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T is now clear that the task of running the country effectively is beyond the reach of President Michel and his Administration. The President's overall competency is being questioned after a catalogue of embarrassments has erupted right under his nose. This conclusion is being drawn on the strength that President Michel is finding it extremely difficult to wield power over certain people in his Administration.
People like Glenny Savy, Francis Chang-Leng, Marie-Ange Hoareau, Joel Morgan, Rondolph Payet, Andre Kilindo and others have been running circles around Michel in the four years that he had been President; something that would be unimaginable under former President France Albert Rene.
An example of embarrassment of the President by his local emperors is the alleged disappearance recently of one million dollars. It is alleged that the money had been advanced to government through IDC by a group of investors to build a landing strip on Poivre Island in preparation for the start of their project there; a unique touristic fishermen village. Tourists who book their holidays there would have been able to experience a genuine fishing experience as all the activities there would have revolved around fishing the fertile fishing ground of the surrounding islands there. Although the airstrip is yet to be built, the one million dollars is also alleged to have mysteriously disappeared into the overseas bank account of a high profile IDC employee. This open secret is being closely guarded within the confine of State House and President Michel is alleged to be pulling his hair out of frustration to resolve this little booboo. The Investors, however, will have none of it and are now telling everyone who cares to listen that they have been fleeced.
Another cause of much embarrassment for our dear President came only last month when a boat belonging to his Security Advisor was caught red-handed fishing 'banbarra' with six illegal Chinese workers onboard. A major cover-up was orchestrated from State House to minimize the damage it would have caused to the establishment. Although the local media covered the story extensively, State House ordered a total news blackout on the identity of the person who owns the boat at the centre of the controversy. Both SBC and Seychelles Nation obliged. It was Le Nouveau Seychelles Weekly which later gave the story front page treatment and clearly identified the culprit as none other than the President's Security Advisor, Mr. Andre Kilindo. The Immigration was also forced to deport the illegal Chinese fishermen although retrospective applications were lodged on their behalf to regularize their presence on Seychelles soil. Was it not for the special coverage which we gave the story, the applications, we have been told, would have been approved by Mrs. Marie-Ange Hoareau, the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
This year alone has seen the closure of four top major hotels in Seychelles, namely, The Berjaya Mahe Beach, The Coral Strand, Ste. Anne Resort and The Plantation Club Hotel and Casino. Although the former were closed voluntarily for renovation, the latter was forced to close down by the government because it had identified Arab buyers who were willing to fork out a massive fortune for the privilege of owning the once prestigious hotel. Talks are that major kick-backs were also in the pipeline for some key players in this controversial saga. The forced closure of The Plantation Club is not helping the credibility of President Michel's government in anyway. All hell broke loose when it was sensationally revealed in Le Nouveau Seychelles Weekly that the wife and brother in law of the Governor of the Central Bank are the representatives of Ernst and Young in Seychelles. Ernst and Young is the Mauritius-based accountancy firm which was appointed by the Supreme Court as Provisional Liquidator to wind up the affairs of the Company which owns the hotel at the behest of the government. They stand to make millions in foreign exchange for their work if the liquidation proceeds as expected. In fact, they must be paid first and co-incidentally the wife and brother-in-law of the Governor of Central bank stand to make a small fortune as well. Apparently, President Michel was oblivious to the fact that his top man at the Central Bank was indirectly connected with the saga. The President was not spared further blushes when the revelation came out in the national media. This is yet another controversy which erupted right under the nose of the President, giving the overall impression that the President is not on the ball and that his Administration is amateurish. This would have never happened under the Presidency of the former strongman, President France Albert Rene. If it did, heads would have definitely rolled in its aftermath.
Another major blunder for the President is the mysterious disappearance of USD4,500,000 from the custody of Minister Joel Morgan. How on earth was this money allowed to vanish in thin air is beyond the comprehension of everyone. Despite public guarantee given by the Minister that the Administration of President James Alix Michel will do everything in its power to recover the money by initiating legal action in Dubai, this has not happened. As a result speculation of a scam has been rife in the country. The Minister has been transferred to another ministry whilst the money remains in the hands of someone out there who should not have been entrusted with the cash in the first place. Again, the question which begs an answer is, would this have been allowed to happen under the Presidency of the ruthless France Albert Rene? It seems that every SPPF Tom, Dick and Harry are prepared to test the resolve of President James Alix Michel and, surprisingly enough, they are getting away with it.
