Joel Morgan - carrying gifts from one of FBI's most wanted

Minister Joel Morgan is one of the most controversial ministers in the SPPF cabinet. His rise to prominence and to the pinnacle of the SPPF hierarchy in the last ten years has surprised many within the party.

Minister Morgan was a very influential and powerful member of the Parti Seselwa Executive Committee when the multiparty system was restored in 1992. However, when former President Mancham disembarked in Seychelles the same year to a tumultuous welcome, Morgan did not hesitate to try to find a niche among the emerging new leadership of the Democratic Party. Nevertheless, after Mr. Rene won the Presidential elections of 1993 and 1998, Morgan seemed to have suddenly risen swiftly within the one-party state civil service apparatus, which Mr Rene kept intact to serve the SPPF.

Many are baffled how Morgan managed to convince former president Rene that he had reformed and abandoned his anti-revolutionary stance which characterized him when he was part of the Parti Seselwa. Morgan did not rise to the top of the SPPF from within the ranks of the party. In fact, he had just conveniently obtained membership of the elitist SPPF political party when Rene, in a surprise move, which appears to defy the hopes of many members of the party, appointed Morgan as a minister just as he was about to resign and hand over the presidency to Michel. Until today, Morgan is viewed with suspicion by many in SPPF Central Committee who see him as the modern day Dr. Faustus, someone who is prepared to sell his soul to the devil.

Many seasoned observers consider the choice of portfolio allocated to Morgan by Rene – to handle the disposal of state land, as well as to be the window for foreign investors who want to build the highly lucrative 5-star hotels, as self-serving for the SPPF leader. However, Morgan’s other portfolio responsibility -the construction of public housing is seen as a poison chalice. Here Morgan, it appears, has swallowed more than his stomach can bear.

Since his appointment Morgan, it seems, has attracted nothing but controversy. The most celebrated one being the Minister responsible for handing over US$4.5 million of public funds in hard currency to a bogus foreign contruction firm based in the United Arab Emirates ostensibly for the construction of 2500 public houses on the artificial island of Perseverance. So far, neither Morgan nor anyone else has been made accountable for this evident “faux pas”. Many thought that President Michel, who inherited Morgan as Minister when he took over from Mr Rene, would sack him after obtaining his own mandate. So far this has not happened.

True to his “could - not - careless attitude”, Minister Morgan was recently seen boarding a super yacht moored at the Wharf marina accompanied by his wife and children on a hot Sunday afternoon. About an hour later, he and his family emerged from the super yacht bearing gifts in several bulging bags – no doubt containing goodies. This begs the questions a) who is the proud owner of such a majestic vessel evidently worth tens of millions of dollars. b) Why did Morgan see it necessary to visit the vessel, given all the controversy hovering around him? Is there a “deal” being hatched on a private basis? It was not very difficult to find some answers specially as the name of the yacht – “Le Pharaon”, virtually gives the game away.