Constitutional Crisis Looms

On SBC a few weeks ago a simple person by nature, Judge Bernadin Renaud, who is a pupiled lawyer and now Judge, and has the distinguished honor of successfully presiding over the Second Constitutional Commission, warned the People of Seychelles and our leader who walks under ladders, Mr. James Michel, not to toy and play with the Constitution of the Republic of Seychelles. Judge Renaud said in public on SBC, that to fix something that is working just fine is a dangerous game that can become an invitation to disaster indeed. Judge Renaud could not have stated it any better and more simply than that. He is a wise man in a kingdom of fools and idiots.

Do Not Play With Our Constitution

I would take his suggestions one step further and say, do not let people who do not know how to read or write, let alone count, play with the Constitution. The Constitution of a Nation is not one of those pretty little dolls that come knocking on the door for service to be rendered. It cannot be used at one person's beck and call and disposed of when not required. The Constitution is the voice of the People. It is a living breathing organism reflecting the dreams and aspirations of our people. It is not an inanimate object to be tampered with, fondled, admired and discarded. As you prod the People, the Constitution will react, that is, the People will react. Your bronze figurines will stay where you left them.

It is our obligation to live the Articles of the Constitution, but above all, the Constitution is a Social Contract that must above all else, protect the rights of citizens in an effective manner. Ignore this, and I guarantee you that you will not only have Constipation instead of a Constitution but you will also have a Constitutional Crisis on hands. Ignore the Rule of Law, due respect for individual rights and Due Process of law, you will have a crisis on your hands.

If you (Dear Leader) are faced with a Crisis beyond your control, do not blame anyone except yourself. A lot can and has been said about Rene. In the future, a lot will be said about Rene. But  at least, when he took the Country, he read his Constitution, first. When he run the Country by Decree, he read and wrote his own Decrees. When the First Constitutional Commission did not go down well, he stepped in and went over the Constitution word for word with us. Michel.....well, from listening to his glorious boring speeches, I wonder if he ever read the Constitution or does he prefer to just run his manicured hands over the soft leather on the Front . People of Seychelles, you decide. But I know!

National Assembly and Executive violate Basic Principles of Our Constitution

Two (2) years ago Mr. President -Michel said he wanted a serious Assembly, and called for new elections. But when he made that call, he was not serious and almost lost majority seating in that beef-beating contest that showed an Opposition strong in unity and an SPPF weakening when faced with unity in opposition rank and file. Oil was $ 70.00 per barrel then. Now it is $140.00 and more Arabs more Russians, more Chinese have arrived by the plane loads to vote in the next Elections.

Lick The Boot Man!

To give credence to Michel's' weak wishes, the Speaker of National Assembly, Mr. Patrick Herminie, implemented a money -sanctioning policy soon after the new National Assembly convened. He said he would sanction Rupees 1,000.00 per seating from an MNA monthly-salary if he does not attend the weekly sessions for good cause. This idea Herminie came up with is ridiculous and violates basic tenets of Right to Freedom of Association, Right To Assembly, Right To Protest, and Right To Freedom of  Speech. It toys and sticks Herminie's big finger right under our Human Rights section of our Constitution.

One MNA, the Right Honorable JF Ferrari, has decided that he has had enough of being bullied about and has written a letter to the Speaker informing him of his resignation as an Elected MNA. Hence, we have a Bye-Election now in 30 days and a looming Constitutional Crisis on our hands. Why? Because some leaders like to pass their well manicured hands over the leather cover of the Constitution instead of reading the book and trying to figure out what the Founding Fathers were trying to do back then. Of course, Mr. manicured hands was trying to re-sell the Malo Arms while we were trying to hammer out a document that would be good for our Country and all our People. 

Why Constitutional Crisis On Our Hands?

Since it is apparent the lovey-dovey courting at State House is coming to an end now, SNP will put on the battle armory and cozy up to DP, who have been slogging it out with SPPF blow by blow, toe to toe, week in week out without so much as a tea break in between for years now. SPPF has not taken a single step forward without the Weekly Team exposing their Bamboozle Mickey Mouse Economics. We gladly welcome SNP back into the ring of fire. Hopefully your top brass can shed some unwanted weight now to be fit for the fight.

Honorable Ferrari has grabbed the bull by the horns to put it lightly. He is a courageous man and I earnestly hope he bequeaths courage to the cowards, rat fence walkers, ass wigglers, tea sippers and thumb nibblers amongst us. The crisis lay not in Honorable Ferrari's resigning and calling a Bye- Election for SPPF and "JJ Fountain"; the crisis lay in the new found courage of Ferrari's example to be followed by every other SNP MNA elected.

Until the political playing field is leveled, every three months, an MNA from SNP should resign and the Electoral Commissioner must call for new Elections. This will whittle down "JJ Fountain Spirit" to its timely conclusion as a political force. Rene will thank us. Our children will thank us.

Having said that, "JJ Fountain" will not have time to form his new Party separate from Rene's SPUP-SPPF. He will have to fight the Opposition united I hope, over and over and over again for another 2 years. His Strategy 2017 Plan which is not even worth the paper it is written on, will be dust binned not by Honorable Ferrari calling new Elections, lest we forget, but by Mr. manicured hands not bothering to read the Constitution and understanding it; instead, he just passed his pretty hands over the pretty leather and commemorates a stainless steel phallic looking object under a massive flag pole that does belong where it was made: Australia. Hopefully it is not intended to be used to shaft the people with.

So there we have it, a Constitutional Crisis looming over our heads, just because some leader passed his well manicured hands over a document and paid too much attention to the leather.......and forgot to read the document....if he can, could or even would.

May God Bless All Freedom Loving Seychelles!

June 27, 2008
Copyright 2007: Seychelles Weekly, Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles