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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3 comments:
Indeed we have a grave situation in Seychelles.
Those who were required to move things, move the greater political issues of 1970's we did not have the mountain of mass media, video, mobile phone, email, blog, social network. For those who were involved and knew the parties, they were dedicated. The had a cause- mission - crusade. They also had people individual on three side, meaning the three political parties. SDP, SPUP and Mrs Delhomme Party who were fairly educated and one could debate and dialague, the pro and contra.
The turn of events - the failed unilateral independence Group, Mrs Delhomme, the SPPF could have been severely been hampered for those who knew the truth. Yet those who had human heart.
In the case of DP before the parties left for London - the concern in the capital, by very many concern. They had trusted Mancham and he had betrayed them. The Seychelles people had been dupe.
Now lt us take the issues of the change and return of the exile and multi party unless you, citizens and young politicians make greater efforts to research, get behind what took place. None of you will make any headway.
Not because they are African, Latin American, Indians, even Balkans, Asian and we Seychellois who are we. Those from the above mentioned of rht terrible situation of other Forces controlling and maniuplating political process and such developement - how well do anybody in Seychelles understand this process.
Because we, those of us who were in exile and had taken a very strong resolution, pain to find out how and why this work. the impact we made/was made on vast amount of issues affecting the many government of FA Rene and getting the Oposition to act in certain way/manner.
This have gone on to this day. We are cutting short the dialague here. What we want to underline without going into the details of the constitutions, the three or four elections and what was at play, who were being manipulated. The voters, the citizens they come second - they can go and scream and shout to all the Gods and Institutions - this is the reality of things.
Including the would be head of state and eventual premier and Cabinet.
There are vast armies and vast amount of issues which need to be understood and put in its and their right place currently.
It is not just Seychelles we have a situation, the whole region, the Gulf, EU, the USA. The need to have those who want to do,anything to understand these.
Other wise it will be futile - we will go down the road of Haiti and former Balkan. Those who want change for the sake of changes.
The world is on "knife edge" demanding from any serious incoming politicians or leader really great and unique abilities. He must be able to cope with complex situation which the average cannot comphrehend and understand.
We will stop the in put, trust somebody will come forward and question what we have addressed here.
Do you think that it is difficult for today's young politicians to achieve progress because they lack proper knowledge of what went on prior to our independence from Great Britain?
The ongoings and acts of Mancham were indeed dodgy and some said he did it all for his own good, something I can easily believe, not for Seychelles or the cause of becoming an independent nation.
Patrick X
The fact that all drinking water in Seychelles is cleansed before reaching household taps seems to be irrelevant in this case. It is also not the fact that fecal excrements entering the river that seems to be the problem, but rather the fact that it is the excrements coming from 'Malbar'(Indians) that has been made the main issue. The construction company responsible for the site is said to be operating without a licence and the site itself which is to be a foreign embassy is also protected by international laws of diplomatic character which again makes the case even more sensitive. The point is however that the issue has become more of a 'Rasin vs Fabrike' issue rather than a case about the violation of environmental laws and laws regarding employment in Seychelles.
Patrick X you miss the point here,only the thought of drinking "delo kaka" is enough to make anybody sick. You're treating the issue too lightly, I bet if you were an inhabitant of la Misere, upon finding out that you and your family, if you had a small child have all had delo kaka how would you feel? It's a psychological trauma that won't go away, it's just not because of kaka malbar as you say. Perhaps kaka malbar will contain more infectious viruses, like typhoid, jaja, ecolli and the like. Put yourself in the shoes of these poor people living with anxiety and uncertainty as to whether they will be sick from one of those viruses in a month, in 2 months time, or in a year or 2 years or more.To inflict this kind of torture on le pep that Jam claims to love is a crime.
Diplomatic immunity to not given to a head of state in his personal capacity but in his official capacity. The Sheikh's business here we have been told is of a private nature, therefore he is not covered by the Geneva Convention as is being claimed. When Bill Clinton of the USA was indicted for sleeping with his aid it was done so in his personal capacity not as the President of USA, he was not above the law. May the claims by the people of La Misere should be made against James Michel who has received gifts from the Sheikh in his personal capacity and in our name as President of Seychelles. When he received such favours we the people were not informed that he was receiving millions of dollars in our name. The sppf has fucked up they should understand that time is up.
Malcom X
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