The Malagasy Prime Minister, Christian Ntsay, presented his government program before a national assembly totally committed to his cause. The deputies listened to him almost religiously and applauded him at the end of his presentation, which lasted an hour. This presentation ultimately held no surprises, the main points being already known. It reflects the desire of the Head of State to put the country back on the rails of development after the four years of inertia of the first mandate. For many observers, this is a catalog of good intentions that must be realized. Elected officials, whether from the majority or the opposition, have taken note and are waiting to see the government at work. For the moment, the population only sees the precariousness of their situation. Its environment has become even more degraded in recent times, with the capital’s streets becoming increasingly rutted and garbage overflowing from bins not being collected. The Anosipatrana landfill, crumbling under rubbish and rubbish due to the inaccessibility of Andralanitra during this period of bad weather, is one of the subjects of concern for officials in the capital. The inhabitants of the surrounding fokontany suffocated under the putrid odors emanating from it. The initiatives of the governor of the Analamanga region foreshadowed a rapid resolution of the resulting hygiene and health problems. This weekend, the bulldozers brought in only cleared the road cluttered with rubbish, but the garbage from the dump was not transferred to Andralanitra. Local residents continue to suffer from the same ills, the respiratory illnesses from which they suffer are only getting worse. As usual, the announcement effects solve nothing and citizens suffer the consequences of the false pretense of those in charge.
The French Prime Minister, Gabriel Attal, also made a presentation of his government’s policy to the two assemblies. He intervened in the midst of the agricultural crisis, the demands made by members of the profession. The young head of government, who has successfully made his media debut, enjoys a certain popularity among French public opinion. However, he was expected at the turning point by the farmers who had blocked the roads so that lasting solutions could be found to their problems. His speech and his proactive attitude defused the situation. He made announcements which, in part, unblocked it. President Emmanuel Macron took charge of bringing France’s voice to Brussels. The lifting of the farmers’ barriers will take place this weekend, the majority of the profession being satisfied.
The tension in the Middle East remains as high as ever. Benyamin Netanyahu’s cabinet remains inflexible and wants to continue its offensive in Gaza. However, voices are being heard for a real dialogue to take place between Israelis and Palestinians. The extremism of the Israeli extreme right suits, to a certain extent, the leaders of Hamas because it allows them to keep the people of Gaza under their control. Israeli settlers in the West Bank are acting despotically against the local population and some American politicians are beginning to suggest retaliatory measures against them.
The Malagasy people reached the end of January without complaint despite extremely unfavorable economic conditions. They are spectators of a policy that they are subjected to and which does not, for the moment, bring them any satisfaction. They are waiting to see the results of the actions they say leaders are taking. There is ultimately nothing new under the sun.
Patrice RABE
