SELL BABY SELL!

Anse Marie-Louise sale tramples on Seychellois rights

I read with interest the recent article “One More R1 Land Deal” in the 21^st January 2011 edition of 'Regar' newspaper, which mentions the activities of Mr. Suliman Ibrahim Al-Dakhial.  I am sure you can appreciate that we, the staff and owners of the Plantation Club, have suffered a great deal at the hands of this man and it is very pleasing to see situation regarding land transactions exposed.

Regarding the Land at Anse Marie-Louise:

Mr. Suliman is the registered owner of T2236, being the 99% shareholder of Reem Limited.  Perhaps not-so-co-incidentally, a company with a similar name, Reem Riviera Resort, is one of the businesses of the Issham Business Group, the Saudi company owned by Sheikh Abdul-Mohsen Abdulmalik Al-Sheikh, Mr. Suliman’s boss.

Throughout the world, a 99-year lease is considered as practically freehold.  The value of such a lease is, as you suggest in your article, therefore, virtually equivalent to the freehold price for such a property.  In this case, the value is closer to 10-20 million U.S. Dollars, given various factors which attract a premium, such as direct access to a beautiful beach, a parcel size which is large enough for a resort, etc.  Compare this to the 49 million Dollars paid for the 57 acres of reclaimed land at Eden Island.

I understand, from my sources, that parcel T2236 was part of a larger parcel which was zoned for agriculture and that change of use to “Tourism” was granted on this parcel without the knowledge of Joel Morgan, the Minister of Agriculture.  It would seem improper for precious agricultural land, of which there is so little in Seychelles, to be lost to farming use without the proper assessment and approval of the Ministry of Agriculture.

It also seems outrageous that someone would tamper with the reef, i.e. widening “lapas” or the “cut” which leads into the lagoon, merely for some foreigner’s tourism development.  Surely the Seychelles’ delicate ecology is more sacred than anyone’s business interests.

In the matter of the Plantation Club:

Mr. Suliman is not, in fact, the titular owner.  He is merely the “point man” for a Saudi businessman, Sheikh Abdul Mohsen Abdulmalik Al-Sheikh, who is behind the front company European Hotels and Resorts Limited (EHRL), now the registered owner of the Hotel property.  Mr. Suliman has been employed by Sheikh Abdul Mohsen for more than 25 years and handles his most intimate private affairs, such as managing his travel and private jets, his palaces and residences around the world, his mega-yacht “Coral Island” and his personal security and body-guards.  While this sheikh is not of “royal” birth, he apparently has close ties to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia.  Mr. Suliman’s role in the Plantation Club “take-over” was to co-ordinate all of the parties involved in it and to “make it happen”.

Regarding Roche Copra land

Another point, which I think it is important to mention, is that the Bazar Ovan the popular weekly market and fair which used to be held at Roche Copra has, since the purchase by the Saudis, simply ceased to take place.  One could be forgiven for getting the impression that it has been “killed off”.  Either way, it has not taken place for some three months now.  Also, perhaps conveniently, the Roche Copra parcel is just a shade under five acres, so it gets by provision in the State Land and Rivers Reserves Act which states that “Provided that sales of state land up to five acres may be effected by private contract.”  Notwithstanding this, the sale goes against section 6(1) of the Act, as it was unlawfully sold for a fraction of its full value.

The Implications for Seychelles

One factor for Seychelles that can be questioned is the involvement of Minister Jacquelin Dugasse, Minister for National Development, whose responsibility it is to protect the country’s land and economic resources.  It was Veronique Herminie, Dugasse’s Principal Secretary for Investment, who filed the petition with the Supreme Court for liquidation of Ailee Development Corporation, the owners of the Plantation Club, and I notice from the extract printed with your article that Mrs. Herminie also made and signed the lease on the Anse Marie-Louise land.  Mr. Dugasse must be on good terms with Mr. Suliman, having visited him regularly at our hotel and, after its closure, at Mr. Suliman’s house in Baie Lazare.  I have witnessed this.  As we have repeatedly stated in the courts, our evidence has convinced us that Minister Dugasse was one of the four key government officials directly involved in the process that led to the Plantation Club ending up in the hands of Sheikh Abdul Mohsen.

