Thursday, August 5, 2010

RAFFLES HOTEL - THE PRASLIN EYESORE


President James Michel’s recent visit to Praslin was all hyped up to the point that we had an overdose of propaganda (as usual), with SBC and Nation regurgitating the same spew over and over again for the whole of last week. There is no doubt that Michel’s presidential campaign is already in overdrive.

The two day visit took in all the ‘emotional’ issues (children, elderly, sick, small entrepreneurs) which allowed Michel secure political mileage in an otherwise morose, depressed and ramshackle Praslin island. The island has been neglected for some time now, as the SPPF/Lepep gangs (led by Mrs. Honorable herself) were too busy carving up the place, building their little empires of hotel establishments, car hires, shops etc... They have been too busy filling their pockets with the blessing of James Michel to attend to a dilapidated hospital, a dysfunctional police force, understaffed & unequipped schools, decaying agriculture, drugs infestation, haphazard transportation system etc...

Michel failed to visit one key ‘development’ which is defacing Praslin. It is the perfect epitome of the current state of affairs on Praslin. Perhaps this is the reason that Michel chose to stay away from it, as it would be a major embarrassment for him. It is the humongous hotel development under the aegis of another Michel Arab friend (Prince Talal of Saudi Arabia who already has the Four Seasons at Petite Anse). The Raffles Praslin was gifted a prime site on the way to Anse Boudin and it would seem that the contractors (Vijay Construction) were given carte blanche to put this pristine environment to the sword. The destruction of the environment in that area brings chills down the spine of many a Praslinois and visitor. As is the case with all these foreign investments, it is concessions galore and full repatriation of profits to overseas bank accounts.

The road diversion into the hilltop at Anse Boudin is a major inconvenience for the local population. Access to the beach in front of the development will now be a thing of the past for the Praslinois. Political leaders from both the ruling party and the elected opposition must fight for fair and adequate compensation for the people of Anse Boudin. It is only right to compensate them for their massive loss of peaceful enjoyment of a gift given to them by the almighty, which has been ruthlessly taken away forever from them by the Arabs and James Michel.

The company’s website boasts – “Raffles Praslin has been master planned and engineered to be self-sustaining and environmentally responsible. Paramount in its design is the preservation of the outstanding beauty of the land and people of Seychelles. Water conservation and irrigation recycling, energy management and environmentally friendly materials will be used throughout. Each secluded home site is positioned and oriented with the deepest respect for the natural environment. Whenever possible, trees and granite boulders will be kept in their original place. This ethic will contribute to a truly harmonious and tranquil guest and homeowner experience.”

We now leave you with these pictures which tell a whole different story. It is purported to be a 5 star luxury development but it resembles more like the old NYS camps of yore. It seems that the developers got the plans back to front as all rooms are located along the hill (with a diverted public road as backdrop) while the public areas and swimming pool close to the beach.



James Michel will obviously be dressed for the occasion at its opening later this year, with another mind boggling speech to extol the virtues of this type of development - which squeezes our country dry in all areas.



25 comments:

Anonymous said...

Absolutely disgusting and I am shocked at the concrete maze going up where there was once a beautiful forest with a running river Pasquiere. How sad for Praslin, its residents and what an eyesore for this wonderful heritage island. James Michel is a traitor and to think his current wife is from Praslin. Shame on you Michel and shame on you bloody Arabs for ruining our wonderful country.

Anonymous said...

It is another glance at development gone wild, totally out of control to please the elites.

It is only new and under development, yet it is so much similar to the slumps of the poorest and most neglected countries in the world.But this is Seychelles, one of the most beautiful countries of the world, God gave to us and now it is being rapidly destroyed. This mess is repeating in every corner in the Seychelles.So this is our cause..

ID1

Anonymous said...

change the tune getting tired of this blablabla; Rafles is good for seychelles;;;;;;;when the vegetation; gona grow it gonna be beautiful stop being negative look on the bright side of life;;;

Anonymous said...

Vegetation does not grow on concrete and under slabs..

Anonymous said...

We cannot allow one single man to continue destroy our environment to such extent.We need to take harsh oppostion against such illegal practices.The key is to get the oppostion unite to make sure we get PP out in the next election.One of the reasons Michel is holding the ministry of tourism though he does not know how a tourism industry operates is for the simple reason that he wants such disasters to continue.

Jeanne D'Arc

Anonymous said...

The picture typifies why Michel said Praslin in booming,destruction of the environment.

Jeanne D'Arc

Anonymous said...

