MARIE LOUISE POTTER DISAPPOINTS IN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
Marie Louise Potter, the newly appointed Leader of Government Business, has disappointed the whole country in her maiden speech in the National Assembly last week as she sets the tone for future debates in parliament. Mrs. Potter who was once discarded by the SPPF and removed from the National Assembly as she was deemed “weak and ineffective” has now been surprisingly and unexpectedly promoted to the new powerful post by the SPPF hierarchy. She began her speech with taunts of JJ and partisan rhetoric which was really unattractive and uncalled for on the opening of parliament. Many sees her as no match for the more formidable Ramkalawan and considers it a mistake by the SPPF to remove Herminie in that post and appoint him as Speaker instead. Herminie is known to have commanded a grudging respect in the opposition camp as he could muster his arguments intelligently and deliver his speeches articulately, even in the face of mediocrity. Marie Louise Potter, on the other hand, is not expected to fare as well and political observers have remarked that she is “intellectually challenged” and may yet prove to be the biggest political mistake by the SPPF in the history of politics in Seychelles.
Potter, who was the subject of the content of a controversial tape a few years back, is not new to politics. She studied politics in Cuba before teaching the subject at the Seychelles polytechnic. She later conveniently joined the ranks of the SPPF and her rise to the top has been phenomenal and controversial. Her high pitched squeaky voice though has remained her biggest impediment so far compared to the booming voice of her predecessor, Herminie. For these reasons she is not expected to make any impact in the National Assembly or the political stage as a whole. An early retirement is therefore plausible and predicted in the face of strong competition for the job from the younger and more ambitious and charismatic Clifford Andre. Andre, following in Potter’s footsteps and emulating her style, fired his parting shot in the National Assembly last week again with shouts of JJ, be what you want to be and “tenir pa large.”
Potter together with Rose and Joanna Pierre are now firmly planted at the helm of The People and we can brace ourselves for more insults, “kankan” and political demagoguery from this trio and their party rag. Pierre, who is also jostling to spearhead people as Editor, has also complained that Rose is taken up full time in the Assembly and therefore her ability to do the job at People effectively is compromised. She has also complained that Rose, following in the tradition of most SPPF politicians, enjoys the luxury of two fat salaries whilst she does all the dirty work and is badly remunerated. It remains to be seen if her wishes will come true ultimately as Rose has made it clear that she is not about to give up her job as Editor for fear that as a proportionately elected member she may be unceremoniously rotated for more fiery firebrands waiting in the political wings to pounce.
In the light of all the above, Joanna Pierre may have to wait longer than anticipated for the much coveted job of Editor of The People. However, if Potter unexpectedly switches her allegiance from Rose to Pierre, which is not very likely, Pierre may secure the job she so desperately envies, arbitrarily. A bit more patience and shuffling of the feet may very well be in order for Pierre as she bid her time and brace herself for the long political haul ahead. As luck would have it, she might just surprise us all and replace Rose as proportionally elected member in the National Assembly if the latter does not pull up her socks soon.
