HOW MUCH PREVILEGES FOR ONE MAN?

This is the question a lot of people have been asking, after information came to light through opposition newspapers revealing the extent at which well connected people and the family of the powerful few have stockpiled fortunes beyond their wildest dreams, whilst a good proportion of the citizens are lamenting in absolute poverty and a greater proportion is living from hand to mouth.

The reality is mind boggling considering that 90% of this country’s wealth is in the hands of less than 1% (800) of the population. The Fisherman’s Cove Hotel, the land between the Fisherman’s Cove and Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay, Intel Vision, Amusement Centre, Pirates Arms, Casino on Praslin and La Digue, Ste Anne Island, Silhouette Island, Hotels on Outer Islands, boat charter operations up and down the country, Construction Companies, Supermarket, Buildings in the centre of Victoria, hotels on Mahe, Praslin and La Digue, CCCL, certain car hire operations, several large plots of reclaimed land are all connected to a few powerful people in the country.

They control the importation of commodities, fuel and have their men in all key positions in the country. Our banking system is totally under their control determining which businessman gets foreign exchange and how much, for importation or other transactions. This is the reality of Seychelles today. In the two years Mr. Michel has been President nothing has changed, he cannot or has chosen not to do anything about the existing situation. The indications are that he will not do anything differently even if he is elected for another term of five years.   

The people must take their destiny into their own hands and execute a radical change in the people that govern the country in order to have a fair redistribution of wealth amongst the population. It is the only way to stop the rich and the powerful from getting richer and more powerful.

Seychelles Weekly, April 28, 2006