The many disasters involving “La Belle Creole” has also been well documented and has not helped the already tarnished image of the Administration of President James Alix Michel. Instead of asking Savy to make a permanent exit, Michel has allowed the former to meekly crawl and hide behind the chairmanship of the company. It seems that no one is paying for their mistakes in this administration. If a major blunder is committed, the guilty party is rotated, re-shuffled or promoted. This clear strategy has been glaringly apparent in President Michel's Administration.
One is simply camouflaged in a corner and allowed to carry on milking the system to their heart's content. Allegations of corruption within the Ministry of Internal Affairs are rampant, involving illegal passports, fake passports, forged passports, illegal selling of passports, illegal work permits etc. Our passport, it seemed, has become a priceless commodity to be traded, sold and bought at a whim and for a fistful of dollars! The only person without any knowledge of what is going on at that Ministry, it appears, is the President himself, also a former Minister in the same Ministry until recently when he passed it on to Vice President Joseph Belmont after an embarrassment too many by his Principal Secretary, Marie-Ange Hoareau.
The recent proposed appointments of the Ambassadors-at-large have also been a great source of embarrassment to Mr. President. He had hoped that both nominations, Sivasankaran (aka Siva) and former President Mancham, would have gone through the National Assembly unobstructed. But the leader of his party, Mr. Rene, had other ideas and Mancham was unceremoniously dropped from the nomination papers presented before the National Assembly after a short embarrassing delay. Rene, it seems, did not take too kindly to Mancham's purported nomination and decided to show Michel who is really in charge of this country; something which had momentarily slipped Michel's mind.
Last year it came to light that an illegal hotel had been in operation on Farqhuar for many years. This issue, like many others before it, was quickly brushed under the already bulging carpet at State House. It was a further cause of embarrassment to the President of the Republic. President Michel did not even dare order an investigation in that matter as Glenny Savy kept him well at bay. Instead, he chose to keep quiet hoping it will not come back to haunt him. In the last two years big portions of land have been sold to foreigners for as much as one rupee.
A huge portion of Ste Anne island, almost three-quarters of the island, has been carved out and given to yet another Savy (a.k.a the Seychelles Royal Family). Francis Savy got the land for the nominal sum of one rupee. Again President Michel refused to budge or lift a finger in protest.
President Michel, on receiving power from former President Rene, made arguably the most brilliant speech ever pronounced in these parts of the world. He gave us hope. Hope that change has finally reached our island. Hope that things will be different in Seychelles. Hope that there will be a departure from the failed policies of his predecessor. Hope that under his Presidency we will be free. Free at last, free at last! Unfortunately, hope is all we got. President Michel even told us that Seychelles will become a little Monaco in the Indian Ocean!
In 1976, former President Mancham told us we will become a little Switzerland in the Indian Ocean, before he was unceremoniously ousted by his own Prime Minister, France Albert Rene who in turn was intent on making Seychelles a little Cuba in the Indian Ocean. It can be argued that President Michel's speech came from the heart and that he had good intention for our country. However, it has all gone belly-up since.
The last four years has been a major disappointment for all who trusted President Michel and wanted to give him a genuine chance at bringing change to our country. The majority voted for him in the 2006 Presidential election; further evidence that the people of Seychelles genuinely believed in him as the best man for the job.
Unfortunately, his Presidency thus far has been marred by one embarrassment after another and there is no sign of any changes on the horizon. All indications are that things will carry on in pretty much the same way for the foreseeable future.
If James Alix Michel is not careful, he would not even win the nomination of his party to stand as their presidential candidate in the 2011 Presidential elections. Words are that Danny Faure, Rene's favourite son, may well be breathing down his already tired neck! “Judge me by my actions.”