RACISM REARS ITS UGLY HEAD

RACISM REARS ITS UGLY HEAD

Some hotels in Seychelles have taken the unprecedented steps of refusing entrance to their hotels to Seychellois patrons. This is clearly a display of overt racism and people have complained that this problem is more prevalent than was formerly thought. Complaints have reached this paper this week that some hotels in Seychelles have made this official policy and have started to openly practice this policy; something hitherto unheard of in Seychelles.

The target of these discriminatory practices and racist acts this time around has been Seychellois native, the very people the SPPF vouched to protect amidst rapid tourism development. Some hotels have even the audacity to impose a complete ban on Seychellois patrons. A Seychellois who went to Praslin was shocked beyond belief recently when he attempted to have breakfast at a hotel with two foreign friends and was asked to leave with his guests. The reason given was apparently that no Seychellois is allowed on the premises.

The Seychellois was so embarrassed and humiliated he has taken the extraordinary step of reporting the hotel to the Seychelles Licensing Authority. These practices are particularly common at five star hotels and resorts and some have gone to the extraordinary length to deny Seychellois access to the beaches which adjoins their property. As plans for a new five star hotel at Port Launay was unveiled recently, many have expressed their concern that one of the most beautiful beaches on Mahe may soon be closed to Seychellois public soon.

Meanwhile the government has remained suspiciously quiet about the issue pretending that it does not exist at all. However, plans are well under way to offer Anse Royale as an alternative to Port Launay instead since Port Launay has been ear marked to remain the preserve of the rich and famous only. These are people who can afford to pay $1000 a night hotel accommodation.

Although this practice was common in Mauritius and the public organized vehement public protests to demand access to beaches, putting pressure on the government to reverse the trend, this phenomenon is relatively new in Seychelles. The government should thus be swift to take a public stance on the issue if it is to be stamped out quickly. The hotels which have decided to make this unofficial hotel policy should be told in no uncertain terms that Seychelles is a harmonious, multi-cultural and multi- racial society and that is how we intend to keep it in the foreseeable future. Any attempts to implement racist policies should be met with swift response in order to curtail the offensive practice.