelve months on the related issues of housing, jobs, fishermen’s livelihoods, and the use of sugar estate land for job creation. LALIT members from each “regional” organize meetings in their respective areas. To give an idea of the places we have held either local or regional meetings, they include:
Port Louis, Rose-Belle, Pamplemousses, Triolet, Plaine Magnien, Borstal, Petit Raffray, Richelieu, Plaisance, Cite La Ferme, Tamarin, Grand Sable, Bambous, Riviere Noire, Le Morne, Case Noyale, Bel Ombre, Surinam, Riviere des Galets, Mahebourg, Riv des Anguilles, L’Escalier, Olivia, Goodlands, Grand Gaube, Caroline, Sebastopol, Montagne Blanche, St. Hubert, Bois Cheri, Forest Side, St. Pierre, Moka, Lalmatie, St. Julien, Flacq, Circonstance, Quartier Militaire, Beaux Songes, Camp de Masque, Souillac, Petit Sable, Montagne Ory, Reduit, Vieux Grand Port, Bambous Virieux, Henrietta, Curepipe, Triolet, Plaine des Papayes, Poudre d’Or Village, Camp Diable, GRSE, Grand River North West, Cluny, L’Amaury, Chamouny, Ville Noire, Anse Jonchée, Baie du Cap, Trou d’Eau Douce.
These meetings have been organized by Joint Committees of LALIT and local inhabitants, on issues of housing and fishing. What we have found is that, what with the political disarray of the Government MSM-ML alliance and the political bankruptcy of the mainstream opposition parties like PMSD, MMM, Labour and Ganoo’s party, many people in the working class are no longer as loyal to all these old parties as they used to be. This means people have a new interest in parties like LALIT. But since LALIT’s program needs commitment to struggle amongst organized people, and not just three crosses on a ballot paper once every five years by atomized voters, this disaffection with the old bourgeois parties does not automatically convert anyone into a good party cadre for a party like LALIT, nor translate easily into the kind of organization at the grassroots that can bring change that is in favour of the working people. That is the challenge of the present times.