Editorial
The SPPF Congress and Beyond
So the SPPF Congress took place exactly as planned. More important for reasonable citizens of Seychelles was to watch the body language which manifested itself at the conference. The group certainly did not look at ease. Was Vice President Joe Belmont rightly seated? Why did Rene place Danny Faure next to him? Did we all not notice the fact that Olivier Charles aka “Charlie” has been specially provided with a front seat in order to give a character of labour and socialism to the whole setup. Of course, we all knew how the SPPF congress develops every time one is organised. Everybody knows that behind the show lies the manipulation of God Father France Albert Rene, who is able to get what he wants from those around him because somehow he is able to disperse a lot and a lot and a lot of money. We saw this money disbursement at the time of the Presidential election now we are about to see it again at the National Assembly elections.
In the vast USA with millions of voters Hilary Clinton and Obama made headline news when they were able to raise 27 and 23 million dollars each. Contrast this to one man in this country who can provide the SPPF with 10 million dollars. Surely, this represents the highest per capita electoral budget in History. Recalling that 10 million US dollars today has a value of more than 100 million rupees on the parallel market and recalling that we have an electoral roll of only 62,000 voters is to accept the reality that it will be impossible to expect a fair election in Seychelles.
Already the abundance of resources is being publicly manifested. Take for example the life-sized placard which is being exhibited at ‘Maison Du Peuple’ after being published and purchased from overseas paid for in Foreign exchange. Lest not forget the multiple of parties which are being organised all over the archipelago, however, one thing which the congress has not told us and the party members. Is where the party gets it funding and resources? No one has ever been asked to contribute one rupee to party’s fund yet the party is able to spend and to spend and to spend. When Rene decided to sack Minister Dolor Ernesta, Simone DeCommarmond and William Herminie he gave all of them a pension but strange, the pension was not as one would have expected. A burden on the treasury, but was to be paid by the party. Here again the question must be asked where is this money coming from? Of course Rene could have organised for these former Ministers to benefit from a State-budgeted and transparent pension. But in this case he would have no control over the action or utterances of these former ministers. Now all three realise that if they want to keep their pension they must make sure not to offend the God Father.
