THE REAL STATE OF THE NATION!
Shoppers lined up outside SMB supermarket to buy newly-arrived powdered milk before the stock ran out
On Tuesday 12th February President James Michel delivered his traditional State of the Nation address. As is customary he painted a rosy picture of the overall situation in the country and created optimism for the future. He gave the people a sense of hope and assured them that there are better things around the corner. The message was that around every cloud there is a silver lining. Le Nouveau Seychelles Weekly has prepared its own State of the Nation address and in the process attempted to give a more realistic account of the state of our nation.
The economy
Although Seychelles is not a country ravaged by wars and civil strife and has enjoyed years of relative peace and political stability, the economic situation has continued to baffle the most revered of economist. Seychelles is clearly becoming a model for the world of how not to manage an economy. The economy continues to stutter and splutter with zero growth recorded year after year. The Seychelles economy has remained relatively stagnant over the last 15 years characterized by a persistent lack of foreign exchange and acute food shortages. All attempts to resolve the foreign exchange crisis by introducing unconventional economic measures have miserably failed. The government has stated that its objective is to double GDP by the year 2017. However, there is no road map explaining how we are going to achieve this impossible dream. The economic forecast for the foreseeable future remains bleak.
100 % Increase in Price of Fuel
In 2007, the government in a frenzy increased the cost of everything under the sky. The price of fuel at the pumps increased by 100%, making life for the most vulnerable in society even harder. Although the government had increased the price of fuel during the first gulf war and it had remained relatively high even after the war ended, the government blamed the increase in prices on the international market price. Seypec promptly announced that it will review the situation every three months and prices may go up further still.
40% Increase in Gas Prices
2007 was also the year in which the government ruthlessly put up the cost of gas by as much as 40%. Gas is a commodity which is commonly used by every household for cooking purposes. Again it was the ordinary Seychellois family who bore the brunt of the hardship as the household income dropped by as much as 50% overnight due to the increases across the board.
60% Devaluation of the Seychelles Rupee
Our worst fear became a reality when the government decided to devalue the Seychelles Rupee by as much as 60%. This, after President Michel had vouched on national television that devaluation was not an option for the SPPF government as it would cause widespread poverty and hit the weakest in society the hardest. After promising the nation that the SPPF government will never consider devaluation as an economic measure to cure the economic malaise in the country the Principal Secretary in the Minister of Finance was ordered to go on television to announce the u-turn. Overnight prices of goods in the shops rose by as much as 100% and basic foodstuff like milk and rice disappeared on the shop shelves completely. Still, the government failed to get the rescue package promised by the IMF on condition that the government undertakes drastic economic reforms. IMF concluded that the reforms have not gone far enough and therefore did not justify the promised massive foreign exchange loan promised to the SPPF government by the IMF.
60% Increase in Electricity and 40% Increase in Water Charges
In an unprecedented move, the SPPF government increased the cost of electricity by as much as 60% and water by 40%, prompting one single mother with three minor children to swallow their pride and come to Le Nouveau Seychelles Weekly to tell the world how they could not afford to pay their electricity bill which more than doubled overnight. Again this measure hit the poorest and most vulnerable in society the hardest. The SPPF party which has built its support base on the poorest segment of society by proclaiming to be the party for the poor suddenly and without warning dropped its veil and adopted the “bef dan disab sakenn vey son lizye” approach to politics.
50% Increase in Road Tax
As the people started to wonder how much more can we take from the SPPF and what they are going to throw at us next, the government promptly and without remorse or compassion, increased the road tax by 50%. This was done without commensurate improvement in the conditions of our roads, highways and road side drainage. Consequently the rain continues to cause havoc and flooding at will and the potholes remained a constant reminder that the government has simply run out of cash and cannot be bothered to fix something as basic as our roads. Mr. Gerard Lafortune, the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism and Transport, who has been the custodian of our roads for so many years, promptly resigned from government.
Human Rights Violation Continues Unabated
The Editor of Le Nouveau Seychelles Weekly decided to dedicate the year 2008 as the Human Rights year. After a year in which so many people came to the newspaper to complain about human rights abuses and heavy handed police methods, the decision was taken without much difficulty. In one shocking case in particular where a young man, Robin Henriette was brutally gunned down in cold blood by the police, and was intentionally left to bleed to death whilst a doctor stood idly by, the government did not even bother to defend the case and admitted liability. Several prisoners and remandees also claimed to have been violently attacked and assaulted by prison warden whilst at Montagne Posee prison. Their pleas for an investigation to be carried out into these incidents met with apathy and deaf ears. Even today prisoners are still complaining of human rights abuse at the Montagne Posee prison with the names Florentine and Moumou constantly being mentioned as the abusers. However, nothing has been done about it. One prisoner even managed to smuggle a letter out of prison to Le Nouveau Seychelles Weekly which was published last week detailing the abuse and crying for help. Still the government has failed to order an investigation.
38% Increase in salary for Politicians
On the 21st December 2007 as the year came to a close and no one was really paying attention, the National Assembly passed an amendment to the Emolument Act giving politicians in government as well as in opposition huge salary increases. The biggest beneficiary was the Speaker of the National Assembly, Doctor Patrick Herminie, who got an increase of R. 15, 000 on top of his already fat salary followed by the President who got R. 12, 000. The Leader of the Opposition got an increase of R. 9, 000 whilst Members of the National Assembly got R. 5, 000. In one of the biggest joke ever recorded in Seychelles the SPPF government gave the hard working Seychellois families a pathetic R. 100 to R. 400 increment. All this came from a President who only recently claimed, “I have a heart for every Seychellois” and a political party which claim to represent the interest of the poor!
External Debt Increased from USD233,000,000 to USD 633,000, 000
Our external debt rose drastically from USD 233, 000, 000 in 2004, when Mr. Albert Rene stepped down and hand over the reign of power to President Michel, to an unprecedented USD 633, 000, 000.Seychelles was also deprived of its right to vote at the African Union for failing, yet again, to pay its membership fee. Several Embassies and Consulates abroad were abruptly closed down as the country could not foot the running cost of these important point of contacts to the world. Until now the government has got no clear plan how it intends to repay this staggering debt burden and it continues to take out more foreign exchange loans overseas. In some cases the government has simply given up trying and has decided not to pay the loans at all. A lame attempt to get debt relief at the European Union and Paris Club met with ridicule and derision.
Food Shortages
2007 was also a year characterized by acute food shortages which culminated in a stampede at SMB recently as people clamour for rice which had all but disappeared from the shop shelves for some time. This is indeed dangerous times for the government as rice is the staple food consumed by most Seychellois families on a daily basis. Any scarcity is bound to have political repercussions and implications. It is predicted belly politics will eventually be the straw that broke the camel’s back. SPPF is clearly incapable of stopping the economy from spiraling down the slippery slope of catastrophe and collapse. It is only a question of time before the fat lady sings.
Crime figures Soar
In the throes of an economic crisis, crime figures have soared. Criminals became bolder and more daring in their criminal endeavours. Several cars were broken into in the middle of Victoria and at least one large Supermarket in town caught a thief on camera entering the office and then stealing money and a mobile phone from a hand bag in broad daylight. The culprit was later arrested by the police. Murder statistics also rose sharply in 2007 and a record number of murder cases was recorded. Drug related offences also soar and prostitution reared its ugly head again. In one of the most shocking crimes to happen in Seychelles the local television announced that at least one foetus was found in a manhole at a house which caused the toilet to block. This, in brief, ladies and gentlemen, is the real State of our Nation and as you can see, things are far, far from rosy.
