Corruption in Seychelles - Pushing the problem along

Since ascending to the Presidency of Seychelles, James Michel has only played lip service to the massive corruption problem in Seychelles.

The asset declaration laws which are touted to be a bold step forward in eradicating corruption and the perception of corruption in Seychelles are now being administrated by Mrs. Leka Nair. The latter is a former high ranking official in the Central Bank under ex-CBS Governor Francis Chang Leng. I am most certain Mrs. Nair has a great deal of knowledge of corruption in Seychelles, but in the recent Face-a-Face TV programme, she hid behind the intentionally weak legislation which she now administers concerning asset declaration. Instead of asking Government to provide her with a decent acceptable tool to fight corruption, she says she passes the complaints on to the Attorney General. There have not been any prosecutions for corruption to date in Seychelles. But millions of dollars is alleged to be missing.

This paper pushing exercise is hindered further by the simple fact that the asset declarations are locked up in a vault at the Central Bank. What good is that information when it is locked up? It must be made public. Once such information is public, the public can actively monitor asset accumulation by government officials. This is good for the Nation. As assets are monitored, government officials are placed in check to prevent them from conducting corrupt acts in the first place.

The whole scheme has been an effort to assist the SPPF officials get away with highway robbery over the years. Now, even the party has disappeared.

But lucky for the People of Seychelles, we will not allow you to forget SPPF. Mrs. Nair, can be perceived to be part of the problem. In what sense? Well in the sense that when honest people remain silent or passive, corruption will flourish even if their job may be to prevent corruption.

Perhaps Mrs. Nair can raise a little voice and ask that the Declaration of Assets Act be amended as follows:

1. Create an independent prosecutor;

2. That all declarations be published in a daily journal annually for the public to review openly, like we review annual budgets. After all, we are talking about the people’s money in each case.

This will not only add teeth to the existing legislation, it will earn her some respect, which she has lost from years of cuddling under Francis Chang Leng at the Central Bank in silence.

We have more to say on corruption and will do so, for it is the cancer that is the cause of a poor-bankrupt Seychelles today. In the meantime, we are making a list and checking it twice and IMF is auditing the bastions of corruption, which SPPF-Parti lepep will not have the courage to make public.