In Seychelles we are said to be unique by a thousand miles and we are indeed so in may ways. This includes our politicians and not least politics which despite being camouflaged by a form of democracy is in a class of its own today, yesterday and most probably tomorrow.
When James Mancham became the first elected prezident of Seychelles in 1976, legend said that he was frequently seen at Priates Arms wearing shorts during daytime. Mancham was said to be a playboy, making him pretty much what we Seychellois see upon as quite normal, as well as a being prezident. In other words, he got the best of both worlds. His time at the top was short when France Albert Rene siezed the country by coup d'état in 1977 and Mancham had to prolong his stay abroad for over a decade before returning home again to settle.
Rene was seen upon by many as being a great saviour of the people who freed them from colonial slavery as many put it, an Indian Ocean Fidel Castro who promised to work for the people, but soon ended up working solely for himself by building up an enormous fortune which most likely consists of funds transferred from our own Central Bank in addition to bribes and gifts from partners like Mario Ricci and others of the same calibre. Reme was in other words another politician that started by serving the people, but soon ended up serving himself.
After the multi-party system was re-introduced(some say introduced) just over a decade later, many exilees(both voluntarily and non-voluntarily) saw the opportunity to return home for a career in politics. The same applied for others who were opponants of Rene's regime and had been held down since the coup as political parties and gatherings other than Rene's were illegal nad could lead to a nightly dip in the ocean behind St Anne Island.
Mancham saw his chance to return and regain the land he he had to leave behind and did so in addition to re-entering politics in an attempt to regain his seat as prezident. His nephew Christopher Gill, son of his now late brother Micky Mancham, returned from USA and entered politics and made his way to assembly and earned his stamp as a troublemaker within his previous party DP where he got the boot before bedding the enemy SPPF, but later leaving to venture on his own. Gill was legendary being pretty much an outsider upon return and by achieving so much in so little time. Ramkalawan sat his foot in the political salad too and came close to winning the prezidential election, but lost steam after losses and later publically said that he was glad he didn't win any elections. Several others entered politics as simple men and women only to grow a fortune beyond recognition based on a politicians salary. Ramkalawan was what many define as a revultionary then, but alas today he is in the eyes of many a simple puppet for the PL who is said to have him on a leash and heavy political tranquilizers.
The list of politicians and other public servants who entered the scene to serve the people but ended up serving themselves is long and seems to merely grow as the years go by. This makes me wonder if there actually is any politician in Seychelles who's ambition is to serve the people and the country first without a thought of serving themselves first. I sincerely believe that most of these men and women enter politics to make a difference, but are soon corrupted by it and either cannot or simply must stick their hand in the honey pot in order to survive at the top.
Do we at all have any politicians who are there to serve the people or are they all merely serving themselves?
Patrick X
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