James Michel is a liar.

JAMES MICHEL IS A LIAR!

James Michel lied and managed to keep a straight face in his campaign address (PPB) on SBC TV last Sunday. During the SPPF rally earlier the same day on Sunday, 6th May, 2007, Michel said that the leader of SNP Wavel Ramkalawan said in a meeting on Saturday, 5th May, 2007, at the International Conference Centre that ten thousand savages will attend the SPPF rally the next day.

This is a lie unbecoming of a President. This was a deliberate attempt by Michel aimed at smearing the good character of Wavel Ramkalawan. James Michel has stooped very low, gutter politics, during this election campaign as he tries his hardest at convincing the population to award an absolute majority to his party. Michel wanted full advantage over the opposition through that particular statement, a clear sign of desperation.

Letter 1 from Electoral Commisioner

The following day, Monday 7th May, 2007, Hendrick Gappy Electoral Commissioner, through one of his representatives in a meeting at their headquarters on the ground floor of the National Library, wanted opposition newspapers, Regar and Le Nouveau Seychelles Weekly to agree not to publish this week. If we had agreed to his demand Michel’s lies would have gone un-refuted. This is exactly what happened last year for the Presidential election when we complied with his request and agreed not to publish. Subsequently, the then Commissioner of Police Mr. Andre Kilindo went on SBC TV and lied after two incidents which happened during the cooling off period – linking both matters with the opposition when in fact the opposition had nothing to do with these incidents.

Kilindo claimed that a car with passengers armed with machetes, sticks and other weapons was suspected of making an attack on State House. The other incident involved a gas canister going off in Barclays Bank. He linked both incidences with the opposition. The opposition did not have an opportunity to refute these allegations as they had accepted not to bring out any publication during the cooling off period. “Once bitten twice shy”. This time around the opposition refused ‘point blank’ to fall into their trap. On this front the Office of the Electoral Commissioner failed to deliver and the ruling party it is said is not amused.

Hendrick Gappy has since sent letters to both Regar and Le Nouveau Weekly spelling the law out clearly which govern electioneering during ‘cooling off’ before the election. We view this as a threat as newspaper Editors are expected to know exactly what the law says on these matters.

Letter 2 from Electoral Commissioner.