This is called progress...protecting another tree or bird is not going to feed us. The opposite is socialism. Have all of you forgotten the days of Albert Rene. Tourism brings in hard cash...cash that we need for schools, better roads, sewers/drainage, dams, nice shops, etc. Open your mind. It sucks about the Sheik, but it's a necessary evil.
Truth is that as a country we don't have any money...let them come, do not be afraid. We are a little better off then we were 10 years ago. As Mauritius aims to be more like Singapore, Seychelles can aim to be a little more like Mauritius.

Anonymous said...

Just look behide those shit building in this picture on those mountain,we can not even see a tree.Micehel you just a piece of shit plant some trees on those mountain then you can open your mouth about environment.Not Seychellios who are detroying our island and bulldozing our mountains those CAMELS.There have nothing to offer about environment,because camels have been leaving all there life in the desert.There are bringing only destruction and make Seychellios more frustrated and make Seychelles become a desert island like were there come.

Johnny

Anonymous said...

I think there is u$2,5 billion missing in our coffers.If we bankrupted it is because ofthe uncapacity of your godfather Michel to rule a nation of 85,000 people.Likewise,only a narrow-minded like you would find such destruction okay,you ignorant.

To solve our problems is not to let foreigners with the help of Michel destroy our land,but all the contary,we must get PP out of power.It is the grass root of all the suffering of the people and for the destruction of this land.

Jeanne D'Arc

Anonymous said...

Perhaqs all this is The Almighty's punishment to the Praslinois for invoking the Jj Spirit. They voted for corruption, greed and cronyism in the last elections - reap what you sew, Praslinois - at this rate soon you will no longer belong in the 'Garden of Eden'. Hopefully you will all wake up and be wiser come the next elections!

Anonymous said...

From the Garden of Eden to the Concrete Garden. What a disaster fro Praslin. Mitcy Laurue, Michel Gardete and James Michel should be buried in that Arab concrete shit.

Anonymous said...

And tell me, has 'The Almighty' blessed Mahe!! Hopefully the people of Mahe will lead and show us how to be wiser come the next elections!! We will follow you all again and vote for PP?

Anonymous said...

I am profoundly amazed by what one of the writers (before Johnny) have argued whatever his final political opinions. It is simply deeply very disturbing.

1. Tourism and Hard Cash

The first issue to highlight is that he argues that it is basically fine to destroy the environment for tourism that brings the hard cash. Did this person forget that without the environment that w e have inherited naturally there will be no tourism like we know of in the Seychelles and then there will be no hard cash if we continue to successfully destroy it? I think it is simply greed? Development is a necessary for progress, but development that is poorly planned managed and of which does not integrate with our natural surroundings and social order is surely unnecessary. The other question is who really benefits from these massive developments?

2. Necessary Evil

The second issue is that this person apparently acknowledges this is a necessary evil. This is really sad. In a discussion almost 5-6 years ago, Clifford Andre who is now SPP parliament representative argued that Seychelles has to prostitute itself to move forward. This is beyond comprehension. The answer is that we do not have to live with such behaviours and actions because this is the reason why we will persistently fail. Then as we fail, we will move on to commit another necessary evil act and then the cycle goes on and on and we end up in greater and deeper shit, perhaps only better on the eve of elections.
Well, the truth is that as a nation we will lose our identity (as is happening right now) we become corrupt, and this will lead to social immorality and break down (as is the case now). This sounds very, very far from Mauritius and Singapore.

Finally, our environment is our cash and we do not need NECESSARY EVIL to progress. So we have the better option of: ENVIRONMENT and ABSCENCE OF EVIL to progress and development not to DESTROY THE ENVIRONMENT FOR QUICK HARD CASH and do NECESSARY EVIL to survive.

Idi

Anonymous said...

jj You Have:

DESTROYED THE ENVIRONMENT ON PRASLIN;

DESTROYED THE PRASLIN MARKETING BRANDING AS AN UNTOUCHED PRISTINE ISLAND;

DESTROYED THE ROAD TO ANSE LAZIO;

DESTROYED THE PRISTINE ACCESS TO PTI ZIL;

DESTROYED THE IMAGE OF PRASLIN FOREVER;

REDUCED OUR TOTAL WATER STOCK T0 2 DAYS ON PRASLIN, BECAUSE RAFFLES HAS NOT BEEN MADE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE;

REDUCE THE PER ROOM VALUE ON PRASLIN BY 50%;

DESTROYED THE VALUE OF THE BEST BEACH IN THE WORLD ANSE LAZIO, BY ALLOWING 2000 INDIAN WORKERS TO WALK UP AND DOWN ANSE LAZIO ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, WITH FLIP FLOPS AND LONG SLEEVE SHIRTS, LOOKING-STARING AT TOURIST SUNBATHING.

FOR ALL THAT, YOU HAVE DONE NOTHING.TOTAL BASKET CASE.

