THE IRRESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT OF JAMES MICHEL

The Seychelles ministry of tourism and culture did not take necessary measures to rid the building of the fungus 

Just before the last elections, a large number of books were moved out of the National Library to make space for Mr Hendrick Gappy, the Electoral Commissioner. The books were put in hired leaky containers outside the building and later moved to Providence. It has now been discovered that the books have been damaged.

Archives documents loaded on a lorry to take to Providence

Loading in the container.

Waiting for the fumugation

More than 20 years ago, a Seychellois made a report on the serious situation at the National Archives. Since then the government has spent over SCR 5 million to try to remedy the situation without any result. Local laboratory technicians inspected the building and found out that it was infected by fungus. Then the authorities decided unethically to use “Ozone” and since then, many staff members have become sick. A few months ago, they were advised by a wellknown Seychellois Conservator in Australia to stop using ozone. The Seychelles National Archives could not provide him a copy of the building plan for him to study, and they could not find money to get him to Seychelles. However, they managed to find over SCR300 000 to import three French people and also provided them with a copy of the plan. Before the arrival of the three French persons, they decided to clean the Archives for the first time and use Ozone to the maximum to kill the fungus so that the French experts would not be able to detect the fungus. However, the experts also found out that the ozone was too high and told them to stop using it. The last person in Seychelles to have studied archival restoration has meanwhile summited his resignation, and apparently the French experts will submit their reports in three months’ time.

Benjamin Rose Principal Secretary for Culture and the highly paid French expert Marie Dominique Parchas 

The people await the change of government before it’s too late.

To be continued..

A Seychellois