"Outrageous, that a Seychellois be refused entry to Coral Strand Again"
Discrimination becoming a real issue in Seychelles
Dear Madam,
One of our greatest pride as a nation is our racial harmony and the dignity of being
Seychellois with no regard to colour,creed, gender, etc. This harmony that defines our nationality must neither be taken for granted nor allowed to be challenged in any way.
For some time I had been reading about, and hearing of.incidences where Seychellois were not allowed entrance to public areas in certain hotels. I had dismissed these incidences as exaggerations or misunderstandings. Last night, however, this happened near home and it has left me with a feeling of great sadness and anger. Before I go further, I would like to say that I agree that it is the perogative of establishments to ensure that visitors are bona fide and behave in a manner that is circumspect without causing any embarrassment to the other clients.
In the evening of 19th June, my son took a visiting relative to the Coral Strand Hotel at Beau Vallon. Both of them were well dressed, sober (my son rarely takes alcohol) and in a good frame of mind. He said when he got to the hotel there were four Europeans in front of them and the oriental-looking security man greeted those Europeans affably. When my son and his friend made way to enter the hotel the security guard told him that he could not go in but would give no reason for this. As my son was trying to reason with him indicating that this was his late father’s watering hole and that as a child he had spent many leisure moments at the old Coral Strand, a Seychellois ‘spectator’ shouted: “zot pa pou les ou entre akoz kouler ou lapo”! In fact the only thing that distinguished my son from the four Europeans was indeed the colour of his skin!
My son returned home almost apoplectic saying that he had never been so humiliated and insulted in his life. I decided to call the hotel and asked to speak to the General Manager. After interminable calls and being questioned by a number of foreign-sounding staff, and after having to present an accolade of my past titles, I was allowed to speak to the Deputy General Manager who expressed regret that this had happened and he assured me that discriminating against Seychellois was not a policy of the hotel. I told him of the various writings and reports I had seen and heard about and given the situation I would stilllike to know the reason why entry was denied. He said that the security guard had been able to identify the four Europeans as clients but did not know my son. I told him that my son was certainly a homo sapiens and that the only difference from that point of view was his skinpigmentation! Besides, I do not believe that a security guard would arbitrarily take such a drastic decision that was not covered by one dictum or another.I find this very difficult to accept and a very worrying trend indeed.
I have taken the decision to write this letter because I am part of the generation who suffered under the scourge of colonialism where we were second class citizens in our own land. In 1971, I was turned away from the former Seychelles Club as a luncheon guest of the first British Airways Manager because “her colour is not welcomed here”! I took my humiliation to Albert Rene who told me that “one day things will change” and change it did. The Seychellois reclaimed their land and harmony reigned to the admiration of all our visitors and tourists. I therefore find it hard to accept that in the year 2013, and justone day after our President in is National Day address, implored both foreigners and Seychellois to continue to live with mutual respect, that history would repeat itself. Before I wrote this letter, I have spoken to a number of people, including community leaders and those in the present-day echelons of Government and they all agree that such discriminations are in fact happening and yet everyone seems helpless to do anything about it. Well, we should get our heads out of the proverbial sand and stamp out this ugly malaise. If we do not,we would be doing a disservice to our children and would be casting futility on the wonderful job my, and my parents’ generations have done to enhance the beauty of our lives in our paradise on earth.
I write this with no fear or malice but for the love of my country, my fellow Seychellois
and our children.
Thank you.
Noellie Alexandre
Ambassador
SOURCE: TODAY IN SEYCHELLES
Dear Madam,
One of our greatest pride as a nation is our racial harmony and the dignity of being
Seychellois with no regard to colour,creed, gender, etc. This harmony that defines our nationality must neither be taken for granted nor allowed to be challenged in any way.
For some time I had been reading about, and hearing of.incidences where Seychellois were not allowed entrance to public areas in certain hotels. I had dismissed these incidences as exaggerations or misunderstandings. Last night, however, this happened near home and it has left me with a feeling of great sadness and anger. Before I go further, I would like to say that I agree that it is the perogative of establishments to ensure that visitors are bona fide and behave in a manner that is circumspect without causing any embarrassment to the other clients.
In the evening of 19th June, my son took a visiting relative to the Coral Strand Hotel at Beau Vallon. Both of them were well dressed, sober (my son rarely takes alcohol) and in a good frame of mind. He said when he got to the hotel there were four Europeans in front of them and the oriental-looking security man greeted those Europeans affably. When my son and his friend made way to enter the hotel the security guard told him that he could not go in but would give no reason for this. As my son was trying to reason with him indicating that this was his late father’s watering hole and that as a child he had spent many leisure moments at the old Coral Strand, a Seychellois ‘spectator’ shouted: “zot pa pou les ou entre akoz kouler ou lapo”! In fact the only thing that distinguished my son from the four Europeans was indeed the colour of his skin!