The Implications for Mr. Suliman

Mr. Suliman is a naturalized Seychellois, holding passport number N0029846 and NIN 007-0564-6-1-02.  According to The Saudi Citizenship System, adopted as [Saudi] Cabinet Resolution no. 4 dated 25/1/1374 (Hijra Calendar), Article 11, “Saudis are not permitted to acquire any foreign citizenship without the permission of the Prime Minister”, and can lose their Saudi citizenship, if they breach this regulation.  This seems to be backed up by current U.S. State Department information.  Whatever the implications of that, presumably, as a Seychellois citizen, he would be subject to the laws of Seychelles and if he were to be found guilty of any wrong-doing, he would have to face the legal consequences in Seychelles, rather than merely being able to jump on a private jet and disappear.

Personally, I think the day has come when Seychellois say “enough is enough” to the sale of land to these wealthy Arabs who just want more and more, trampling on the interests of ordinary people merely because they have the money to “make it happen”.

M.E.Davison

Former Managing Director of the Plantation Club

Eyewitness News

ANOTHER BLOW TO DEMOCRATIC FREEDOM???

UK defense ministry renews Air Seychelles contract to serve Falklands

 The British Ministry of Defense has renewed its contract with Air Seychelles, singling out the satisfactory performance of the airline on its operations to the Falklands Islands.
Air Seychelles Executive Chairman, Captain David Savy has said : “ The UK Ministry of Defence has stated its preference for Air Seychelles to operate the Falklands Airbridge and we have been able to secure the traffic rights to fly between UK and Falklands. This is a good testimony of our very good capability and performance to operate flights from the UK via Ascension Island to the Falklands”.
The UK Ministry of Defence contract awarded to Air Seychelles is to transport UK personnel to the islands of Ascension and Falklands. It is considered a domestic service given that the point of origin in UK and destinations in Falklands and Ascension are all British territories.
In consideration, Air Seychelles utilizes a number of British nationals as flight crew on this particular route.
As a result, Air Seychelles will continue operating twice weekly flights between UK and Falklands as from March 2011.
Speaking in January last year, when Air Seychelles first launched the Falklands Airbridge flights, President James Michel hailed the national airline’s services as a mark of the high standing and the professionalism and dedication of its staff.
President Michel spoke of the increasingly competitive international airline market and saw it encouraging for Air Seychelles to seek to adopt innovative business practices beyond its core business.
‘Innovation is key to Seychelles being ready for the future and we congratulate Air Seychelles for taking the lead in this way” he said in his congratulatory message, last year.
Air Seychelles operates a B767-300ER aircraft which operates from the Brize Norton Royal Air Force base in Oxfordshire, England to the Ascension Islands and then on to the Falklands in the South Atlantic, off the southern tip of South America.
Mount Pleasant in the Falklands is one of the southern most aerodromes on our planet and the Falklands is often used as last staging post for expeditions to the Antarctic.
The national airline’s experience of flying 767s to isolated island locations was another major advantage for the renewal of the contract especially Wide Awake airfield on Ascension and the RAF Mount Pleasant airfield on the Falklands are both isolated.
Air Seychelles was also considered the best choice as it is one of the world’s most experienced B767 operators with over 21 years of extended-range operations.

This is how the UK cabin crew treats Air Seychelles Mr. Michel... (photos courtesy of Gustave Decommarmond)

SELL BABY SELL

James Michel selling our patrimony and we the island people are consigned to apartments

There is a major uproar in Seychelles about the outright selling of our patrimony to anyone with a case full of dollars or Euros, roubles or yuans. The President of Seychelles and his bunch of communist morons who have been in power way past their sell-by date of 34 years, is hell bent of selling off whatever property in a desperate attempt to keep themselves in power and save their political skin. BUT above all, this exercise is a desperate measure to try and salvage a country that they have pillaged to the tune of $2.5 billion and indebted for a further $800 million. Now that the IMF has stepped in, it is a miracle to see the same perpetrators of this heinous economic crime still calling the shots. They have corrupted the system and numbed the entire population with bribes to maintain their grip on power. We are supposed to be under economic bailout but it is mindboggling to see the spending spree that the government and the country has embarked upon since the last three years.

