A pigeon amongst cats
MINISTER Vincent Meriton should be congratulated for taking the initiative to organize an evening of songs and poetry to launch the theme “Ansanm Pour Lanmour Sesel,” which means Together for the Love of Seychelles.
By virtue of this initiative alone, the Minister, as an agent of the ruling SPPF Government, acknowledged the reality of the sad division existing in the country today against a background of vicious political polarization. As a concert emphasizing the need of inter-communal love and understanding with contribution from various civil and religious groups of the society – the evening was certainly a success. Some of our great singing artists were also present – but then “Who pays the piper also calls the tune.”
But one concert alone will not bring about the practice of the noble principles and virtues of the Seychelles First policy. Of course it can be argued that the journey of a thousand miles has to begin with a single step. Thank you Minister Meriton for taking a first step towards moving on the direction of Mr Mancham’s longstanding cry for National Reconciliation and a policy of putting the interest of Seychelles above the interest of the Party or the individual.
Sadly, to those who were not invited and had to watch the evening on their TV screens – the images projected were not encouraging. The overall body-language of the group of Ministers in attendance was not very positive. It looked as if they were attending more of a funeral rather than involved in an event of spiritual dimension. Sadly, Minister Meriton made sure that he would sit between President Michel and founding President Mancham – instead of putting them next to each other so that perhaps they could have started dialoging about bringing unity to the country.
With the SNP leadership boycotting the evening, the event displayed no real serious engagement between the dividing forces to work towards drying up the water in which hate is swimming today. And as for President Mancham, he looked like a tamed pigeon among wild cats! Happily, he came out of it without a scratch!!