Seychelles - SBC Interview with France Albert Rene - Dictator and Leader of SPUP-SPPF

SBC Interview with France Albert Rene - Leader of SPUP-SPPF & long serving Dictator of Republic of Seychelles - 31^st May 2009

Jude Louange: Mr. Rene there has been numerous speculations on your health, can you elaborate on this?

Mr. Rene: There has been many, many years, each time I leave the Country, go on holiday, or have a medical check up, some particular people find this a good occasion to kill me. You hear that I have died, I died in Australia, I died in Singapore. The last time, I had to go make a check up in Chennai, India, immediately as I arrived in India, I heard that I have died. Fortunately, we were in the Easter Season, and I rose back from the dead. I feel well, for sure, I do not have the health I had forty years ago, I suffer because I smoked too much, this has had an effect on my health, sometimes, I cannot do all that I want to do, my health is not much worse than that, I believe, I have two or three years, to see my country develop even more.

Jude Louange: This year SPUP/SPPF celebrates 45 years in existence, how do you feel today?

Mr. Rene: I can say a few words. I feel all the effort we have made in all these years, all the sacrifice we have made, was all worthwhile. Because our people today, has become a “people”, because we were not one before. Some people were French, some were English, some were English, there was no People of Seychelles. In these 45 years, we all together, have made Seychellois become a “People”. Today, when you go to Paris or London, you ask a Seychellois, what Nationality is he, he will say he is a Seychellois.

When I was studying in London in the 1950’s, people in Seychelles, living overseas did not consider themselves Seychellois. Today, I believe, my biggest accomplishment is making Seychellois become a people. Today, Seychellois are Seychellois, whether they come from Africa, Europe, of Asia. I appreciate this, it was really well worthwhile.

Jude Louange: Mr. Rene, one of the central points, when you started, was the concept of putting people at the centre of development, why did you promote this?

Mr. Rene: Jude, in a country, everything you do in a Country, all that has been done, has been done for people. It does not get done for big, big investors, it is all done for the people, so they feel, they are getting things, they are developing, they are growing in their bodies, in their spirit, in their spiritual life, they are becoming a people....a people, that is.....mature....ok? And it is for this reason, that we started with the development of our social welfare system, after Independence, contrary to what many other developing countries were doing in that era. Because for us, it is that which was important. What was important, was that all children, regardless of which family they came from, could go to school, or an old person, that cannot work, does not have to pass through charity, beg in streets, ask for aid with someone who has a little more, we guaranteed a revenue that people of Seychelles gives that person, today, our old people do not have to seek our charity, they get enough for them to live, I would like them to get more.

Jude Louange: Today, if you flashback, to when you disembarked in 1964, what is the most influential image that still remains in your mind?

Mr. Rene: I have to go back farther than 1964, because I know I came back to Seychelles as a lawyer in 1958, and at that moment that I was shocked, when I came back I was 23 years old, I was shocked by the big difference in revenue between people. Workers worked for nothing. Workers did not earn enough money to live; really, they had a very difficult life. It was at that moment that I reflected, will I stay in this Country, to help to change the system, or never mind, I will go to another country. It was a very, very difficult question for me. Finally, I decided no, Seychelles is my country, I think I will stay, work for Seychelles. Then, I returned to London, where I studied “Economics”, and in 1964, I came back to Seychelles, since back in London, I formed the SPUP PARTY. Then I went through Africa, where, I met some Seychellois, more refined, who understood more the struggle, anti –colonial, like Guy Sinon, Philibert Loizeau, all of them, I met them in Africa, before I came back to Seychelles. Then at that point, we decided that we will launch and see where we arrive. When I came back to Seychelles, we started this struggle. We worked through trade unions, struggle for pay, that is how it all started.

Jude Louange: Was there any moment, maybe you thought you should have tried another approach?

Mr. Rene: We always have the betterment of the people. For us it is this that is first. This is our Vision. For us to do that we need to educate them, give them a sense of equality, for this reason we placed emphasis on social development.

Jude Louange: After 45 years, you did a Coup, went though One Party State System, then Multi Party System, your party was elected in all three elections, what was your high point and your low point in these eras?

Mr. Rene: This is a very, very difficult question. Because all along, we have had many problems! In the beginning, Police would locked us up and beat us, these were very difficult moments, the point is principally that we were able to change the system on June 5^th, 1977, we passed through many difficult moments like for example, we had the mercenary attack, in 1981, financed by the Democratic Party, where they were trying to over throw the system, to return us into the system before. This was a difficult moment. It was a low point. There were fantastic moments when we see our youth, succeed in university, we see them coming back and playing a role in this struggle, when we see all our children, school children, together, in school.  So we formed NYS, where there is no difference and we made them all live together, that made a big, big difference, in the attitude of Seychellois. We succeeded making all Seychellois equal. This ideology brought us to where we are today, as a country recognized in Africa as best developed. This is not easy for such a small country as Seychelles. Seychelles beat South Africa, Nigeria, we are first in development. This is something we must appreciate its value and continue its struggle.

Jude Louange: With the introduction of multiparty system in Seychelles, did this change your vision for the Country?

Mr. Rene: My vision never changes. How you place this vision in practice is another issue. Sometimes, you have to see what kind of changes you have to make in politics, but you cannot lose the vision, because this vision we started with, must stay until the last moment, for that reason I have a big appreciation for Mr. President Michel. Because never will anyone take this vision out of him. There will be mistakes that are made, but when President Michel remarks there are mistakes, that threaten this vision, I GUARANTEE YOU he takes necessary steps.

