Eden Island Opening

EDEN ISLAND OPENING

PRESIDENT MICHEL MISSES AN OPPORTUNITY

LAST Friday 20th of August, we witnessed the opening of the Eden Island Bridge and Eden House. Despite a relatively huge turn-out and abundance of gourmet food and a lot of drinks - it was in many ways an anti-climax to what was anticipated.

First, there was the manifest absence of the man who was until two weeks ago doing an excellent work as Managing Director of the Project – that is Ambassador Sylvestre Radegonde. And secondly, the obvious absentee at the reception was H.E. President James A. Michel, who had just obtained a new mandate to preside over our Government for the next five years.

Everybody you will speak to in the street will tell you that Ambassador Radegonde has been politically “victimized” for finding the courage to speak his heart and mind at a rally organized by the Opposition Parties. Many would argue that Ambassador Radegonde perhaps, violated his agreement with the Board of Directors of the Project by finding the bravado to speak so vociferously against the ruling Party – which he had faithfully served for many years before taking over the important position with the Eden Island Project. Others would argue that Ambassador Radegonde as an individual in a so-called free democratic society was not only justified but compelled by his patriotic conscience to speak for the need of major changes in the country. It would appear that State House is putting out the story that it did not exert any pressure whatsoever on the Chief Executive of the Company, but that Mr Craig Heeger himself pressurized Mr Radegonde to part company with Eden.

The Radegonde saga provided President Michel with an excellent opportunity to show that, having obtained his own mandate, he was disposed to show a high level of “grandeur d’esprit”. What a great gesture it would have been on his part if he had openly appealed to the Board of Directors of the Eden Island Project to keep Mr Radegonde in office despite the fact that he did not see eye to eye with the politics of his SPPF Government.

Vice President Joseph Belmont did an excellent job in representing the SPPF Government at the opening of the Bridge and House. Certainly, as Minister of Tourism, such an occasion naturally falls within his portfolio. But what a great atmosphere would have been created around the occasion if President Michel had turned up and Ambassador Radegonde was around to shake his hands.

Now, of course, Mr Radegonde has been compelled to leave our shores for Europe in an endeavour to meet his family’s commitments and responsibilities. Those who met him before his departure know that he left the shores of the country which he so well represented in Brussels, Beijing, Canberra and other capitals with a very sad and broken heart. Ambassador Radegonde of course could hurt the image of Seychelles and the Eden Island Project much more as a “freelancer” in Europe than underneath the shadows of the “Trois Frères Mountain”.

(La Paloma)