My son returned home almost apoplectic saying that he had never been so humiliated and insulted in his life. I decided to call the hotel and asked to speak to the General Manager. After interminable calls and being questioned by a number of foreign-sounding staff, and after having to present an accolade of my past titles, I was allowed to speak to the Deputy General Manager who expressed regret that this had happened and he assured me that discriminating against Seychellois was not a policy of the hotel. I told him of the various writings and reports I had seen and heard about and given the situation I would stilllike to know the reason why entry was denied. He said that the security guard had been able to identify the four Europeans as clients but did not know my son. I told him that my son was certainly a homo sapiens and that the only difference from that point of view was his skinpigmentation! Besides, I do not believe that a security guard would arbitrarily take such a drastic decision that was not covered by one dictum or another.I find this very difficult to accept and a very worrying trend indeed.
I have taken the decision to write this letter because I am part of the generation who suffered under the scourge of colonialism where we were second class citizens in our own land. In 1971, I was turned away from the former Seychelles Club as a luncheon guest of the first British Airways Manager because “her colour is not welcomed here”! I took my humiliation to Albert Rene who told me that “one day things will change” and change it did. The Seychellois reclaimed their land and harmony reigned to the admiration of all our visitors and tourists. I therefore find it hard to accept that in the year 2013, and justone day after our President in is National Day address, implored both foreigners and Seychellois to continue to live with mutual respect, that history would repeat itself. Before I wrote this letter, I have spoken to a number of people, including community leaders and those in the present-day echelons of Government and they all agree that such discriminations are in fact happening and yet everyone seems helpless to do anything about it. Well, we should get our heads out of the proverbial sand and stamp out this ugly malaise. If we do not,we would be doing a disservice to our children and would be casting futility on the wonderful job my, and my parents’ generations have done to enhance the beauty of our lives in our paradise on earth.
I write this with no fear or malice but for the love of my country, my fellow Seychellois
and our children.
Thank you.
Noellie Alexandre
Ambassador
SOURCE: TODAY IN SEYCHELLES
Yes Noellie, this is just the beginning, you have not seen anything yet! the worse is yet to come! As we creole says 'sa kine chose son chose, l'y a chose li meme!'
ReplyDeleteWell well well Noellie are you prepared to join us the next time we march in Victoria demanding Arabs and the rest to go home.
ReplyDeleteSo Noellie took her humiliation to Albert Rene and what happened after that? She did not tell us that Seychelles Club was blown up!
ReplyDeleteBut she stated that history would repeat itself, most likely she has taken her son's humiliation to Albert Rene or James Michel this time, guys better stay away from Coral Strand!
It is unaccepted that Seychellois are bering treated as slave in their land by foreigners .This is a result of PP neo-colonization policy which consist of allowing foreigners to do what they want,when they and how they want in our land as if they are above our law.
ReplyDeleteForeigners with racistic behaviour should be deal with severely should the case be repreated legal actions must be taken against those foreign racists yopu imported inot our land PP.and that include their deportation.
Apartheid should not be transportated inoto our land and as Seychellois we reserve the rights to deal with those Hitlerians personality should Pp crooks fialed to act.
Seychellois will not Hitlerians coming i do not know from where to bullshit the dignity of our people in their home.
The foreign maanager attempted to excuse himself as if this was an isolated case .It is not Hilter,but a real policy which is in fact conducted foreigners and promoted by Pp thugs.When they attmepted to blcok public beaches this was not a coincident but a policy to get rid of Seychellois ,chase them from their beaches to make it a kind of private beaches for racist foreign hotel owners.
That KhalIfia fell king in our christian land and thinks that he is above our law and even the law ,is a result of PP sell out policy and depending on foreigner bailout to survive ,foreigners feel powerful that they think Seychellois are the domestics and them the white BOURGOISes.
We asking Pp to take immediate action against the clone of Hitler and should it happens against the culprit must legally dealt with ,including his or her deportation.
This is a gross human right abuse and it is more painful becuase it is a Seychellois being dishumaized by foreigners who are the main cuase of importation of cheap workers to our shoresand their hotels do not benefite socially ,economically our country.They came here just becuase of the beauty of our Land,and use it to enrich themslves with Seychellois enporvished,dispoossed from their land,suffer racism in their house and slavery.
PP is to blame in the first place and we calling on Pp to repair the wrong immediately by taking legal action against Coral strand Hotel and paying con'pensation for the Huamn right abuse endured by Noellie ^s son.
Sesel Pou Seselwa can not be more alive tthan in the 21st century.We wouzld not let Arbs and the rest of Hitlerians come to bullshit us in our home.Never PP!
To Stop those racists from dishunmanizing our people,dispoossed us from our land PP must be voer throw,then we would be able to resote our popele dignity back.Without those Pp state terrorists, our country would have not experience such dishumanization.
