May Not Agree With What You Say

 Christopher GillThe recent refusal of Regar Printing not to print the Seychelles Weekly, has dealt our ailing, infant democracy a major blow.

 This week, Editor Ralph Volcere called for a Press Conference and delivered the news to the People of Seychelles through SBC Journalists. SBC made the most mileage out of the political faux pas and sought Roger Mancienne's rebuttal. He said his company had stopped printing Weekly because it does not maintain the same Party lines as the Seychelles National Party (SNP). How silly that sounds when you think about it. But these days, many silly things are coming from Arpent Vert. We must watch. Some may not believe what they see at first, but sooner or later, we will all believe what we see and what we hear. Do not despair, the antics of Arpent Vert are not about to end, they have just begun.

  Political parties of divergent political philosophies cannot always share the same opinion. SNP is a Left Wing Liberal Party, while the Democratic Party is a Center Right Party. Invariably, our views will clash on issues. But it is in tolerance of different views that a Country makes democratic advancement. Along the way however, each side must be smart enough to defend its positions. It is in this battle of ideas that the people inherit the best possible system in a democracy.

  “I may not agree with what you have to say, but I will defend your right to say it, to the death”. This solemn phrase comes from Patrick Henry a famous American Revolutionary who defended the Free Press to the offense of the King of England at that time. Mr. Mancienne is no Patrick Henry. He is closer to the likes of Joe Gouni, a famous fellow Seychellois.

Free Press Overrides Party Interests

The dispute between Weekly and Regar Printing involves conflicting overriding interests. On the one hand, Weekly wants to print its paper and get the message it wants in the Public Domain delivered without any hindrance or harassment beyond having to settle the printing bill each month. Weekly claims to be the one paper that tackles issues in the Public Interest with the objective of further building a better democracy and Country. No other paper takes on or challenges Government actions in Seychelles like the Seychelles Weekly, today.

In Regar, there is a section called Leo the Turtle that attacks Government officials on personal matters, but the writer hides behind a turtle shell for protection, not divulging his identity. Personal attacks can hardly be said to be in the Public Interest. Weekly pays its bills to Regar Print. In fact it had credit.

On the other hand, the Regar Printing and SNP do not want its Leader Wavel Ramkalawan's actions to be subjected to any public scrutiny not in the Public Interest, but out of a Political Party Self Interest of Self Preservation, in spite of themselves.

 A newspaper cannot disparage a political personality when it reports and offers opinions on the actions of a political personality, whose actions only are the root of the disparaging statements. The statements are not disparaging when a politician takes on a course to disparage himself in the Public's eye.

 In such cases, the paper only reports on disparaging conduct of the political personality. Since Mr. Ramkalawan seems to be on such a course, it is impossible at this time to disparage Ramkalawan's reputation. He is disparaging himself...all by himself. We can only report on that or pass opinion on the self destruction. It is silly to blame the Weekly for Ramkalawan's follies. Who the Cap Fits, let him wear it! 

 Under no circumstance can we allow the narrow interest of a political party outweighs the interest of the General Public to have a Free Press. To do so would not allow democracy to be fluid and informative and educative for our People.

Democracy is a participatory form of government. When the People of Seychelles called for more democracy in the Country and France Albert Rene put an end to his dictatorship, it became the end of the control factor in our society as we knew it then. No longer could you be killed for an unauthorized press release. No longer did you need a license for a fax machine which would allow you to be part of the world in quasi real time. No longer did you have to read what Mr. Rene wanted you to read, but not what Mr. Mancham wanted you to read, for example.

 If we agree with Mr. Mancienne's logic and submit to his twisted perceptions, we must also agree with Mr. Rene's perception of Democracy in 1977: "you are free to say what you want, write what you want, as long as I proof read the final draft".

Mr. Mancienne has left Seychelles today back-tracked to the traumatic 1977 Seychelles, when writers used AK-47's to get the word across to the People and not the pen! Mancienne has succeeded in taking Seychelles backwards in one letter to Mr. Ralph Volcere. Rene should consider him for the "Destruction of Free Press", “Medal of Dishonor Award”. If Rene does not have one of those medals in his cupboard, maybe they can just pin a Perry Winkle on Mr. Mancienne's lapel.

It is of course irrelevant that Seychelles Weekly was selling 3000 plus copies per week and Regar only prints 1500 per week and sells about 800.

Mancienne Misunderstands The Weight of The Free Press in Society

 For thousands of years, people have had to be weary of leaders that cannot see beyond their nose. There are actions and consequences in the life of a nation that are not obvious to the naked untrained eye. The Public relies on Leaders to be able to see more than what the naked eye is capable of seeing. Leaders must be able to see with their brains as well. But such vision belongs only to those that can see beyond their nose.

Weekly To Be Printed Overseas

By the SPPF companies and SNP companies refusing to print Weekly, the Paper will now be printed overseas for a period of time. This is an unfortunate scar on our democratic credentials and our sense of tolerance in Seychelles today. I would strongly urge the Editor to print 5000 instead of the usual 3000 batch. Now the Weekly has entered into the Economy of Scarcity of Goods like onions, whatever you bring in will sell out...!

 May God Bless All Freedom Loving Seychellois! 

 

October 19, 2007
Copyright 2007: Seychelles Weekly, Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles