July 7, 2006

Ralph Volcere’s week

THE ‘ISOLA BELLA’ IN ITS TRUE CONTEXT

In its July, 2006, Issue 7, the ‘Isola Bella, which incidentally calls itself ‘An independent monthly publication’, published an article on the front page pre-empting the result of the presidential election due for July the 30th, 2006. According to the article, Michel, Isola Bella’s paymaster is tipped for victory; their only dilemma it seems is the margin by which he is expected to win. It would have been foolish on our part to expect anything else from the ‘Isola Bella’. We understand their predicament.

However, it now remains for us to analyse the article closely identifying what the writer really wants to transmit to the electorate. In actual fact the ‘Isola Bella’ in that particular front page article (Michel winning…) is hard making a case for Michel, which clearly demonstrates that ‘Isola Bella’ is not at all convinced at this stage of a Michel win. “Election results figures on the lips are 55%, 57%, 60% and 65% for Michel”, Isola Bella wrote. This in itself proves that the so-called scientific assessment and political analysts the paper consulted are themselves confused and have provided ‘Isola Bella’ with what ‘Isola Bella’ wanted to hear. The reality on the streets of Victoria and in the districts is totally different from what ‘Isola Bella’ would want us to believe. The people out there are calling for a resounding “SANZMAN”, (change). This no-one can deny.

That ‘Isola Bella’, is itself not convinced of a Michel win is obvious throughout the article. They are deliberately attributing false statements to senior figures in the opposition in an attempt to scare and confuse the electorate. According to the ‘Isola Bella’, “There are two important election issues – to devalue or not to devalue the rupee, and to return or not to return land government has redistributed to home owners. Michel has said he is against devaluation. The opposition has indicated it is in favour of devaluation. Michel government’s prides itself at the land redistribution programme. Former Democratic Party leader James Mancham wants the return of land.”

This is what the SPPF through ‘Isola Bella’ would want the electorate to believe, a distorted version of the truth. The truth is nowhere near what is written between the pages of ‘Isola Bella’, which has now become an integral part of the propaganda machine for the ruling party.

In fact the opposition has never been shy in debating openly the issue of devaluation in their publications. The opposition is all for an open debate on TV, on radio, in national newspapers and in open fora to seek the opinion of all before making an informed decision on the matter. The opposition is in fact totally in favour of the ‘convertibility’ of the rupee, which in simple terms means that if you have rupees in your pocket you can take it to any bank in Seychelles or in the world and be able to buy foreign exchange with your rupees. This government has imposed a restriction on this possibility. ‘Convertibility’ can be achieved if all foreign exchange earned locally is channelled through the local banking system. Presently more than 50% of all foreign exchange earned locally are being channelled overseas through foreign bank accounts on the authority of Michel’s government.  Michel is allowing big earners of foreign exchange one hundred percent (100%) retention. Devaluation cannot be seriously considered before conducting a national debate on the matter and especially before channelling all of our foreign exchange earnings through the local banking system.

And as for the return of land already redistributed, the ‘Isola Bella’, like their master has taken to insulting the intelligence of the Nation. In fact the opposition is all in favour of a fairer redistribution of land. This government should refund people who have been overcharged for a small plot of land and must get their political friends who have benefited unfairly with numerous plots, some for only one rupee (SR1.00) to pay what is fair according to the market value of the land at the time of purchase. Unfortunately, the ‘Isola Bella’ has now allowed itself to slip into the same league as ‘The People’, ‘The Nation’ and the unfortunate ‘Independent’. How unfortunately unfortunate!

‘THE LAPIRE BOOK OF RECORD’

Following the announcement last week of the introduction of ‘The Lapire Book of Records’; the composition of the board members was made public this week. Three members in all have been appointed to the board. It is believed that Professor Joe Gouni will sit on the board as its chairperson. The ruling party has insisted on nominating a minister to the board to represent their interest and Troukler has handed in his resignation in order to be a full-time board member - the editor has yet to accept his resignation as his contribution will be greatly missed. Troukler feels that his appointment on the board will conflict with his job as a columnist with ‘The Weekly’. He is not convinced by my argument that the issue of conflict of interest is of no consequence as far as this government is concerned.  The SPPF’s view on that matter is that control is better established when the same persons are all sitting on the same boards and it makes life easier come the end of the month when the cheques are written out. Pure commonsense according to the ruling party.

The third entry being proposed for inclusion in the book is about the US 4.5 million dollars, given to someone representing a bogus construction company commissioned to build residential houses on Perseverance Island; apparently the money was given in a back street in Dubai, by an envoy from the Ministry of Land Use and Habitat. The taxpayers are still waiting on the result of an investigation promised late last year by big J through the smallest j. We are all hoping that some information about this issue will come to light before the election. At a board meeting of the LBR (Lapire Book of Record) on Wednesday this week called to discuss this latest proposal (4.5m dollars) the minister sitting on the board objected to that particular inclusion, unfortunately or fortunately depending on how one looks at this matter he was out voted by the other two board members, Gouni and Troukler. So the entry is going in. One wonders if big J and the minister will ever come clean on that matter.

Apparently the minister in question has contacted a well known SPPF lawyer, asking him to file an application before the Supreme Court objecting to the issue of the 4.5 million, US dollars, going into ‘The Lapire Book of Records’. The Minister is convinced of success before the Court, “after-all, we, the ruling party pays for their salary, they need to grant us our wishes”; he is known to have said. PLUS SA CHANGE!

DEMOCRACY AT ITS ULTIMATE BEST?

On Monday this week in the 8pm news on TV the SBC featured an extract from the Democratic Party conference held at the Mahe Beach Hotel on 28th July, 2006. The Conference went smoothly apart from a query by Mr. Kenneth Nalathamby an executive member of the party, who queried that he has not been made aware of the details of the agreement. Mr. Nalathamby said that in principle he had nothing against the two parties working together for the forthcoming presidential election, but, the conference had presented him with a fait accompli, which he found unable to endorse. He was in the minority according to an SBC - TV report on the matter.

Apparently, Mr. Nalathamby had forgotten that earlier in the year at an executive committee meeting of the Democratic Party, he participated in a vote approving an electoral alliance between the two main opposition parties, SNP/DP. According to the party’s secretariat the minutes of that particular meeting taken by the party’s Secretary General had recorded that fact. This column has requested an interview free of inducement with Mr. Nalathamby to clarify further his position on the matter. However, at the time of going to press Mr. Nalathamby had not made himself available for the interview. It appears that his favourite mode of giving interviews is before the television cameras.