The Seychelles Column - By Christopher Gill

National Day - Communist Speech In The Shadows of Reform

The children turned up at the National Day Parade in Unity Stadium to see their parents march in uniform. The turnout was the worse since 1993. No leaders from the Opposition, many SPPF missing from the armed chairs and concrete bleachers for the common masses.

This year SPUP- SPPF- Parti Lepep, the communist party that still runs Seychelles, had made it a point to offend the sensibilities of every freedom minded person on June 5th, as James Michel went on SBC to defend the un-defendable in a 30 minute charade .

His attempt to compare June 5^th to La Bastille day -July 14^th in France, was nothing more then intellectual mayhem. The turn out on National Day was evidence of that, in spite of the free buses for all districts. The half dozen Honda Goldwing motorcycle escort only reminds us that as in all communist governments, critical resources go to the leadership first while the people are told suffering and sacrifice is good for us.

Those that fall to the street sides from too much suffering and too much sacrifice for a lifetime, are called vagabonds and called to clear the streets with polyethylene pipes at first, tear gas and bullets will soon follow for those that remain.

With communists the tactics are always the same, only the regimes differ from country to country. One thing is for sure, they leave a track of failure, wherever they thread.

President Michel had a difficult task in front of him as he faced the Nation. It was a moment for him to display leadership on the economy when in reality there has been none on his part. He had to show signs of success when there has been no success. He had to show that he knows what he is doing today, when in fact he did not know what he was doing for quite some time. National Day was a tall order and the speech writers were grouped in to work overtime. The teleprompter could not help what was not in the brain or heart.

As Michel spoke, Rene slouched in a VIP spectator chair and listened and coached from the arm chair. Rene it seems was not pleased with this presidential speech. If I am not either, let no blame fall upon my shoulders for I am only one of many and but a simple citizen.

Because there are still three (3) hostages being held in Somalia, I will not address this issue at this time, as I do not want to compromise their safety. I am happy the seven hostages on Indian Ocean Explorer are home. I thank God and the owner of the ship that willingly paid what he could. Our government paid nothing according to Joel Morgan, and it could have paid something to ensure an early release.

The Economic Reform

Michel says eight months ago he committed the country to economic reform, which today, means there are many changes taking place. He says everyone must review their priorities. This is true, but it also sounds as if Michel was just elected.

The only reason why we have a Reform today, is because Michel and SPUP-SPPF were doing a bad job running the country over the years with un-sustainable policies. They were running us into the ground and kept on until we were in the ground.

This is not leadership. It is nothing more than madness draped in National Symbols. Behind this madness was the leadership of James Michel and Albert Rene. They took Seychelles to her last day of imports and last 3 hours of fuel in 2008. They did not care at the time that Seychellois future was being compromised, as long as they were fine and their containers arrived on time and their fuel tanks were guarded well.

People of Seychelles, the Reform as Michel puts it was not a choice he had to make for Seychelles. By the time Michel announced the Reform on October 31st, 2008, we were already bankrupt and the IMF was already stepping in to run and manage our country where SPPF had failed. It is simple. SPPF BANKRUPTED Seychelles, with Michel and Rene at the helm for the past 35 years!

This is why they changed their name from SPPF to Parti Lepep. They do not want their party apparatus to be associated with bankrupting Seychelles.

IMF Was Here Before Reform

Before the Reform was announced, the IMF was visiting Seychelles under Article IV Consultations, wherein they advised Seychelles of its finances and whether or not they agreed with homegrown plans like MERP (SPPF’s version of voodoo-nomics).

On September 19^th, 2008, IMF announced it had sent Mr. Paul Mathieu to Seychelles to discuss a Reform with Government of Seychelles and a Stand By Arrangement (financial assistance).

We were already defaulting on our external obligations at this time and our debt burden was unsustainable. The world press knew more about Seychelles finances than we did in Seychelles.

PR Newswire reported on October 23, 2008 “Seychelles goes bankrupt with US$ 800 Million external debt”; the Financial Times ridiculed James Michel in an article dated September 19^th 2008, “Living on Borrowed Time”, the take on that article was basically the President of Seychelles led the nation on a borrowing spree of risky expensive bond loans and now the country has defaulted.

Reuters, before the Reform was announced said, “a source from Ministry of Finance disclosed that Seychelles has reserves for not more then 1 day importation of goods to keep the country going “, the source said the situation was “severe”, according to Reuters.

In a phrase, SPPF under Michel and Rene, had taken us to the end of the road. We were bankrupt and we were about to start starving, cars were about to stop running, dogs were about to start looking like cows to us.

This is where we were before the well thought out carefully planned “REFORM” was announced on October 31, 2008, with IMF putting words into Mr. Michel’s mouth as he went on SBC and read conditions IMF set and confirmed in a subsequent letter to IMF begging for assistance.

When the Communists speak, remember, they are not his ideas, although his words. IMF is pulling the strings today, and this year, they will even write our budget.

Thank you SPUP.

Thank you SPPF.

Thank you Parti Le Pep!

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