The Seychelles Column - By Christopher Gill

European Union Cash Scammed

Recently, the European Union gave a grant of Euro 5.9 Million to the communist ruling party SPPF in Seychelles, with no conditions attached to the grant. Within a month, the communist party changed its name to "Parti Le Pep", the People’s Party.

After the name change took place, the new party, Parti Le Pep, brought a second supplementary budget request to the National Assembly for Seychelles Rupees One Hundred and Eighteen Million (SCR. 118,000,000). Based on the average rate of exchange of Twenty Rupees to a Euro, the Euro 5.9 Million ironically amounts to the supplementary budget request of SCR 118 Million exactly! Quite a coincidence!

I wonder Where They Got The Cash?

The scam lies in the reason for the supplementary budget: to fight against piracy. This is a boiler plate heading that brings the funds under the Ministry of Defense, and is not audited nor was it justified reasonably, before the National Assembly. The gun boats are in port.

In the same week, the Seychelles government successfully engaged the European Union to also extend its ATALANTA mission against piracy in the Gulf of Aden and into the Seychelles. Hence, the European Union is already expending millions of euros in fuel, hardware, manpower for ships and surveillance planes to monitor and defend the Seychelles from future piracy attacks. It is as if the European Union is not only defending Seychelles territory, but it is financing a communist regime to stay in power.....all for a few tins of tuna and protection of the EU tuna fishing fleet plundering the Seychelles waters.

How Low Can The EU Go?

The additional budget supplement is suspicious at best and in practice, what has happened is the Ministry of Defense just got a boost of funding which is not audited and falls under the direct control of the President of the Republic, James Alix Michel.

The Defense budget will go from the current allocation of SCR 89 Million to a whopping SCR 207 Million, making it the largest European Union slush fund the communist government in Seychelles has ever slurped up! What a gift for Democracy! And to think that this is the same Europeans who were kicked out of Seychelles by Albert Rene and James Michel when they took over the country in a bloody, treacherous coup on the 5^th of June 1977.

No Money For Hostages

The Leader of Government Business, Mrs. Marie-Louise Potter, has said categorically that this money will not be used to pay for the ransoms demanded for the release of the Seychellois hostages and that her government does not believe in paying ransoms.

The European Union should take note that the communist “Le Pep” government in Seychelles does not place a value on human life beyond the ransom demand for the ten Seychellois being held by Somalian pirates. Settlement of the demand for the safe release of the hostages was not for lack of funds, since the Seychelles Government had appropriated SR 300 Million for contingencies in the current budget.

The EU gave Seychelles Euro 5.9 Million or $8.6 Million to potentially solve this predicament for the families of the hostages. But of course, the EU gave the money in an unprecendented "no strings attached" declaration.

As the European Union cut all strings to the Euro 5.9 Million, the communist government now has a free for all in disbursement of that money, that made its way from collections originating from free Europe, and is now in the hands of communists in the Seychelles. Meanwhile, some of our poor Seychellois sailors remained locked up in some Somalian prison camp while Michel, Rene, Belmont, Joel Morgan and the entire Le Pep communist gang eat foie gras and drink French wine, courtesy of the European Union.

Where Will The Money Really Go?

The European Union is advised, that judging from today's situation in Seychelles, that money will very likely be used to fuel a snap election, pay off voters, or fund the Le Pep Party 2011 election campaign in order to keep the communist party in power. This, sadly at a time when Seychelles is suffering gravely with -30% receivables from the Tourism Industry and similar disheartening figures from the Fishing Industry.

While the EU offers money with no strings attached, it seeks to guarantee its supply of tuna in tins at the expense of prolonging the communist hold on power on a peaceful, but not free, people. As members of parliament holiday in the sun on the sparkling beaches, remember, we have endured 32 years of a communist regime hold on power, do not forget, when you would rather grab a cocktail at sunset.

We all yearn to travel to Europe for wise lessons on Democracy and how to do things properly. We have much to learn, and we will be sure to bring along a tin of tuna, especially when this “blue gold” seems to open many doors and cash boxes… with no strings attached mind you!

May God Bless All Freedom Loving Seychellois and Our Beloved Seychelles!