After 2008 was declared Year of the Constitution, and that the document now 15 years old was to be reviewed, we are now told that the exercise will be extended to next year. The President is to have the final say.
This was revealed by the chairman of the committee appointed to revise the Constitution, former Attorney General Francis Chang Sam. In an SBC interview, Mr Chang Sam once again urged institutions and the public in general to send their contributions regarding any changes they wished. He said these will be compiled before mid-2009 and forwarded to the President for consideration.
So it looks like President James Michel will have a key role in making amendments to the Third Republic Constitution.
It appears that few contributions have been forthcoming so far and the entire exercise has met with general public apathy as was the case with voter registration earlier in the year, when only 15% of those eligible turned up at the stations.
There are several reasons for this apathy and indifference. Most Seychellois are having a hell of a time making ends meet as prices of basic consumer items shoot through the roof. Furthermore, most people cannot comprehend what good is a constitution if it can be changed, or rather violated at will by politicians.
The present document was submitted to a referendum in 1993 and approved by 74% of the population, following which the first multi-party elections were held and won by the SPPF. Since then, there have been several amendments, notably the proviso for a vice-President which served the political agenda of Mr Albert Rene and James Michel. This only required a two-third majority in the National Assembly, which the SPPF easily carried in 1996, when this was passed. The constitution was even amended to make way for the controversial Economic Development Act ( EDA) which guaranteed immunity from prosecution to wealthy foreign crooks.
A post of Leader of Government Business has come into being and the holder considered a constitutional appointee when this is not provided in the constitution. No doubt, President Michel will correct that as it suits the SPPF.
The constitution is also supposed to guarantee right to work, education, shelter, freedom of expression among other rights. Yet, Seychellois often see these rights usurped; for instance made redundant and discriminated against on the grounds of partisan politics.
It is ironical that exactly a year ago, Opposition leader Wavel Ramkalawan, who had his own hidden agenda, broke the SNP-DP alliance, stating the former could not be trusted as it could collude with the SPPF to change the constitution.
The truth came out later that it was he who colluded with the SPPF under the guise of a dialogue to obtain massive salary increases for himself and his MNAs.
Has Ramkalawan suggested any constitutional amendments to lawyer Chang Sam to be submitted to President James Michel? The Constitution provides for pensions for former presidents, but does not give the same privilege to so many others, such as the leaders of Government Business and Opposition or the MNAs. The increases in salary, gratuities and pensions, the SPPF and SNP voted themselves are all unconstitutional.
If Ramkalawan has suggested any constitutional amendments, Regar and Nouvo Vizyon are keeping very quiet about it. But, as was the case with the secretive dialogue, the truth will come out sooner or later.