by Mathieu Célien Ramasiarisolo, Madagascar, January 1998
THEME = DEMOCRACY
On 15 March this year, a new draft Constitution will be submitted to a referendum
In Madagascar, debating the Constitution is once again a main talking-point for politicians, political observers and those rank- and-file citizens interested in national affairs. Since Ratsiraka's return to power, one of his major concerns was to prepare new draft Bills for amending the Constitution, to be submitted to the country by referendum on 15 March. The President was going on and on about two possible choices to be made in the referendum. Voters would be asked to decide on having either: A state with a central government but a devolved system of local government; or a federalised state.
But during his traditional New Year's Message to the Nation, President Ratsiraka pointed out that the usual "Yes" or "No" possibility in answering a referendum question, is a Western tradition: "We don't have to copy them", he said. In the end, after several Cabinet meetings, the President introduced a single text, to which citizens will be asked to reply "Yes" or "No". This unexpected change is undoubtedly due to all kinds of pressure from various political groups.
A lot's been written in Madagascar about this Constitutional "overhaul". The government set up a preparatory committee to examine and collate all the recommendations from the various political parties, from the National Assembly, from associations and organisations and from Mr and Mrs Ordinary Citizen. On 2 January, the President invited all political party leaders to a meeting, so that the whole question could be discussed together. Following this almost unheard of way of doing things, some leaders were obviously disappointed, others said they were "satisfied" with the outcome.
Almost all politicians agree there are shortcomings in Madagascar's present Constitution. Already, in September 1995, i.e. three years after the Constitution had been implemented, Zafy Albert (then President of the Republic) had, by referendum, amended some articles in the Constitution. This brought him into open conflict with Prime Minister Francisque Ravony, who had been appointed by the National Assembly. Since the 1995 referendum, the President is now empowered to appoint the Prime Minister. This means that to all intents and purposes, a semi-presidential form of government has taken over from parliamentary government. But the Third Republic has remained in place - no changes here!.
Now, after less than three years, the Malagasy people are called upon to give their opinion on another proposed change to the Constitution. Mention is made of a "federal type of government", providing for autonomous provinces and giving enlarged powers to the President of the Republic. Officials say this doesn't go outside the Third Republic's blueprint, because it's a draft Constitutional revision. And according to Ratsiraka, it's nothing to do with his own presidential mandate.
The various political parties have their own thoughts on the above. The Opposition is already describing the new draft as being a "swindle and a false pretence". According to opposition leaders, the Constitutional amendments show a lack of consideration for the Malagasy people and will increase poverty. According to former President Zafy Albert, Ratsiraka intends to corner all the power and introduce dictatorship. For the first time, all opposition parties are in complete agreement with each other on this issue.
Jean Eric Rakotoarisoa is a legal authority, teaching at Antananarivo Law Faculty. He says: "This draft Constitutional amendment is, in fact, an entirely new Constitution. He says that the proposed text is going all out for "regionalism". "That structure would fit somewhere between decentralisation and a federal state, but rather closer to the latter". On the question of power-sharing, Rakotoarisoa points out that everything seems to favour the President of the Republic. In fact, one article in the new draft sets out that the President of the Republic is the real Chief Executive, with power to determine and decide the State's general policy within the Cabinet. In addition, the President will have the right to dissolve the National Assembly for "determining reasons". But as Rakotoarisoa points out: ""Determining reasons" is a vague concept. And don't forget, the National Assembly has no control over the President". Rakotoarisoa holds the view that the implementation of this constitution would not be an easy task if the "Yes" votes were to win in the referendum.
In the meantime, people in both towns and villages are struggling to find an answer to the daily problems which come their way. Last year, economic growth was rated at 3.7%, the Central Bank intervention rate was lowered from 33% to 9% and inflation was under control at 3.8 %, the Malagasy people's purchasing power does not correspond to the current cost of living. Faced with this problem, the government decided on a 10% increase in salaries, but only for civil servants who represent less than 5% of the workforce. True, there are some improvements, but they are insufficient, and various civil servants' unions, therefore, claim a 200% salary increase.
Lately, the privatisation of state enterprises has been hitting the headlines in the national news. The process is irreversible. But these privatisations raise a great number of questions: Why privatise? What's the advantage of privatisation? Any privatisation exercise will always give rise to a number of negative reactions, but there's got to be a new way of thinking on this subject. In the first place, most Malagasy people must get rid of the idea of the Welfare State everything".
Still within the "referendum atmosphere", it is to be noted that the damage caused by the 1996 hurricanes have not yet been repaired so far. Rumours are circulating that repair work will only start this year. The invasion of crickets in the southern and middle western parts of the island are still causing even more problems. The State spent 17 billion Malagasy francs without succeeding in getting rid of this plague.
One wonders how the population living in these disaster-ridden areas can possibly have much encouragement for this referendum, and for the June parliamentary elections.
END
PeaceLink 1998 - Reproduction authorised, with usual acknowledgement