Dear Editor,
Much has recently been said about our 40 years of
independence. We have continuously been reminded of how proud we should all be
from having progressed from the dark ages to a country that enjoys all the
modern comforts of the 21st century. However, irrespective of your point of
view, everyone will agree that we remain today, ever divided as a nation. And
despite all our boasts of great national advancement, the Seychellois today can
be described as a most “unhappy” nation.
Today we have schools in every district and also a
university, but little schooling and a lack of grounding amongst our juvenile
Ministers and Members of the National Assembly. We have a monumental structure
named the “Palais de Justice” with numerous judges, and lawyers, but we enjoy no
justice. We have the best unpolluted air over our islands, but have a young
generation of polluted minds from overdose of booze and heroine. We have new
houses, motorcars and cable television but very few homes. The country boasts a
high GDP but the people have little wealth. We enjoy carnival, festival, dance
and music, but we have lost our culture and pride along the way. We have great
plans, vision and promises, but never seem to reach the elusive horizon. We
have pupils unleashing fear and wrath toward their teachers instead of bending
in humble humility in their tutors' presence. Sadly, the teaching profession
has lost its integrity. We have a healthcare system mired in politics and our
citizens are far from healthy, with many travelling overseas for basic
treatment. Our health system is sick and the profession has lost its allure. We
need more energy to power growth, but we need "friends" from UAE to
donate generators to keep the lights on. We have a young generation waking up
every day contemplating the future, but they dare not have dreams.
It is indeed a long list, and yet President Rene in his
recent interview tried to claim success over the modern technology which
spilled over our islands through globalisation. He claims credit over the
development he witnesses on his daily drive through La Misère where the
business community resides and survived against all odds, his policy of
currency control and monetary pipeline and over centralised institutions. In
reality, President Rene will be remembered as a failed lawyer turned socialist
dictator politician, whose policies influenced all our ills today.
Whilst we may give him credit for not selling our areas of
natural beauty such as Cap Ternay and Police Point, it may be due to him not
being able to claim the special relationship which President Michel boasts of
having with those middle eastern gentlemen. President Rene's line of credit
relied mainly through the former Mafia boss Mario Ricci who specialised in
sanction busting, and drug running. All known and well documented by foreign
embassies of the world. But what are the solutions to all our ills?
Many have described the solution as the herculean task of
our generation. But it needs not be so. I would sum it up in one word:
"'Will". We must have the "'Will". And good leadership
necessitates that the "Will" must filter down from top to bottom. It
must start with the President of the country. Unfortunately, many had hoped
that the President would have seized this opportunity on our 40th independence
anniversary to bring about inclusivity and address the story of our dark past.
But this magnanimous act seems to be beyond the man. Unifying a nation through
forced submission cannot be a policy for success. His call for unity which he
repeated throughout his speech urges the nation to behave like his pet spaniel
and to roll over on its back into submission. If his call for unity is sincere,
he needs to address simply two issues.
Install a truly
independent election commission and address the healing of our polarised
nation, divided due to our dark past. Achieving those two areas, simply
requires "Will"; after which he may leave behind a true legacy of a
man who through sincere leadership, called the hard shots and brought about the
unity that can cast aside to the annals of history, the cowardly acts of the
coup d'etat.
But the President's opening remarks in his speech revealed
the very core of our problem. His admission that his party's framework for
Seychelles was decided well before our independence during the referendum
campaign to either integrate with UK or seek independence, suggests that his
party had to be at the helm of government by hook or by crook. And obviously
they chose the latter having continuously failed to use the democratic
institution in place at the time.
Furthermore, in President Rene's interview when asked by the
interviewer to comment on how he viewed critics, his response was indeed
telling. 'Critics must be encouraged he said as long as it does not reach a
point which is damaging to one's programme. In which case measures must be
taken to stop criticism.' Was that the first admission of the many
disappearances of Seychellois during his reign?
President Michel's speech continued in a tone that signalled
an arrogance of power. In paying due respect to the former heads of state, his
order of precedence started with the second president hence relegating the
first president to third place. Was that diplomatic slight? Having first
dismissed the first president's pre-independence “stay UK campaign” as absurd,
this was indeed diplomatic arrogance at its best. And jovial James Richard
Mancham faithfully and duly beamed his acceptance of being relegated to third
position. But President James Mancham is no fool and would not have missed the trick.
Was there a touch of sarcasm at the corners of his wry smile?
After 40 years of independence and at this crucial
crossroads of our political history, our country could have done with some role
models. Unfortunately, our past leaders have all failed their country. It will
be left to the goodwill of the common men and women to bring about the change
that the nation deserves. Those who are prepared to put their personal ambition
aside and place all their efforts into the noble desire of doing good for their
country and the generation of tomorrow.
Those past 40 years have provided ample opportunity for the
ruling party to take the initiative and heal our nation. They have failed more
than once. It is therefore futile to believe that they will ever change and do
the right thing. All good Seychellois who want a better Seychelles including
those who may be a Lepep supporter must now make a decision to accept the
status quo and remain divided or join the forces for change and inclusivity.
You and your children do not deserve second best and you should not accept
second best.
However this task must not be left to politicians only. We
must encourage leadership from all independent institutions. Each and every one
of us can do their bit from the shadows and from the wings. You do not need to
be in the forefront to lead. You need simply the '"Will" and one
other quality. Patriotism. God bless our beloved Seychelles. Happy 40th
Anniversary to all for what it's worth.
Roy Fonseka.
