Dear Editor, Please allow me a little space in your esteemed newspaper to comment on the most recent news item relating to the Report of Judge Reilly emanating from the SPPF-driven SBC. I must say I was absolutely disgusted, as I am sure many were who have an understanding of law. Judge Reilly in his assessment made it absolutely clear that the so called Public Order Act was not only outdated but was absolutely in contravention of the current Seychelles Constitution of 1993.
As any legal expert will advise, the Constitution has primacy in terms of law and if the Public Order Act was challenged in a Court of law such as a sound Constitutional Court, it would be found to be null and void to the full extent of its discrepancy with the current Seychelles Constitution. Despite SBC, I have no doubt, being absolutely aware of this situation, it so hypocritically dared to lead its headlines by stating that the SNP gathering was illegal under the law as it existed at the time. Yes, Judge Reilly made this point, but qualified it to categorically call for a change to the Public Order Act to bring it in line with the Seychelles Constitution.
If SBC has any sense of fairness and decency and sense of responsibility to the people of Seychelles, it should have made this point absolutely clear. Judge Reilly went further to castigate SBC for its partial nature of its reporting, either through ignorance or simply through outright malice or lack of training on its part, for failing to act in a responsible independent way.
Despite this absolute recommendation that it must be made independent, instead of hanging their head in shame, they led the news with an absolute half truth. They then went further to suggest that the recommendations of the austere judge were only guidelines. They were much more than that. The so- called President declared publicly he would implement the recommendations, including imposition of a human rights commission. One can only wonder at the statement that they represent only guidelines. It smacks of SPPF squirming to find a way out to water down the recommendations and set up dummy actions which will render the recommendations void as per their normal tactics.
I believe it behoves all of us fair minded Seychellois to stand together to ensure that this country establishes an effective independent SBC, change the Public Order Act to bring it and many other laws in line with our first law (the Constitution) from which all other laws must emanate, creates an independent Human Rights Commission, an anti-Corruption Commission (although not part of the Judges mandate) and public accountability for assets by enshrining a comprehensive Register of Assets for ALL Public Officials. We are still waiting to see this last point put into law; it was promised years ago, half brought into practice (forms were drafted) but it was shelved. Let’s have a semblance of honesty in government and start to do what is right as opposed to what is politically expedient.
Observer