- Part 2
Used as a metaphor to describe the current state of affairs that is 'engulfing' our small nation today. This octopus is a special one as it has outgrown itself and now has ten (10) tentacles. At the rate things are going, this animal might mutate and wreak a lot more havoc than our little Sesel and its Seselwa will be able to bear. The octopus squirts its ink through an intricate web of propaganda machines as it slowly tightens its grip on our little Seychelles. In fact, the ten tentacles have swept the seabed clean for the last few clams and banbaras, leaving only a few worthless seaweed floating about. This is the predicament we are faced with today, 'Lepep Seselwa'. We are under the stranglehold of The SPPF Octopus.
The octopus's genius comes from its mighty head. The HEAD has masterminded the animal's operating machine and built some solid tentacles which will tighten its grip on our beloved Seychelles. As it wraps these suckers onto those 'another world' granitic and coral island clusters, the 'Sesel pou Seselwa' citizens (martyrs) are strangling for breath as they try to make ends meet as the economy crumbles around us.
Albert (the HEAD) had already planned his systematic pillage of our country since 5th June 1977. After more than 30 years, we are now slowly discovering what a devious and callous scheme that this 'pti group dimoun' perpetrated on our country. Today we have gone full circle. All this socialist rhetoric has now been channelled into the biggest Octopus set up that any country has ever seen. Some can call it nepotism + favouritism + thugocracy + personal enrichment…etc… But one thing is for sure, the tentacles have gripped hard. But when the truth (the 'Sesel pou Seselwa movement) comes back to haunt you, the Indian Ocean or the outback of Australia will not be big enough to hide in….
4. The SPPF Faction 1 (The JJ Spirit): When the HEAD passes the baton to the Dream Team, they have to run with it to the finishing line. They have unfortunately been pushed in the kitchen of this massive octopus to find that 'lanmans pwalon y tro so'. So we decide to divert the attention of the fire engulfing us by playing various tunes to strike the 'Pou lanmour Sesel' chord and tell us that our constitution is the new Bible.
Unfortunately it might be the weakest tentacle and perhaps the first to be sacrificed by the octopus as these balls of fire (langues de feu) crashes down with its load of truth poison arrows. They are coming from everywhere and we need to take cover. With all his experience as Minister for Information, he has never seen this wave of ideas and thoughts emanating from his people. Despite the phalanx of SBC and all the 'red friendly media' it seems that these truths are ripping the defences to shreds. The Jj team is in a bind. They were supposed to act as the 'buffer' but did not realise that there were so many mines out there.
And now, the last forcing of the hand! It plays out like a chapter from our colonial past where one conquering nation would have to capitulate to the mightiest of them all. History will not repeat itself so the Jj team will live up to their mission & sign off the declaration of FPPS (Freedom & Power to the People of Seychelles). It was the 'cado empoizonen' that was handed over to JAM at state house slowly taking effect…the Jj spirit has swallowed the poison dart and this tentacle might cause the whole machine (octopus) to disintegrate. Even the Jj Foundation, STC and the University can't help them now.
5. The SPPF Faction 2 (The Disciplined Communistas): Known as the second breakaway faction, 'The Danny Clan' have brought back the socialist principles from their formative years against a background of USSR & Castro firebrand ideas that have now been proven to have failed. The power has shifted as the country's purse strings (or rather piles of junk bonds) are now in the hands of the possible phoenix that will take us beyond 2010 (you realize it is 10 years since this famous slogan regurgitated by the octopus HEAD).
Amongst all the experiments he has tried out (NYS, Education, Leader of Govt Biz, Head of Beret Squad, etc…), this one does not come any better. This is an opportune time to try out the 'Cubanomics' that we learned in Fidel's land. Got to prove to boss that he has entrusted our finances into a safe pair of hands! The theory that we cannot turn this economy around will be proven wrong! We still have control of the assembly and our investment with the Chinese will ensure sustainability there. Pretty soon I will be publishing the 'astronomical' investment in forex made with our property sales.
The 'lavi ser dan Sesel' issue is the most difficult to tackle. We expect to inject a few more millions here and there at election time so we need to find this money. Too much of this precious money is being siphoned off by the one-arm bandits at the arcade. It is time to slap these casino barons with a tax!
6. The Big Boys Club : They own all the prime hotel & villa projects, they are brokering mega deals and selling off our islands (not even on our behalf). The opportunities have never been better. We run the airline so we can maintain the supply line. Where more risky, we have the helicopters! We have also turned into real estate agents as we sell all these dream homes to the nouveau riche and famous. We can rope in another tentacle by inviting the Greg Clan and others to partake in fairy tales such as Zil Pasyon, Zilwa ek se pa mwan kwa!
This is the true story of goldilocks & the 3 bears. Mama Bear as we know was married to HEAD Papa Bear, only to be replaced by Indi-Bear. Baby Bear has his dream granted when he gets his stint at STMA, now STB. He has the chance to meet the movers and shakers and a goldilocks along the way. Now that we have assessed the true value of the prime tourism spots we share it (between ourselves) as it was the year of 'sharing and caring'. The best way to control this is to take a good share of the porridge with multiple deals (Per Aquum, Beggs, Mini-Mouse etc…). Baby Bear graduates to king pin in the bowling game. So far perfect strike!
In steps Middle Bear, in his favourite decorated garb! This India-trained bear pilot has flown the world and has come back to grab his share of the porridge. The Chairman now needs to enjoy the perks like they do in Mauritius and Maldives. Plus he can hop around in the new little toy heli that little bear brought back from his last trip abroad.
Big Bear has been entrusted with the crown jewels by Papa Bear and he will not part with this three quarter of the porridge, although Jj smacked him on his fat bottom recently and took away SFA. Big Bear now wants to play monopoly with his friend Mooky to see who can win back the Maserati. And nobody knows these islands better, except maybe for the late Grandpapa Savy who had several islands stolen by HEAD Octopus after the coup supposedly to give back to “Le Pep”, and of course, in an act or irony (or piracy), decided to hand them over to Big Bear to mismanage for 3 decades. As head of IDC, salt farms, deer farms, lamb farms, chicken farms and many other “Animal Farm” loony-tunes ideas came from this big, hungry Bear. He even has magical powers to make hotels disappear and re-appear again and everyone knows he loves Mauritius and his dalons more than Seychelles. And this powerful Big Bear has been dealt the best hand, so let the poker game begin. Gentlemen, place your bets.. Providence…Silhouette…No… Desroches…No… Alphonse…No… Remir…No… Platte…Farquhar. No, not Bijoutier, please!