June 2, 2006

TROUKLER

A BRIDGE TO CELEBRATE

The Seychelles Nation this week (Wednesday 1st June 2006) , proudly publishes an article on he important new bridge linking Mahe to Eden Island. The immediate impressions of this bridge are that it is well a constructed, sturdy, steel edifice, likely to stand the test of time and a tsunami. This is a somewhat marked difference from the so-called Cascade Bridge, which took much longer to build and needed repair work even before it had been used. The Eden Bridge was completed within the space of about four months yet we are still patiently awaiting the SPPF government to complete the Cascade Bridge following the tsunami. At the present rate we may still be waiting “beyond 2006”, to see a new bridge at cascade.

A perfect example of the differences in efficiency and expertise between the SPPF government and the private sector.

FAMILIES: THE PAST & THE FUTURE

Three Saturdays ago (May 13), an article appeared in the Nation to encourage Seychellois to celebrate the International day of the Family. I have no problem with the need to promote the family or family values in Seychelles as this is good for us all. However, I must take as I sure others feel, great exception to the use by the SPPF propaganda machine, “The Nation” to use the occasion to call on Seychellois to “celebrate Seychelles” and particularly, to misuse the Seychellois faith and our attendance at Church services to promote it’s “Celebrate Seychelles” propaganda.

The photograph used in the paper is entitled “A cheerful congregation “Celebrating Seychelles”. Our churches fill up with generations worshipping together”. The Seychellois community attends church services to worship God alone and this worship of faith should not used by a Party to spread its propaganda. The SPPF should be told in no uncertain terms to keep its nose well out of our faith.

It was this very SPPF government that “stole” church property, closed its schools, harassed its priests and called on all to remove the very same family values that were being taught in our schools by our religious leaders.

Page 6 of the same Nation provides clear evidence of difficulties in bringing up a stable family with the divorce rate climbing from 25 in 1987 to 140 in 2005. Does not this suggest that all is not well? The Nation is in crises, particularly, its economy. Studies abroad have overwhelmingly concluded that the vast majority of divorces occur in families in crisis, particularly, those facing economic and financial hardship. Any guesses as to who is to blame for the pressures being placed on Seychellois families leading to this unfortunate outcome.

SPPF - A DIRTY DEAL

The SPPF government has spent a great deal of time encouraging the community to “do the right thing” and ensure it plays its part to keep the community clean. The Clean Up the World Campaign is just around the corner and yet it seems the SPPF as a Party preaches one thing and yet does exactly the opposite. They held a noisy rally for their supporters at Anse Royale on Sunday. The state of drunkenness of many of their supporters, some going to the toilets in the streets, in public viewing offended many people. After their rally one would expect that they would use their own resources to clean up the mess left by their supporters. However this is not the “SPPF style”. They have left a huge pile of rotting, smelling garbage by the road side presumably waiting for Star or the State (community), resources to be used to clean up their mess. The problem is the district is filled with errant dogs, a situation that has arisen since the disastrous SPPF government decision to remove the dog licencing requirements. The garbage they have left in the open, in simple rubbish bags is gradually being torn open by dogs and spread around the streets causing another unwarranted expense in time and money from the community to sweep up the mess.

Additionally some people are adding to the mess by throwing their home garbage on the pile of SPPF rubbish. I just wonder whether an environmental inspector will issue them (SPPF) with a clean up notice or on the spot fine. Maybe Rolph can let us all know.

HYPOCRISY BY SPPF STANDARDS

Last week an interesting article appeared in “the People” of 25th May 2006, under the heading “Hypocrisy By What and whose Standards”.

The article begins by suggesting that any public comment on a criminal activity should not be aired publicly. That the accused has a Constitutional Right” to choose the Party to which he gives his support. It then goes on to criticise respected members of the Seychelles legal profession because they have represented individuals in cases before the courts. What it fails to acknowledge is that everyone in society is entitled to a defence in law and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, beyond reasonable doubt.

This is itself a Constitutional Guarantee. Is the writer suggesting that members of the legal profession should now decide whom they will represent on the basis of their perceived political allegiance and that the accused, which can be anyone at any point in time, should not be entitled to an aggressive defence? Clearly, it is high time that the POT stopped calling the kettle BLACK.