CHRISTOPHER GILL

Anonymous said...

We do have a serious problem on Praslin, courtesy, the unfettered uncontrolled, not monitored, project, that James Michel gave Talal a green light, before seeing the bulbs or knowing what direction Talal was taking us.

Same thing happened at La Misere.

Same thing happening at Barbarron.

Same thing everywhere.

With Michel, their is a distinctive pattern in play.

Michel, say something......anything, do you remember the demilition order you had issued to me for renovating my office on Praslin after it was approved by Planning?

Well, use the same form, just change the name to Raffles, and sign.... you do not have to read it.

Christopher Gill

Anonymous said...

Michel continues to sing on playback.Recently he was on Praslin to supposedly consult the people.But consult on what?He unilaterally allowed Talah to bulldozed our virgin mountain, after the damage had been done he wants to consult Praslinois.

In a democratic soicety you consult and have the apporval first then you act,donkey.

Jeanne D'Arc

Anonymous said...

I agree with Idi particularly with the first point, I would like to add - in refrence to something I have read before; Seychelles problems will not be solved when immediate profits (mostly personal in this case) are purchased by endagenring the long-range profitability, perharps even the survival of the country. Same as it would be irresponsible of someone to risk disaster in the immediate for the sake of a grandiose future.However, we all know that to strike the right balance we need someone who is committed to the country and its people's prosperity and not to the puppeteers.

J.

Anonymous said...

Which road to Anse Lazio has been destroyed?. Is there not another road that connects Anse Lazio to Anse Kerlan that goes past Anse Georgette Christofou?.

Ki ou problem Gillo?. Are you worried that your mediocre establishment won't be able to compete and so you won't be able to kas fes sa bann Tourist pareil ou labitude?.

When you are in the fast lane Christo, one cannot afford to slow because if you do, you can rest assured that you will get runneth over.

Anonymous said...

Reply to the Idiot that refers to Raffles as "progress"-

1. Did it occur to you that Praslin has 2 days stockable water catchments only after Raffles has come;

2. Did it occur to you that Praslin does not have the electricity grids and generator capacity to handle this project along side existing demand;

3. Did it occur to you that Praslin is market branded and sold successfully as "Garden of Eden" for 3 decades;

4. Did it occur to you that the branding of Praslin with this Raffles battle ship has been destroyed forever;

5. Did it occur to you that Talal al Awid, owner of Raffles, has lost over 5 Billion in net worth recently, and he will be pumping every last cent he can out side of Praslin into foreign accounts, to rebuild his wealth so his 747 private jet can keep on flying;

6. Did it ever occur to you that Praslin already suffers from 0% unemployment, and this new project will cause Praslin to collapse in the labour field, and import new labour, to fill vacancies, that our schools, hospitals, water , electricity, cannot handle?

7. Did it ever occur to you that JJ spirit, never thought of all this;

8. Did it ever occur to you that JJ spirit never will;

9. Did it ever occur to you, that jj did not do this project for progress;

10 Did it ever occur to you that the project was done just to fill 2 pockets? The left one and the right one.

Christopher Gill

Anonymous said...

Point number 10 is 10/10 to explain everything.

Id1

Anonymous said...

Raffle on Praslin is just a sick project.

Visitors must boycott it and Seychellois must not work for Raffles.

Return the area to its natural state.

Anonymous said...

SO the Seychelles government believes that by distroying the beautiful environment and allowing some Arab shite to put up any kind of building is going to bring in tourists and money?
Mr. Michel...you ARE wrong!
All over the world, people are being made aware of ones environment, and how to preserve it. Without vegetation, the land will turn into a Desert....
Oh, but I forgot...the Arabs are used to living in the Desert.
But remember Mr.Michel of where you grew up....NOT IN A DESERT!
So why are you allowing these foreigners who have nothing better to do with they Dollars come and distroy such a beautiful country as the Seychelles.
Mr Michel, the Seychelles does NOT get good press abroad and that equals to very few visitors, so all these huge luxurous hotels will remain empty, and no foreign currency will come in...what a shame. But then maybe you don't care, maybe your coffers are well and truly full. So much for PARTI LEPEP!!!
My heart bleeds for the Seychellois people who have to endure this kind of shite!
Speak about being walked over on your own door mat!

SAM

Anonymous said...

What about the houses that they are building as Staff Quarter in Cote d' Or?hugly and sad as a ghetto they will put about 250 people to live here,using our water and our energy so that for us there will be less and less ,shame on the Enviroment that allowed them to put down old trees and a beautiful forest to build these houses without saying a word then if you want to put one satellite dish on your land they make a lot of problems and as usual they want money... SHAME

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