Michel’s services are no longer required; that is abundantly
clear. The prerogative to determine the date of the elections remains his; his
last call. His lieutenants shall mobilise and fight the halfhearted battle and
lose spectacularly. During the years Michel has been in office, the country has
been managed like a day care center. When he leaves, toys will be left
scattered around and adults will have to put the place back in order; it will
be a monumental task for his successor but where will he sleep?
Michel has run this country as though he was going to be president
for life. He has failed to put in place the proper infrastructures to sustain
the organs of state. There is no official residence of the head of state and
head of government. The State House used to be the official residence of the
head of state and government but he has turned it into a block of offices; he
has yet to make the difference between a house and an office. The man has used
the place for everything else except for the purpose for which it was designed.
State House has metamorphosed from being a house to art gallery, a theatre, a
funeral parlour and Lepep’s political headquarter.
Michel transferred state land onto his name on which is
located his enclave. A unit of the defence forces was relocated to offer him
close protection. The ‘Tazar’ elite unit was created under the guise of combating
piracy and located up the hills of Sans Souci in a national park to protect
Michel.
Handing over power will be a very confusing affair. The
Presidential guards have a duty to offer close security to all elected
presidents; how will the transition take place under present circumstances? It
will certainly cost the people of Seychelles some millions more before the
office of the President becomes more civilized; money the country can ill
afford to spend.
