July 7, 2006

SNP AND DP SIGN ELECTORAL PACT

The Seychelles National Party and the Democratic Party signed a formal pact on Wednesday 5th July to promote Wavel Ramkalawan, the SNP Leader as the single candidate for the opposition parties for the presidential election due on July 28 and to subsequently form a “coalition” government, with ministers being drawn from both parties.

The pact was signed by the leaders of the two parties in a short ceremony at the International Conference Centre attended by executives committee members of both parties as well as the press. The two leaders also broke with the “tradition” set by Rene and Michel for the past 29 years and held a press conference to answer questions from the attending press corp. There were no restrictions as to what questions the reporters could ask, even though SBC failed to let the people hear some of the very pertinent questions and the answers of the two leaders.

In his statement prior to the signing, SNP Leader Ramkalawan praised the open and honest deliberations between the two parties leading up to the signing of the pact. Behind the agreement, he said, is the recognition by the two parties that at this moment in our history it is necessary to put aside all our political differences and work together for the superior interest of the country.

This cooperation is not just for the election, Ramkalawan emphasised, but also for the difficult task of governing after an opposition victory. The Seychelles has one of the highest per capita external debts in the world according to the World Bank, a quarter of which is in arrears. The currency has collapsed with the exchange rate in the parallel market exceeding the official rate twice over. As a result, prices of most goods and services have rocketed sky high, exacerbated by the introduction of GST and price controls while wages of the low paid have remained stagnant and even declined over the past decade and a half.

In his statement, DP Leader Paul Chow reinforced the SNP leader’s emphasis on the common belief of the two parties in a democratic government based on the ideals of freedom, national unity, tolerance, transparency and social justice.  Chow said that the ceremony was more than symbolic; it will be a milestone in the history of our country.