Spending seems to be the new national sport as we see huge mansions going up on the hills and spanking new cars clogging the streets of Victoria. The James Michel administration is burning money like there is no tomorrow, with overseas trips to look presidential, parties and fiestas to keep the merry-go-round turning.

Those flaunting their newly found affluence are the stalwarts of the party which incidentally underwent a metamorphosis to enter the new IMF era (from SPPF to Parti LePep). A strange coincidence to try and absolve themselves from the crimes committed (remember the change from SPUP to SPPF after the coup d'etat in 1977? - Crime TREASON). So the move from SPPF to LePep is to absolve themselves from their second crime which is economic meltdown - BANKRUPTCY.

There is no doubt that our country today has an underground economy that benefits the chosen few who will defend till death their newly acquired status.

And while the ordinary Seychellois is confined to a pigeon or rabbit hole on reclaimed land, Michel and his cronies are on their "sell baby sell" campaign to the rich and famous.

They have sacrificed our principles of nationhood for a few pieces of silver. Judgement day is on the horizon... and one thing that the Seychellois electorate has understood clearly is that they will not allow this pillaging of our country to go on...

                Seychelles Ambassador at Large Sells Therese Island

The SPPF granted Seychelles citizenship to Billionaire Sivasankaran Chinnakaran at an undisclosed date between 1994 wherein the Economic Development Act was enacted and 1998 by the time the Act had been abolished under pressure from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) that monitors money laundering around the world.

Mr. Sivasankaran has never spent Five (5) consecutive years in Seychelles to be eligible for naturalization. Hence, he has been made a citizen at the will of the President of Seychelles under the bogus Immigration Decree.

SNP Silent of Ambassador At Large Nomination

Mr. Sivasankaran, known as Siva, was appointed Ambassador at Large for Seychelles, under the James Michel Government in 2008. At the time, his nomination coincided with the nomination as Ambassador at Large James Richard Mancham, also first President of Seychelles. Mr. Mancham’s nomination was shut down in the National Assembly, while Siva’s nomination passed without a hick. The SPPF PL voted in favor of the

nomination and the SNP bench abstained and remained silent at voting. Not a word came from SNP bench or leadership. Silence was the rule of the day.

As an Ambassador at Large, his Excellency Sivasankaran Chinnakaran is now a public figure in Seychelles social and political life. Hence, his transactions, are now subject to the public’s scrutiny, particularly, wherein government properties and monies are involved. Private concerns will also now be our concern, as he is a public figure, that represents us all around the world.

Mr. Siva has been involved in numerous land transactions in Seychelles. When taken together, the massive purchasing spree, which included Le Rocher, the Warf, reclaimed lans besides the Warf for extension of the same, Coetivy Island, Therese Island, numerous villas, Marie Galante and at one time he has been offered Grand Anse Mahe beach and all the property next to it by the James Michel administration. The list is endless it seems. One only ask why does not Siva buy out James Michel from State House.

Perhaps that is why he was here for almost a month taking residence at Four Seasons, while his 737 private jet rest at the Seychelles International Airport parking area. In that time, we have been told from good sources, and therefore reasonably believe, unless proven otherwise, he has found it timely to recruit the MSR Administrator Lise D’Miello in possible employment through contacts with PL top brass.

What Happen To Therese Island

 Therese Island was purchased by Sivasankaran Chinnakaran on April 5^th, 2007, from a company called Estates Investments (Seychelles) Limited. The island comprised of 74 Hectares of land situated off the coast of Port Glaud.