Jeanne D'Arc
Nothing changed Noellie. It hit home this time.
ReplyDeleteThat is why we must change pp.PP is to blame ,without PP thugs allowing those Despots,son of hitlers rape our dignity.land and evne introdue Arpatheid here ,Seychellois would not have all those problems.
ReplyDeleteBefore qwe blame Ofreigners we should deal with Pp thugs.they have allowed all those miseires on our People and all those shits like invasion of ofriegners etc.. of our land.
Jeanne DÂrc
Ou pas ti dan sa sitem kin kre sa kalite pei..Lakord ki amar bef nwar i amar bef blan tou..!!
ReplyDeleteJeanne overthrow Pp 100% behind you to help,this kind of thing must stop and we have to stop it right now.And Seselwa have to know that they will be no taking on our soldiers for change just going after those paticipating in the sell out and letting foreigners treating Seselwa like shit in its own homeland.
ReplyDeletePp seen in Power have create a lots of negativite and continuing.
ReplyDeleteEx-minister is complaining because her son did not get privileged treatment. "I am an ambassador's and ex-minister's son" did not work with the "oriental-looking" security guard. She had no problems with North Korean soldiers guarding her and her family.
ReplyDeletePp have no law inplace for foreigners thats why those suckers threating Seselwa like their carpets.
ReplyDeleteEx-minister iscomplaining as most Seychellois from the apaprtheid system being created by PP thugs and ofreign collaborators to ensalve Seychellois.Do you mean becuase he was an ex-minister he should shut up and paly the blind.
ReplyDeleteSeychellois mustz make a clean up of their country from those foreign pests and those Hitlerian crooks who Pp have made them beleive they can rape our dignity,rights ,rules of law in return for bribes and support for a gang of state criminals.
Foreigners who do not respect Seychellois should leave our land or forced to leave and that unconditionally.
There is one single owner of Seychellois and that is Seychellois Nation and we will let no foreigner regardless waht his name,his title,his wealth ensalve and dispossed Seychellois from their god given Land.And that inclduing Khalifia and his herb of Camels.
As to foreigners they must be reudce immediately for a^many of them are occuping jobs that Seychelliis can do and even better qualify to do.Security foriegners,Bus drivers foreigners, gardeners foreigners,boat skipper foreigners.This shit must stop now.Only high qualified foreigners and only when proven needed after not finding Seychellois to fill the job shouzld be imported all the rest go home.
Jeanne D'Arc
I can see some of us seem to be bashing Noellie now instead of applauding her letter. This is the problem with Seychellois; we tend to throw the past in one face constantly. How then do we expect someone where the veil is slowly getting lifted from their eyes to join us in our fight? We need to stop this mentality and accept everyone who is ready to lend a hand. The past is past we all make mistakes. How many of us voted for Mancham before and are now regretting? How many of voted for Rene as well and are now regretting? How many of us voted Ramkalawan and are now regretting? We need to extend an olive branch to whoever wants to lend a helping hand because none of us is perfect.
ReplyDeleteNoellie I appreciate this letter and I urge you to join us in the fight to remove James Michel from Statehouse.
Noellie will not join you. She is happy if she and her family get privileges and allowed in Coral Strand. She writes to newspapers when her family are not recognised by oriental security guards and given privileges.
ReplyDeleteNoellie said she did not believe it before. Now that her family will be allowed into hotels, Noellie will not believe that it still happens to Seychellois and She will think it has stopped.
ReplyDeleteIts already too late.The gravy train cant be stopped.
ReplyDeleteWe must recognize her courage to speak out and as a citizen she does have a right to speak the truth to power.She could have complain behind close door with PP in order to hide reality but she instead chose to come public becuase she probably no longer approve PP apartheid policy.She recognize time change thus she adapted to change.
ReplyDeleteAll Seychellois should be wencourage to come out and speak up their discontentment against Pp state terorrists and the state organize crimes.
Jeanne D'Arc
The incident recounted by Noelli Alexander is deplorable, and if this is indeed a trend, deserves serious attention by the government.
ReplyDeleteI also experienced a sense of being disrespected in my own country when I stopped by the Coral Strand while on a visit to Seychelles last year. As I attempted to enter the reception area of the hotel, I was stopped by a security guard. He did not look like a Seychellois and I addressed him in English, explaining that I was a returning resident and that I just wanted to take a look at the present-day Coral Strand. He took his time assessing me and finally said, with an irritating condescension "Alright, I will allow you to come in". I repeated his words "You will allow me to come in" with an emphasis on the word "allow", but the sarcasm seemed to be lost on him.
The attitude displayed by the security guard on that occasion was strangely reminiscent of the days of one party, when the prevailing attitude towards those who did not belong to the ruling party was one of "nou ki la". Neither attitude is acceptable.
