Patrick Gearing
Madagascar's exiled leader Marc Ravalomanana said Wednesday (18 january 2012) that he is preparing to return home, nearly three years after his overthrow.
Ravalomanana said during a phone call with his supporters in Madagascar that he was ready to return from Saturday (21 january 2012), but his spokesman said next week was more likely.
"I will come back Saturday," Ravalomanana said from South Africa, where he has lived in exile since being toppled by current leader Andry Rajoelina.
"Saturday... was the initial plan, but he's not going back on Saturday," his spokesman in Johannesburg, Patrick Gearing, told AFP.
"It is real and it is happening, it's just a matter of buttoning a couple of issues down. It looks likely that he'll be coming back next week."
Ravalomanana has repeatedly announced his return, but has yet to set foot back on the vast Indian Ocean island.
White men on the photo above : Patrick Gearing (left) and the famous Peter Mann (center), in Paon d’Or Hôtel, Ivato, on 16 september 2011. The only woman is Me Hanitra Razafimanantsoa... The others Malagasy men are : Benja Andriamihanta (with glasses) and Roland Ravatomanga (behind Me Hanitra)
Why Patrick Gearing said the truth ? Because he is Meropa’s operations director wich means he manages the various divisions and aspects of business within Meropa Communications (co-founded by Peter Mann). In 2007, he joined Meropa) where he is, now, Divisional Manager.
And Meropa Communications is the South African agency which takes care of the image and the interests of Ravalomanana. This one lies shamelessly to people of the Magro. And don't forget : Ravalomanana has been sentenced in absentia to life in prison for the killings of demonstrators by elite troops in the run up to his removal.
Jeannot Ramambazafy