On April 16^th, 2009, Sivasankaran Chinnakaran transferred his interest and ownership of Therese Island, to Therese Properties Limited, represented by Sudalaimuthu Pillai Chinnadurai a director of Therese Properties. Priscille Chetty Attorney at Law , witnessed the sale.

The value of the property is  Twenty –Five Million Rupees (Rs. 25,000,000.00) in the Transcriptions, but Fair Market Value at the time for such a prime island is more like Euro 25,000,000.00 or Rs. 418,750,000.00.

This represents a  difference in value of  Rs. 393,750,000.00. This would equate to Rs. 59,062,50.00 in possible assessed Stamp Duty if the property was properly valued. There is no indication that it was valued or appraised before Stamp Duty was taxed.

The Registrar of Lands does not appear to have questioned the value of the transaction and hence, only One Million  Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Seychelles Rupees (Rs. 1,250,000.00) was collected in Stamp Duty.

No Sanctions

As the Transcriptions indicate, all parties were “Seychellois” and no Sanction for the transactions were required for the sale.

Thank you SPPF PL .

People of Seychelles, our patrimony is being sold under the SPPF PL. Open your eyes for the next generation will be land less like the Egyptians are today!

Sesel Pou Seselwa!

May God Bless All Freedom Loving Seychellois!

News on the street!

Eyewitness News

Mohammad Bin Zayed receives call from Obama

UAE against meddling in Egypt’s domestic affairs

• GulfNews
• Published: 00:30 February 7, 2011

Abu Dhabi: General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown
Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, on Sunday received a telephone call from US President Barack Obama.
They discussed the latest regional developments and exchanged views on the current developments in Egypt as part of consultations with friendly countries and influential powers in the world. Shaikh Mohammad stressed the UAE’s keenness under the leadership of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan on exerting every possible effort to support stability in Egypt due to its extreme significance and positive impact on stability in the region.
He underlined the need for smooth and orderly transition through national
institutions while taking into consideration constitutional requirements.
He stressed that the UAE rejects interference in Egypt’s domestic affairs
by foreign parties, and underscored that the future of Egypt must be determined by Egyptians without foreign interference.






WHAT IS KHALIFA DOING MEDDLING IN THE AFFAIRS OF SEYCHELLES? WHY IS HE PROPPING UP THE GOVERNMENT OF JAMES MICHEL WHO HAS GIVEN HIM SAFE HAVEN IN SEYCHELLES TO PREPARE FROM HIS EVENTUAL ESCAPE FROM UAE WHEN DEMOCRACY FINALLY CATCHES UP WITH HIM AS IT MAKES WAVES IN TUNISIA, EGYPT, YEMEN....
 

News Update

MSR COURT CASE FOR PARTY REGISTRATION

Eyewitness News

PAUL CHOW v/s JAMES MICHEL, PATRICK HERMINIE & ATTORNEY GENERAL

On the matter of the SBC Act not being in conformity with the Constitution

In August 2010, I filed a petition before the Constitutional Court asking the Court to compel the authorities to bring the Seychelles Broadcasting Act 1992 in conformity with article 168 of the Constitution, which the Constitution itself had given until July, 1994 for this to be done, but which so far had not been done under four administrations. Article 168 of the Constitution says: 168(1) The State shall ensure that all broadcasting media which it owns or controls or which receive a contribution from the public fund are so constituted and managed that they may operate independently of the State and of the political or other influence of the bodies, persons or political parties. 168(2) For the purposes of clause (1), the broadcasting media referred to in that clause shall, subject to this Constitution and any other law, afford opportunities and facilities for the presentation of divergent views. Meanwhile paragraph 2(5) of Schedule 7 of the Constitution also says: (5)   The State shall, within twelve months of the coming into force of this Constitution,     bring the Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation Act, 1992 into conformity with article 168. On filing of my petition the Attorney General representing the State to my great surprise (as he was the one who had failed to advise the authorities to comply with the Constitution) objected to my petition claiming that the Court should not entertain it as I had failed to file it within the prescribed time limit of 30 days or 3 months from the date that the authorities had to pass the necessary law to amend the SBC Act. On the 11th November, 2010, the Constitutional Court presided by Chief Justice Egonda-Ntende  heard the A.G’s objections and adjourned the matter for the 1st February, 2011, for Ruling on the objections. This morning the Constitutional Court dismissed the Attorney General’s preliminary objections and set 22 March 2011 at 10.30 am to hear the petition.  The case is being brilliantly pursued by Mr Frank Ally.

What Judge Michael Riley said about SBC and the Constitution: REPORT OF THE INQUIRY INTO THE EVENTS IN VICTORIA ON 3 OCTOBER, 2006 Recommendation: - Since the provision in Schedule 7.2(5) of the Con­stitution was made following consideration of the issues by a distin­guished Constitutional Commission and included in the text of the Constitution the Inquiry recommends that the requirement contained in Schedule 7.2(5) be implemented forthwith. Recommendation: - A new system for selecting persons to serve on the Board of the SBC should be introduced. The new system should contain the following elements – (a) Positions on the Board should be advertised and applications in­vited from members of the public who have suitable qualification and/ or experience; (b) The recruitment net should be cast as wide as possible; (c) Qualifications and experience required for membership should re­late to – (i) media and commercial matters; (ii) media and broadcasting technologies; (iii) legal matters; (iv) social, cultural, educational or community activities. (d) There should be a staff representative on the Board; (e) The selection process should include an interview by an Interview Board, consisting of persons of known independent credentials, of each candidate who has the necessary qualifications or experience. Those not called for interview should be told why they were not called and also those who were unsuccessful at the interview should be told why they were unsuccessful. The Interview Board should establish a panel of three people it considers suitable for appointment. The panel should be sent to the President to make the final nomination for the SBC Board from those listed in the panel. The nomination should be laid before the Assembly and should automatically proceed to ap­pointment by the President unless a resolution is passed by the As­sembly – by simple majority vote – rejecting the nomination in which case the appointment should not go ahead and another nominee from the panel should be put forward by the President. If the Assembly re­jects the first two candidates on the panel, the third should be auto­matically appointed by the President; (f) The tenure of office should be for a period of approximately one-and-a-half times the period of office of a Government. In other words, changes in the Board should not coincide with elec­tions. Also the mechanism should provide for continuity within the Board by providing that changes in the membership should take place at different times; (g) Once a person is appointed to the Board their tenure of office and conditions of service should be protected. It should not be possible to remove a member of the Board except by an Order of the President and then only for stated incompetence, misbehaviour, or incapacity and should be effective only after the Presidential Order has been ap­proved by a resolution of the Assembly by a weighted majority of, say, two-thirds of the members present and voting on the resolution. Recommendation:- The editorial policy of the SBC should be clearly set out and published. Furthermore, the SBC should include in an an­nual report to the proposed Ombudsman (see paragraph 10.29) an ac­count of how it has delivered on its editorial commitments. This, in turn, should be reflected in the Ombudsman’s published report. Recommendation:- The Managing Director of the SBC should be re­cruited by the Board of the SBC using similar principles to those set out for the recruitment of members of the Board. He should be ap­pointed by the Board and be accountable to it. His term of office and conditions of employment should be agreed between him and the Board and should be clearly set out in his contract of employment with the SBC. Removal of the Managing Director should be a matter for the Board. Recommendation:- An effective independent complaints procedure should be put in place. An Ombudsman should be appointed who would have the role of reviewing the decisions of the SBC which give rise to the complaints.

Happy Birthday!!

$100 Million Charged To Government Land Days Before Seychelles Went Bankrupt

The Lease

On May 1^st 2005, Mr. Patrick Lablache, signed on behalf of the Government of Seychelles, a Seventy (70) year lease for J2398 situated at Port Launay Seychelles, where Ephelia Hotel now exist, to Port Launay Resort Limited.

