WHO IS PRESIDENT JAMES MICHEL FOOLING?

Recently President James Michel appeared on TV ranting and raving that he is not interested in changing the Constitution. He seems desperate to convince his not so impressionable plebeians that although he wants to have an absolute majority in the National Assembly, his intention is simply to propose a Bill which will stop payment of salaries to MNAs who do not attend National Assembly sessions. His argument does not hold water at all and it is clear that he was stretching the truth to breaking point.

If this was indeed his intention he could have simply proposed the Bill months ago whilst the opposition was still boycotting the Assembly and the SPPF had a majority in the Assembly. He needs a simple majority to pass any law he wants; something which he could do with ease under the present state of affairs. However, what he cannot do at present is change the Constitution as he needs a two thirds majority to vote in favour; something which he does not have currently. This may explain why he is anxious to have an absolute majority in the National Assembly so that he can change the Constitution at will and manipulate parliament. This is the grave danger which now faces our nascent democracy and which should be averted at all cost. If indeed the SPPF wins an absolute majority in the forthcoming parliamentary elections it would give President Michel, not only absolute Executive power, but also Legislative power.

We all know the saying: “Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely”. It is, therefore, our constitutional duty to defend and uphold the Constitution of Seychelles, and the only way we can do that is to use our Constitutional right to vote and to come down in great numbers on the 12th May 2007 to prevent the re-imposition of the one party state by President James Alix Michel and the SPPF. It is extremely dangerous to allow a situation where the President and his party enjoys an absolute majority in the National Assembly because everything we have fought for since 1993 and every sacrifice we have made may be taken away by the flick of a pen. As a nation we currently enjoy fundamental rights under the Constitution. For instance, we have the right not to be arrested and detained arbitrarily as was common during the one party state era. We have the right to be released on bail, if arrested and detained on suspicion of having committed an offence. We have a right to decent housing, education, health and a pristine environment. We have the right to work and the right not to be subjected to inhumane and degrading treatment. These are our fundamental constitutional rights and we must not, at all cost, allow these rights, which we fought so hard to achieve, to be taken away from us by Presidential decree. The danger is real and the threat imminent. It is important, therefore, that we vote for democracy and to protect our freedoms and basic human rights. We owe it not only to ourselves but to our children and the next generation. Our democracy must remain permanently free from threats, sabotage and ambush. It must not be compromised and diluted by an all powerful president who wants to hold the National Assembly by the throat. 

May 4, 2007
Copyright 2007: Seychelles Weekly, Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles