President Michel celebrated 365 days in elected office this week and to mark the occasion he invited the press to State House on Tuesday July 31st, 2007. Regar and Le Nouveau
The Seychelles Nation reported on their encounter with the President the next day in their Issue of Wednesday 1st, August 2007. If one did not know the local reality in which we are living in today, one would be forgiven for thinking that
During his campaign prior to the 2006 election Michel was seen walking around Victoria, shaking hands with taxi operators, at the Victoria Hospital promising the sick better health care and health workers an improved package. 365 days down the line Michel is nowhere to be seen; the hospital is still in the same if not worse state than the day he visited. Most of the taxi drivers are still waiting on the promise to be allocated foreign exchange to replace their vehicles. Some taxi operators tired of waiting have since made their own arrangement to purchase new vehicles. The prices of every single commodity has gone up in the shops, just last week SMB administered another bitter pill by increasing further the price of current stock of milk.
The value of the Seychelles Rupee has plummeted to its lowest value in twenty years, hitting record lows. Governor Chang-Leng has gone mute over the devaluation issue. Yet, the currency remains only partially convertible. Banks still cannot provide foreign currency on demand. The quality of products such as Basmati rice and others are inferior to what the Seychellois have been accustomed to over the years and are more expensive than anywhere else in the world. Yet, Mr. Michel finds room to give himself a heavy pat on the back.
La Gogue Dam, the Rochon Dam, the New Port, hospitals and clinics around the country, police stations in Victoria and in the districts are in serious need of repairs and refurbishment. The Ministry of Education and the Health Sectors are in a chronic shortage of qualified staff and working materials. Corruption and embezzlement are at its highest ever and are now normal business practises for certain top civil servant in President Michel’s administration. Immigration is out of control with hundreds of illegal workers entering the country and staying on even when work permits have expired, forcing many Seychellois into second class citizenship in their own country. The judiciary is in total chaos with judges applying their personal brand of justice and ignoring prescribed laws. The administration of law and order is in its worst condition ever since the appointment of the new Commisioner. The Police Force has adopted a military style of operation, rigid in its implementation of civil justice. Commisioner Waye-Hive finds it impossible to make the transition from army officer to civil officer.
President Michel has failed in curbing the activities of drug barons, something he promised to do in urgency on becoming the third President of the Republic. However, President Michel has been successful in using spin to masquerade bad performances and the hopeless nature of his government in finding solutions to our multitude of pressing problems. President Michel has paid lip service to the need of rallying the Seychellois Nation under one flag; yet, 365 days into his elected mandate Michel has not met with the leader of the Opposition, a man with a substantial 46% support of the electorate.
After the recent visit of the Irish Prime Minister – Michel has failed to follow-up on the agreed recommendations in support of Seychelles Strategy 2017. It demonstrates poor vision and a lack of courageous leadership on the part of the President. In refusing to establish ties with the African Continent, Michel is marginalising
We are all hoping that the next 365 days will see a change of the current approach. If it fails to happen we will see a