2003 – The hopes and dreams of an entire nation

After living through the unprecedented political and economic crisis of 2002, the Malagasy people are looking forward to 2003. The curtain will soon fall on the pre-scheduled parliamentary elections which are expected to put an end to the latest crisis. Given that the last deadline for appealing the results of these elections to the Malagasy Supreme Court is set for January 4, 2003, it won?t be long before the election judge will sanction, and publish the official final outcome of the elections.

Undoubtedly, the Malagasy people have every reason to hope for, and expect a better tomorrow. The administration promises that 2003 will bring Madagascar back to the pre-crisis level in terms of employment. The 2002 crisis eliminated close to 100,000 jobs. Business activities are gradually resuming in the duty-free zones which employed over 100,000. Nonetheless, many of these establishments still remain closed, for one reason or another.

Another reason for hope is the speed and urgency with which the new authorities have ironed out the 2003 financial budget. Without the National Assembly to handle it, as is normally the case, legislations had been enacted to temporarily fill the void. For once, the yearly budget (2003) will theoretically be available as of January 1. The substantial size of the budget is also another reason for hope. At FMG21,000 billion, this year?s budget nearly doubled, compared to 2002, and is more than ten times that of 1991 – another post-crisis year.

Over the holidays, General Jules Mamizara, the defense minister, stated, « What happened this year (2002) will never be revisited. » He should know, and he has every right to make such a wish. After all, he was the one who led the military peace restoration operations in those regions which remained under rebel control following former dictator Didier Ratsiraka?s failed reelection bid. In any event, 2002 was a perilous year. The specter of division, and civil war ominously loomed over the Island. However, a few observers noted that anyone who believed, as the former government leaders did, that the threat will indeed materialize, simply knew little about the resolve of the Malagasy people.