Ralph Volcere's Week

RALPH VOLCERE’S WEEK

THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN?

The election result is known; democracy demands that we respect the people’s choice. James Alix Michel has already been sworn in as the new head of state along with Joseph Belmont as the vice-president. They will conduct the business of this country for another five years. This mandate has been won on the promise that they will treat everyone of us fairly and equally without favour or ill-will. ‘En Leker pour tou Seselwa’ (a heart for all Seychellois), they said. We shall wait and see if this solemn promise made during the campaign and at the swearing in ceremony at State House is kept through-out the next five years.

In the ceremony at State House on Tuesday (01/08/06), President Michel promised to serve the Seychellois effectively with transparency and to form a new dynamic and professional government. “It will be a government with a heart for all Seychellois,” he said.

In the last two and a half years at State House, Michel is known to have said that he needs his own mandate in order to effect certain changes that he felt was necessary. Now he cannot use this excuse any no more. Michel and Belmont have a fresh mandate of five years before them. They have promised a lot, the people have taken note and now the time to deliver has come. Our co-operation should be extended depending on the manner that the promises are being kept.

In the spirit of the ‘Seychelles First’ philosophy we should all join in wishing President Michel and Vice-president Belmont the very best; we are all hoping that Seychelles in five years will be better than what it is today; economically, democratically and socially. Good luck!

WAVEL RAMKALAWAN IS A GREAT SEYCHELLOIS!

Wavel Rakalawan was magnanimous in defeat and he spoke like a true statesman on the night of Sunday, 30th July, after the election result was broadcast live on TV. In accepting the result of the election Wavel appealed to his supporters to allow the SPPF to celebrate freely: “give them the road”, he said.

Wavel pledged to carry on working for a better Seychelles for the Seychellois, and called upon President Michel to respect the opposition by allowing the opposition to work without obstacles in the districts where they have been elected.

The opposition presidential candidate said that as a true democrat he accepted the result, something he had said he would do even before the result was known. At that time, the SPPF candidate on the other hand was not at all comfortable with this question, when asked by the BBC representative, Mr. Tim Ecott , that in the unlikely event he (Michel) loses the election, will he accept the result. Instead of answering the question Michel took the opportunity to engage in political propaganda. This is the kind of attitude that keeps our democracy from moving forward. In the next five years Michel and co have a duty towards the Seychellois to rid this country of petty mindedness and immature political games.

Wavel should be commended for the way in which he conducted himself during his campaign for the presidency. He campaigned on issues and what he would do for the country if elected. Personal attacks he left it to the SPPF to indulge themselves in. The SPPF did not disappoint anyone; mud slinging became their forte during the presidential election campaign, and it shows how low some people will go in protecting “byen malaki” (ill gotten gains).

Maybe, just maybe, this country does not deserve a man of Wavel’s integrity to be President.

THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE SHOULD RESIGN HIS POSITION!

Mr. Andre Kilindo went on SBC, TV, last week Wednesday, 26th July, 2006, just two days before the presidential election and probably played his last card as commissioner of our police force. The force is seriously in need of new direction, but certainly not in the form of the present administration. Mr. Kilindo spoke in a manner which confused everyone, even he got entangled in his own fabrications during his interview with the press. We are hoping that the Commissioner of Police is now in a position to come on TV again to rectify any misguided information he helped propagate last week.

According to the Commissioner of Police the Police Intelligence Unit had brought in information to suggest that certain people were going around with machetes and sticks, with the aim of frightening people not to take part in the electoral process. Mr Andre Kilindo associated this piece of intelligence with an incident which had taken place the night before, Tuesday 25th, July, around 6.30pm in the vicinity of ‘La Poudriere’ and ‘Bel Eau’. Mr. Kilindo referred to another incident which took place the following morning, Wednesday 26th, July at Barclays Bank in Victoria and suggested that the two incidents in his view were connected. Just how, Mr. Kilindo did not say.

This column has received information to suggest that the incident on Tuesday evening was a drug related problem and had nothing to do with the election process. Had Mr. Kilindo waited and investigated the incident before coming on National Television he would most probably have found that out. The Barclays incident was another major gaffe coming from our Commissioner of Police: first he said that a security guard from SPSS, managed by Mr. Andre Beaufond had let his gas ganister off in the bank. “Not an accident”, he said. In fact, Mr. Beaufont who owns SPS not SPSS was able to prove to the police that the chemical that was introduced in the bank that morning had nothing to do with his guard but that it was introduced by a source independent of his guard and was not of the kind carried by the guard who was in the bank accompanying a Credit Union employee. Had the Commissioner of Police allowed the investigation to take its course before pronouncing absurd statements, he would have found that out too.

It is clear that Mr. Kilindo had not done his home work otherwise he would have known that SPSS is owned by Mr. Cliff Loizeau not Mr. Andre Beaufont. The Commissioner of Police cannot be irresponsible in his utterances; he is responsible for enforcing law and order in the country and should not be going around spreading rumours. Mr. Andre Kilindo must come and explain his position vis-a vis the uncertainty he helped in create last week or he needs to do the next best thing: resign his position allowing someone better suited for the job to be appointed. In doing so he will be doing himself and the public at large a big favour!

BERENGER: REFORMED CHARACTER OR SOCIALIST TURNED CAPITALIST?

Paul Berenger, well known Mauritian politician and former prime minister of his country made an appearance in Seychelles last week on the eve of what can easily be termed one of the most important rendezvous with history for Seychelles. It is not the first time Mr. Berenger’s presence in

Seychelles

coincides with an eventful occasion, he was here on the 5th of June, 1977, barely hours after the coup had taken place. Mr. Berenger’s excuse for being here this time was that Seychelles is very close to his heart so he felt it a responsibility and a duty to be here before the Presidential election to speak to the contenders and to voluntarily offer his advice.

At a press conference held at the Northolme Hotel, a five star establishment, Mr. Berenger answered various questions pertaining to his presence in Seychelles. For a socialist he looked at ease and comfortable in the five star surroundings of Northolme Hotel.