Glenny Savy Refuses Interview with ‘Le Nouveau Seychelles Weekly’

Glenny Savy, Manager of IDC. In our effort at getting to the bottom of this story, illegal hotel operation on Farquhar ‘Le Nouveau Seychelles Weekly’ (LNSW) has contacted IDC for their version on the scandal. It is to be remembered that the story about the illegal hotel on Farquhar broke eight weeks ago now. It has been alleged that a hotel was in operation on the Seychelles island of Farquhar. It has been for the last five or more years charging in excess of €1500 per head, (one thousand five hundred euros) for a five day fishing trip to the island. The Seychelles Licensing Authority (SLA), the STB, which is the main tourism authority locally and the Seychelles Investment Bureau (SIB) have all confirmed to this newspaper that no individual or company has ever made a formal application to their respective organisations for such a project on Farquhar. Yet, proof that the hotel operation existed and is still probably in operation on Farquhar is overwhelming. Farquhar Island is administrated by the Island Development Company, a state owned entity headed by Mr. Glenny Savy (CEO).

Confirmation that the hotel is indeed in existence on Farquhar came from the most unlikely source. Percy Ah-Mane, who is currently on overseas medical treatment in India, who took it upon himself or probably on the orders of Dr. Ramadoss, who in turn must have had orders coming from higher up, to defend the allegation in the Issue of the Seychelles Independent of 10th August, 2007, volume 2 number 24. According to the Seychelles Independent,

“Although IDC or Glenny Savy have refused to comment on the allegations, prompting the Seychelles Weekly to suggest that Savy had lost the ability to speak, an article in the latest issue of “Silhouette”, the Air Seychelles in-flight magazine reveals that there is nothing underhand about the hotel operation on Farquhar island. Its existence had been well known throughout and revenue collected had gone into IDC coffers.”

As a result of the front page article in the Seychelles Independent LNSW called IDC and offered them the opportunity to put their side of the story across through the pages of our newspaper and through our website, which receives on average 15,000 to 20,000 hits every week. The lady who answered the phone promised that she will put our request to her boss and that they (IDC) will call us back to let us know either way; that was in mid-August. We waited and waited and waited but no call came from IDC. Two Fridays ago the editor of LNSW phoned IDC. It was after 5.30pm. A security guard answered the phone and transferred the call. “Lo and behold” the IDC supremo himself, Glenny Savy, answered the phone.

LNSW: “Hello - Mr. Glenny Savy?”

GS: “Who is this?”

LNSW: “The editor of LNSW, Ralph Volcere.”

GS: “What do you want?”

LNSW: “We called your office two weeks ago and offered your office the opportunity to answer to the allegations of illegal hotel operations on Farquhar, we haven’t had a reply.”

GS: “You have been writing rubbish about us for a long time why should we speak to you? How can we trust you.”

LNSW: “It is not about trust – it is an opportunity to inform the public whose money IDC is spending on Farquhar what is really going on there, Regar broke this story first.”

GS: “So you are walking around with other people’s baggage on your head, you are a chameleon.”

LNSW: “We have information to suggest that another hotel is being built without permission on another IDC island, can we speak about it?”

GS: “No, do like you normally do - go write about it, then you will see what will happen.”

LNSW: “We want to give you the opportunity to confirm, deny or to clarify this latest allegation before we put it into print – so as to better inform our readers.”

GS: “I have nothing to say – do as you normally do – I have nothing to say!”

The above is an excerpt of the telephone conversation between the CEO of IDC and the office of LNSW two weeks ago. It is clear that these people do not understand the functions of a free press and unless they can exert total control they are unwilling to co-operate. LNSW has obtained information and pictures of structures being erected and of building activities on an inner island under the management of IDC. Currently we are in the process of investigating the matter to identify who is behind this project and if it possesses the appropriate licenses and planning permission. So far SLA, SIB and STB have been unable to provide any information regarding this development. We will keep you posted…….