Mr. Louange: Exactly, what is your relationship with President Michel? SPPF, his administration, and party relations?

Mr. Rene: President Michel has had to make many important decisions. Ah, ah, in light of the economic crisis taking place in the World. He has had to take very hard decisions, very dynamic decisions, he has realized that it will affect us, because cost of living will rise, example we will not be able to do all that we planned in the next 5 -6 years, construction, no more houses, no more infrastructure. There will be a small delay. But he took the courage to do it, to make changes, because SPPF Party is a party of change, and courage, all the time we ask, what must we do to continue to preserve our Vision? Sometimes we have to change. For that reason we decided five view that if the world is changing, we must change and adopt if we want to continue. For that reason we found it necessary to enter into multi party system.

Mr. Louange: Some people say President Michel’s administration creates many of these problems.

Mr. Rene: I do not believe this at all. People do not realize that President Michel, me, SPPF Party, we work very close together. The decisions made by President Michel, very, very often, they have been discussed right here, in my office. We are not here to publish, each time there is a discussion, we always work very, very close together, and we will continue to work very close together, because there is no ideological difference between President Michel and myself.

For sure, each human being does things differently, a person should be allowed to do things in the manner he sees it. I believe President Michel, is dedicating himself a lot to lift up the moral of the people of Seychelles; I believe, in 2- 3 years more, we will be really high again on top. This will be the result of the hard work of President Michel.

Jude Louange: What do you feel and think, concerning globalization, when you see your accomplishments being destroyed, the social development, changing under new administration, rocks are being removed from your walls.

Mr. Rene: I do not believe any walls are breaking or we are losing any rocks. Sometimes, we have to re-examine certain things. At one time we gave people in need a Carer. Ok, this is principal of the party that someone sick needs to be cared for by society. We then realized that a lot of people who have money, rich, big business, but there old people were getting Carers. This is wrong.  Because we believe, when you have succeeded through society, you have a big business; you should care for your old parents. For this reason, we decided to change the system. Instead of just giving you, a Carer, we will give you money and you will see how your revenue is, balance what your children give you with your real needs. Then we decide if government pays all or some or portion thereof. Maybe we pay you Scr. 1,000.00 per month. Your son is an engineer and can support you. We have changed the way we look at things. Today, in the application process we have mistakes and we will make the corrections. Because we do not ever want to have a situation an old person needs help and does not get the assistance.

This Government in power, it is not the Government of President Michel; it is the Government of SPUP-SPPF! And, we work together, for us to see where we need to change, for bringing about the betterment of the People of Seychelles.

Jude Louange:  Now 45 years, SPUP/SPPF, what next for the Party?

Mr. Rene: First of all, SPPF today, through its politics has created many youth and young adults. They have to take part in the development and future of the Country. They must be involved in the politics of the country. I believe that the next step the SPUP/SPPF must become the Party of the People. The People must run it, the people must decide, always keeping in mind our base principle of the betterment of the people. This year, we are seeing this “matamor-phus”, many young people are entering this circle where they will have a bigger say and influence on the future of our Country.

Jude Louange: Can you see a situation where SPPF breaks into two (2) GROUPS? One group hardcore SPUP and another group more moderate?

Mr. Rene: No, not at all. This is not possible because people in SPPF are sincere. They have the vision of SPUP and SPPF. No question of breaking into. There is question maybe, to have more debate, on how to make the vision become a reality. Never will SPUP-SPPF break in two where one goes this way and another goes that way and they stand against each other. Never will this happen! Never! Everything we did was for the benefit of the people. More and more, people will realize this. I will give you an example, no country in the world where a person can have only one taxi. All country of the world, a person or company can have 10 taxi 20 taxis or 50 taxis. In Seychelles, taxi drivers, some do not appreciate; they can have only one taxi each. This prevents big fish from eating little fish. Necessary the base decisions we took to keep people equal. Necessary to educate the people on what we have done. Make a big effort to make them understand better what has happened in Seychelles.

Jude Louange: Do you sense that people forget a bit too fast?

Mr. Rene: I do not agree completely. Someone cannot forget something he/she did not know. We have to educate our population to understand what happened in the past, especially the youth. They walk on the reclaimed land. They take a car; go to the airport, everything they walk on never existed. Never have they seen any other way. Never did they see the ocean waves coming in at ESPLANADE. They think the sea is where it always was. We need to ensure the people understand what has happened. Understand in what and whose interest these developments were done. Reclaimed land was done for whom? There is business on it, homes, development, roads, villages, this is important.

Jude Louange: My last question, today you are leader of your party, but you are an ordinary citizen, you sit here, not at STATE HOUSE... when you look at Seychelles,  how do you see it now and what direction, what would you wish for Seychelles in the future?

Mr. Rene: Seychelles has a fantastic chance to have President Michel, because I believe he is trying to find away to make things better and better.  Personally, as long as I can help him, I help him. But we must all help him. Because sometimes I feel he is a bit alone. Some of his collaborators do not understand what he is trying to do very well. It is there where dialogue between us and the youth, can have an effect on making Seychelles productive. The only person that can do that is President Michel, no one else. Other people are coming for prestige, and want to break things.

Mr. Louange: What do you wish for SPPF after 45 years?

Mr. Rene:  I believe SPPF has to modernize itself. Another image. More active, more educational. SPUP must become representative really, of the people.

END

*Translated for free of charge by Christopher Gill as a service to the People of Seychelles