KOZE SESEL!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - THE SCCI SAGA...

Dear friends,


SCCI Board election of the 9th. April 2010

The pre election period to the above mentioned election was strange and amusing in that it was very energetic and hectic but sad as it promised all the wrong outcome. Would such energies be itself an outcome of the past one year of the functioning of the SCCI and would it have as final aim to have a better Board to deliver better results for this coming year for which it would be mandated?
The post election period was that of anger and frustration in most quarters and feeling of triumph in the other camp.
Was the anger and frustrations justified??

And the feeling of triumph, is it a triumph of having have achieved a very divided association. A triumph of ego over normality, over harmony!

How could that division help the association?

Clearly the greatest mistake was to bring in politics in an association. One just cannot bring in politics into everything, especially here in the Seychelles, unless one wants to divide and frustrate others.

Now that this whole saga has been politicized, what next?

Attached please find some reflections, which reflect the input from a number of people, on this subject.

Happy reading.

Regards

Viral

I would like to share these Lessons from nature with you.

Lessons Learned from Geese
When you look to the sky this fall and see the geese migrating South, remember the following:
When you see geese flying in a "V" formation, you might be interested in knowing what scientists have discovered about why they fly that way.

1. FACT: As each bird flaps its wings it creates an uplift for the bird immediately following. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock adds at least 71 percent greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own.
TRUTH: People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the trust of one another.
2. FACT: Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front.
TRUTH: There is strength and power and safety in numbers when traveling in the same direction with whom we share a common goal.
3. FACT: When the lead goose gets tired, he rotates back in the wing and another goose flies point.
TRUTH: It pays to take turns doing hard jobs.
4. FACT: The geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.
TRUTH: We all need to be remembered with active support and praise.
5. FACT: When a goose gets sick or is wounded and falls out, two geese fall out of formation and follow him down to help and protect him. They stay with him until the crisis resolves, and then they launch out on their own or with another formation to catch up with their group.
TRUTH: We must stand by each other in times of need.

ANALYSIS

Dear friends,


The aftershocks of the SCCI elections are still being strongly felt. In the days that followed the ‘reinstatement’ of Dr. Ramadoss as chairman of the SCCI, much has been written. Much anger and frustration have been vented in some papers against the ‘coup

D’état‘in the SCCI. Even more was said in private. What was all the hype about? Were they justified? And from other quarters; from people who are very concerned with the long term effects of the ‘manipulative‘and ‘arm twisting‘methods of the doctor, there is some serious appeal to reason to salvage the credibility of the premier business association that SCCI is and also to prevent the imminent danger of permanent damage to the country‘s image and social coherence.

Regardless that some gurus would say that it is already too late and that permanent damage had already been done and even if there may be some truth in that; it is imperative that we all together as a nation work to preserve the national social fabric. Four months of this year are yet to pass and already there is so much appeal for unity and cohesion. Bishop French Chang Him talks about it in his ― A New Seychelles‖ which appeared in the ―L‘Echo des Iles‖ publication of the 1st April in which he shares his pain of witnessing and living in a divided society that is ours. Also according to Bishop French, and in the same article he sees similarity and a common theme of unity and togetherness in this year‘s pastoral letters of both Bishop Denis Wiehe (entitled ―Give new life to the church‖) and that of Bishop James Wong ―Quo vadis‖ – where are you going Seychelles? And to the National theme for 2010 ― noun pare pou demen‖.

Any dividing force or action (the SCCI election of the 9th April 2010) therefore cannot go down well with the populace and there-fore cannot be condoned. The government‘s silence on this issue (the election of the SCCI board and counselors on the 9thApril 2010) is most deafening! One would hope that they would be working behind the scene on damage control. Others have basically apologized for venting their frustration and anger. It must be noted that one does not have to apologize for having an opinion; and opinions are there to be expressed. It is in fact withholding one‘s opinion that could be more damaging to the country‘s image and social coherence. Having and expressing an opinion is o.k. That is known as a “fair comment defense/ opinion”. It is really O.K. to do what‘s right! No need to apologize. However, it would seem that apart from venting anger and frustrations not much else is being done even when this situation is very opportune to right so many wrongs.

LUNGOS cannot do much as SCCI is not a member of it. LUNGOS would have in private mentioned its dissatisfaction on how the 9th April SCCI elections were carried out, but would not have put out a press release to that effect. I think it needs to! Same for the Government! But then can the Government be seen to openly say anything against the doctor? I understand he was asked not to stand as Chairman or at least not to campaign ‘illegally‘ as he did. One only wonders! Besides, neither can or should the government interfere with the running of any association; however when the very cohesion of the social fabric is threatened neither can one understand the government‘s silence. But when he, the doctor, ‘ignored‘the government on both counts what did the government do? What could they do realistically? –for he is sacrosanct, is he not? Of course if there was such a request in the first place. If nothing else, this election of the SCCI board would have shown the people how the general election in the country is always played. – having more votes than voters!! I for one would never have accepted the results of the last elections!