Mr. Guy Adam represented the company in the lease. Rent for the term is a mere One Hundred Forty Two Thousand Eight Hundred Fifty Seven Thousand and Fourteen Cents ($142,857.14) per annum or per month a mere sum of Eleven Thousand Nine Hundred Five and Seventy Five cents ($ 11,905.75).   

The area in question represents 354 acres of beach front, marsh and lush virgin mountain property. Actual Fair Market Value of this property would be exceed much more then the consideration negotiated.  To add insult to injury, Stamp Duty for the transaction was free as per Transaction Deed stamps and signatures.

Who Is Port Launay Resorts Limited

A key director with Public Officer positioning in Port Launay Resorts is Captain Guy Adam.  He is a director of SEPEC ( national oil fuel company) and has directorships of other prominent companies, including Bunson Travel, Corvina Investment (with ex-Mario Ricci company), Le Refuge du Pecheur (Lemuria Hotel), Simba Holdings ( ex- Mario Ricci Company) , Mahe Shipping ( with ex-Mario Ricci company).

The next key Public Officer who is a director of Port Launay Resorts is Mr. Glenny Savy of IDC. Mr. Savy as we know, controls all our Outer Islands as per a lease from Government of Seychelles to IDC, in 1994. Mr. Savy’s directorships include Cerf and Surf Investments, Corvina Investments ( ex- Mario Ricci company), Desroches Island Resort Limited, IDC of course, Le Refuge du Pecheur (Lemuria Hotel), Seychelles Fishing Authority, though he has resigned now, Simba Holdings ( ex Mario Ricci company).

In addition to these Two key Public Officer players, there is of course Mr. Pierre Guy Noel head of  MCB Mauritius, who is a Director of Port Launay Resorts. It is unclear if Mr. Noel made a declaration of interest in Port Launay Resorts, when MCB considered the mega loan request, as required under Mauritian laws.

Interestingly enough the nephew of deceased Mario Ricci, Alessandro Picchi, is the other director of Port Launay Resorts. He holds directorships in Corvina Investments, Corvina Management, GMR Group Conglomerate, International Pharmaceuticals (Seychelles) Limited, Mahe Shipping, and other companies. It would appear the legacy of Mr. Ricci continues to turn its web in Seychelles.

One must take note of the overlapping directorships.

Additionally, Alain Savy ( Seychellois), Jean Wheeling (Seychellois) , Adolphe Vallet ( Mauritian), Louis Rivalland ( Seychellois), and Mohamed Lodhi (Swiss) are directors. They are private persons and we take no issue with them.

Where’s The Money?

In June 2008, Two (2) months before Government of Seychelles defaulted on the second Bond installment of Three Million US Dollars ($3,000,000.00) on the Lehman Brothers Bonds, Captain Guy Adam registered a charge exceeding One Hundred Million Dollars $100,000,000.00 or EURO Sixty Million (euro 60,000,000.00) in favor of the MCB of Port Louis , Mauritius using J2398, Port Launay,  as security for the charge. The charge is a first line instrument.

At a stroke of a pen, Captain Adam turned Seychellois patrimony he obtained at a cheap price, under market price substantially at the time, into over One Hundred Million US Dollars bank facility. An incredible feat without even mortgage insurance.

Money taken for a charge usually reflects the value of the property. In this charge, no additional mortgage property was taken, nor additional account secured. The People of Seychelles, paid the price to make it happen, while we defaulted on our BONDS, and IMF stepped in to run our country. 

The money taken under charge, had to be used to build a hotel resort project. It is unclear what the shareholder contributions were or if that was required to improve the land.

People of Seychelles, open your eyes to the divesting of our interest in our patrimony before us, they usually involve a Public Officer or two.

It is they and there friends, who enjoy the benefits of the real value of our land, we get peanuts and carry the National Bankruptcy of Seychelles on our shoulders and our children’s shoulders.

Sesel Pou Seselwa!

 May God Bless All Freedom Loving Seychellois!