In every country, the Parliament is an important institution and its members are seen as important people for the development of democracy in the country. In Seychelles, although the National Assembly has been in existence for over fifteen years, “it has still not got the recognition it deserves”, the Speaker of the Assembly said last month in a ceremony to launch a new book focusing on the work of the National Assembly. The Speaker however will agree that if Seychellois has not shown great interest or great importance in that institution - it is because it has always been seen solely as an SPPF instrument to pass whatever bill or motion, good or bad, presented before it by the ruling party.
Right from the start in 1993 - the Assembly members from the ruling party were seen and heard debating on issues not because they believe but rather they had been told to simply support what is before them and to vote yes. The fact that SPPF has the majority in parliament, issues that have not necessarily been good for our country, have been approved simply because it had been proposed by the SPPF. The members have not been seen as having their own opinion on important matters affecting our lives but rather simply agreeing or approving whatever their party was putting forward. The Assembly’s role in our nascent democracy has been reduced to a mere talking shop where Members meet to rubber stamp whatever the government of the day put before them.
Now that Mr. Herminie is the speaker, he probably wants to see a change as was suggested in an article by British Member of Parliament Mr. Roger Gale in this publication recently. However, change has been a word that his party has always been scared of. So his job of promoting the Assembly as a democratic institution is and will remain difficult at least for the foreseeable future. As soon as one starts addressing the high cost of living or about anything that is going wrong in our country one is perceived are as supporting the opposition by the ruling party. Your point of view is not given the hearing and respect which it deserves under a system which is supposed to contribute to freedom of expression. The attitude of the SPPF is quite simple in that respect: Either you with us or against us.
They have always told people that supporting a political party is like belonging to a particular religion. You are part of it because you believe in its principles but here people do not harass others because they are in another religion but they do if you belong to a political party other than their own, unfortunately the SNP is now walking along a similar path with their leaders and hardcore supporters harassing people with alternative political affiliation. It is high time that Seychellois start respecting the opinion of others, especially when their point of view is different.
You do not have to agree to what is being said but it is that person’s opinion and you have to respect it like you would want somebody to respect yours. This should start by the leaders themselves who are guilty of cultivating adverse behaviour towards those who do not agree with them. The leaders should be the ones setting the good example for all to follow. They must not act in a manner, which resembles what Charles de Gaulle once said, “La France c’est moi”.