Voting and the media
Voting was irregular. Something was drastically wrong. This was clear to all very early during the voting on the 9 April 2010. The constitution is silent about this wrong doing. Was the battle cry taken up then by supporters of the doctor to justify the show of hand to accept the unholy voting result? That the constitution was silent about this and other situations is only because the constitution does not recognize the legality of any other way of getting oneself elected apart from that which it stipulates.

The SCCI election of the 9th April 2010 is indeed a very dark chapter in the history of the SCCI and in all likelihood in that of the country itself. The official government media, you would have noted, were very conspicuous in that whilst reporting some serious voting irregularities deliberately chose to let this very embarrassing event die a quick death, except that all would have miscalculated the temperature around this election and the anger and bad blood it has helped create. They would have deliberately chosen not to interview anyone of the hundreds of dissatisfied souls who would have felt cheated at the SCCI election. Is such situations one misses Radio Freedom even more! For then we could have expected some balance reporting. Apart from the Reunion and Indian Ocean commerce and industry chambers expressing dissatisfaction at the way the SCCI elections were held, would other associated bodies in Africa, Europe and Far East not made and put out comments? Can these be viewed?

The racial and communal card - more polarization

By playing the game, he would have played, to be elected with His Team; the doctor would have brought politics into an association on an unprecedented and unacceptable level. It is definitely neither good nor wise to bring politics into just everything.
In the above referred article of Bishop French he mentions that deep down we are the same little nation that we had always been. At events outside the political arena, events like funerals and other events (first communion; baptism, weddings...) we are bound together. Outside the political arena, unlike the National Assembly deliberations which shame us; there is everything that binds us.

So please keep politics out of as many thing as possible, definitely the associations. The need for a transformation for the better; both of the self and of the society in general has been recognized and called for in many instances. This call was made initially after the near collapse of the local economy which was then on the brink of insolvency and the near simultaneous but unrelated collapse of the world economy, nearly two years ago.

There has also been call for seriousness in the deliberations of the National Assembly as well-- all too often all these calls are made by the same people who would not realize that transformation and seriousness should start with themselves first, if it is at all to succeed. And the recent and desperate calls against the xenophobic traits now more visible than ever in our society, feels more like a load of hot gas with the 9 April 26, 2010 SCCI election in the form the election took two weeks ago. They could not have orchestrated a bigger danger if they had tried.

Like anything else, change starts in the mind, and unless one is mentally ready for what they call for, we are likely to see a lot more hot air being released. The importance of transformation, seriousness and the dangers of xenophobia in and for our society cannot be over emphasized. It applies to all, those calling for it as well as for those on the receiving end. Now the fact that the scenario surrounding the election of the 9 April 2010 is politicized, makes the election (of the doctor and his Team) a different ball game altogether. The only way to remove politics from the association now is for the politician to be involved and to openly do so, unless of course that was their end game. Unless addressed, we are likely to see a solidifying of the currently dividing position amongst the business community and worst still, having racism and communalism as a legitimate item on the agenda.

ANYONE GOT PROBLEM WITH THE DOCTOR AS CHAIRMAN?
But what would be the problem in having the doctor as Chairman. All the association needs to have is its r chair person. The doctor would have been as good as any. I do not believe that anyone would have any objections with that if only his play was ethically and morally played. A chairman, any chairman for that matter, automatically undertakes to work hand in hand with other members of the association elected to the board. That elected body, would then, in the case of the SCCI be known as the SCCI team. If his ego got the better of him, then the doctor could refer to that team as his team. But campaigning and having ‘his team’ elected is just not on as by having a ‘team’ i.e. elected on one‘s platform, it is understood than one‘s loyalty is to the person/party on whose platform one is elected and as such, cannot operate independently. Furthermore, certain members of ‘his team‘had absolutely no knowledge of the association and what it stands for and does. Now of course they do. For some saying ‘Yes Sir! ‘Yes Sir‘ has never been difficult. Their subscription form ‘filled in‘ and dues ‘paid for them’ and told to be on the doctors electoral list and/or to surrender their voting rights ( take up proxies) can only mean one thing. Of course the consequences will also be theirs to cope with.

Such a list of ‘friends’ does not necessarily have to ensure the representation of all sectors of the economy. One could take all councilors from a single sector and ignore the rest of the sectors which is why so many members feel they are not represented.

