PRESIDENT MICHEL URGED TO CLOSE DOWN IDC

PRESIDENT MICHEL URGED TO CLOSE DOWN IDC

This paper has received credible information that President Michel is under a lot of pressure to close down IDC altogether. If this is true, it would release considerable agricultural land on our outer islands for the commencement of intensive industrial farming and rearing of livestock; taking the pressures off Mahe and the other inner islands.

There is already considerable interest shown by investors and entrepreneurs to implement intensive industrial farming known as “hydroponics”. This farming method is popular in the gulf region and has been successfully implemented in Israel especially in desert and arid land. This may yet prove to be the solution to Seychelles’s problem of acute food shortages especially in respect of tomatoes and cucumbers which occasionally suffer a glut on the local market.

By closing down the Island Development Company altogether or at least change its role and objective, the government will be saving R.15, 000,000 annually. This money can then be used in the construction of schools, houses, roads and hospitals directly benefiting the population.

Glenny Savy, IDC Chief, could lose his job.

IDC’s accounts, like many other parastatals, are not audited. Glenny Savy, the IDC chief is also totally unaccountable. Whilst Air Seychelles should be applauded for publishing its financial affairs and make it available for public consumption, IDC’s accounts have been shrouded in mystery and secrecy. President Michel did insinuate that the role and “raison d’etre” of IDC will be re-evaluated but since then nothing has been done and IDC continues to bleed money the country can ill afford, without so much as a semblance of accountability and transparency. Similarly the President did make it clear that there would be legislations put forward by his government to make the declaration of assets by high level civil servants compulsory. He also intimated that he would set up an anti-corruption commission and make his government more transparente and accountable with good governance being the order of the day. Sadly, all this has not materialise.

President Michel should at the very least insist that our islands be leased to private investors and entrepreneurs, giving priority to Seychellois for the construction of hotels and the implementation of intensive industrial farming and rearing of livestock. This would earn government substantial revenue instead of incurring crippling expenditure which the country can ill afford to squander; something which is apparent with the present system.

Although President Michel should be commended for his courage in getting rid of Mukesh Valahji at SMB and Glenny Savy at SFA early on in his presidency, the President should not allowed the continued employment of Savy at IDC to be an impediment to tackle this “White Elephant” head on. In fact, the sooner President Michel dismantles this inefficient and incompetent institution the better. All other parastatals should also be subjected to closure if they are not willing or able to make any profit but at the same time depend on government for annual subsidy. The rule should be clear and simple. If you are not profitable you will be shut down. These parastatals should therefore be subjected to stringent audits carried out by independent, reputable and respected auditors. They should also be subjected to rigid tests of accountability and transparency to eliminate corruption, incompetency and inefficiency.

The recent tropical storm which hit the outer islands recently revealed that no productive commercial activities are being undertaken on these islands. Except for an array of coconut trees nothing much was seen or noted in the news report on the incident by SBC. Thus the justification to close down IDC and replace it with a body or authority which can focus on using our outer islands to create wealth for our country instead of crippling the government coffers with relatively huge subvention every year.

Remire Island photo from an advert.