Theoretically the election at G.M. of associations allows for removal of any office bearers; either whilst in office or at the next elections but should such opportunity fail to manifest itself, because of pre electoral and electoral procedures, then there is something fundamentally wrong. Having a campaign list and securing proxy voting rights could ensure that the doctor would be a life chairman. Some Mugabe, another doctor, of sorts! Furthermore the way members were obtained and whose proxies for voting were obtained is totally unethical. It has always intrigued me how these guys from distant lands vote for democracy within a well defined and structured campaigning electoral process in their lands but vote for dictatorship and at best only for a semblance of democracy here in Seychelles.
The Promises
The doctor would have stated what his mission consists of:

1. That he would have a building up in no time as he got the necessary land from the government. The question which begs to be asked is who was given the land.—the doctor or the SCCI?? But the question that is posed is does the SCCI really need a building of its own and that too at ‘Ile Perseverance’, well away from the business world. As it is it finds it to occupy even 4 small offices and has to sub rent other 3 it has on the same floor. It is most likely to end up being another expensive white elephant. Be it that a building is done and that too by the doctor, one expects that the construction will at least go beyond the construction of the framework shell.

2. That he was putting up a statue for the Apostolat de la Mer and that too in no time after the same was requested. The truth is if anyone else was allowed to have businesses exempted from paying any taxes whatsoever, then these businesses would have had statues and more donated to every district. That he will ensure that the regional commercial meeting to be held here this later this year would be a success. I understand that this forum would have now been cancelled, only because the way the SCCI election was held. It is wonderful for regional partners to take position. That might help us wake up and do the same.

Somehow it does look as if there is going to be a very big bang. The higher one goes, the bigger the bang when they fall. I would know enough about life to know that any discord within the family is a very sore thing and not at all desirable. I would also know enough about life to know that if such a discord cannot be sorted out amicably; cannot be resolved within the context of the family unit; then the best thing to do, as it so often happens, is for the various parties concern to go their own way. Once that is done and the concerned parties would have found their independence and a voice, if at all desirable they then find common ground to reconciliation.

What Next?
1. Clearly, the current board as it stands does not represent most of the active members. Accepting the status quo is therefore not an option. Both LUNGOS and the Government are quiet on this. Frankly they cannot be seen to be otherwise.

2. Going to court to challenge the SCCI election and the doctor‘s campaigning and the election itself? It is doable. This route could take forever, in view of the speed at which our judicial system operates. Then also one assumes its impartiality! It would also be understood that if the court decides in favor of the current status quo; for there is always a chance that the court would rule in favor of the doctor; then that would be acceptable to all, in spite of knowing that the current board does not represent most active members. Going to court is therefore not an option to me.

3. There exists another business organization in the country. It is known as ‘The Employers Federation’ which is currently dormant, dying or dead. Maybe all who believe are not represented by the current SCCI board could become members of that association en masse and let SCCI to the doctor and his companies and lackeys. If this way out is chosen, I would suggest that the move be a serious one and not just use the existing organization simply for convenience sake and then at a later date to move out, again en masse, when the dark clouds move from over the SCCI. Becoming members of the existing Employers Federation and operating from that base remains a distinct possibility but my preference remains the fourth.

4. This option would be to create a new association. In my opinion, that would be best and the articles, even if they mirror those of the SCCI would take into account the short coming of the same. I would suggest having as at least as many counselors as sector within the economy and that only members of that sector vote for their sector counselor. Like that you would not have a barber, someone making ‘gato piman’ or a small retailer voting for voting for counselor to represent the hoteliers for example. In this design only certain key positions (like chair and vice, treasurer and secretary...) would be elected by all members. Maybe we should also do like for example, the Alliance Franςaise and have that a person can only be proxy of only ONE other member. Like that we would not have persons voting 13; 17; 23… times like I witnessed on the 9th April.

One added advantage of having a new association is to immediately have all the sectors of the economy represented something that the current, since 9th April 2010, SCCI board cannot claim to be doing. Unfortunately the country is politically polarized. The very least we now require is further divide! And a racial divide at that; which the last SCCI board election promises to be.

It is all well and good to be doing something but one must do the right thing or as is usually the case, in the end it could be all pain and no gain. For that, it is imperative that all who feel cheated and not represented by the current SCCI board to come together in a meeting and finalize the way forward. Like this, one would know, those concerned would know, who and how many are on board.

Regards,

Viral

alliance.voices@gmail.com
Your constructive comments to rectify this sore situation would be most welcomed. You may choose to express your views through Alliance.
It is also be o.k. to remain incognito and anonymous, for those who are afraid of the wrath of the doctor