Given the new challenges facing the country today, perhaps the time has come for leaders of the different political parties to show maturity, put aside their differences and join together to form a government of national unity dedicated to putting the interests of Seychellois above all else. After all, nou tou nou la pou menm rezon.
PP
Noellie Alexandre has made a brave stand on the selling of Seychelles and the degradation of Seychellois to 3rd class citizens under James Michel Administration.
ReplyDeleteI salute her stance, it is correct, and more people need to take the same stance.
The issue of Seychellois place in their own country is now a paramount and key issue of the day. No other issue, touches Seychellois like this single issue.
We can fix a bad economy, we can fix bad schools with solid leadership, and good ideas. We cannot fix a displaced people in their own land once it is done.
This single issue is the reason why Seychellois need to be politically alert.
Seselwa Unite!
Sesel Pou Seselwa!
Christopher Gill
Leader
Seychelles Freedom Party
Michel manupilate elecction to win election,but even with out manupilation you win a election by fair vote from your peoples Michel.And you come in power and abuse power continue doing wrong.Seselwa have all the power in 24 hours to remove Pp and Michel in power:Seen election now is 2 and half years things have been getting worst under Michel and his continuing selling us our land with camels.
ReplyDeleteJohnhy
Johnny that is how competive authoritarian system works.Elections are not conducted that citizens can freely choose their leaders,but as a window dressing to give the impression thereis democracy in our land for PP have convivnced themsleves that if the hold eclections and then raped results the world would consider that democracy.
ReplyDeleteAs Chris says,Seychellois must by political alert and fighting against disposition mgiht be a hard fight should we donot stay alert and act.We have seen in TIbet ,the people of Tibet have been fighting for thier freedom since deacades after Chinese communists annexed their homeland,We saw it in Balkan war whereby Serbian were dispossed from their ancestral land(Kosovo)and gifted to Albanis wand we also remember very well the Apartheid era whereby BOERS from holland annexed South Africa and made them slave almost 3 centuries long.etc..
Seychellois must not do the same mistake and to avoid doing such a mistake we must be politcal alert and ready to act.
Jeanne D`Ârc
This story remind me of the Aborigines in Australia.
ReplyDeleteAlso the situation with the Indians on Figii.
Seychelles is very small indeed compared to those two countries.Therefore,looking around Seychelles now,you get the sense of hopelessness of the indiginous people.Sent sometime in lari basar and you will undestand it all.The disposession is too far to reversed now. Sometimes you just ask yourself where do all these foreigners lived? It must be a strategy to wipe out history and transform the whole place so that they do not be accountable for the wrongs of the past.
Delo kaka lamisere.
Coral Strand also refused my white expat friends entrance. The security guard said guests only. When they went from the beach to the bar outside, they were refused unless they pay 50 dollars cover charge. Is this not illegal?
ReplyDeleteFar worse is what happens at KokoGrove in Le'enfoncement. Only foreigners are allowed to stay there. No locals. The owner, a local Sesel woman living abroad for the past twenty years, refuse any local person to stay over in one of her chalets. She told this herself to my German friends that stayed there and the manager confirmed that. If you write a letter to request info and you have a Sesel surname, you will find it is full.
This discrimination even worse
Jean D'Arc (2)
This is a disgrace. It has been happening at Coral Strand for years now. PL GOS should suspend their license.
ReplyDeleteWhy is ramkalawan in hiding? 40,000.00 per month for the rest of his life?
ReplyDeleteNo wonder he has turned into delo tranquil!
Then do it Johnhy.
ReplyDeleteWavel Ramkalawan
ReplyDeleteYesterday
Se y c h e l l o i s : K e e p o u r h e a d s h i g h !
As we celebrate 37 years of Independence this year. I take this special occasion to wish every Seychellois success, courage and hard work in maintaining our integrity and honour as a nation. We have to stand strong against all attempts of taking our country from us by the rich and powerful nations. Though small, we have to stand head high at all costs to preserve and defend our God-given islands.
I have started my message this way because after 37 years our country’s leadership is not leading us anywhere, except to- wards the danger of neo-colonialism. Today, our small mass of land is mainly owned by foreigners who want to control us. The most beautiful plots of land are in the hands of foreign friends of the government. The biggest private landowner is an opportunistic foreigner made ‘Ambassador at large’ by Mr. Michel. A foreign flag belonging to the UAE floats on the palace overlooking Victoria, and these same Arabs believe they can do whatever they want on our islands simply because Mr. Michel and his government bend over to their every demand.
Our environment is in danger of being destroyed, once again because some greedy investors want to do what they want for their pleasure. As a people, we need to stand up and declare that our sovereignty will not be com- promised for petro dollars. We will rather remain poor, than be the servants of rich masters. We will struggle together, but will not give up our dignity. As the song goes, “We will rather go to our graves as free people.”
This is the new spirit that will drive Seychellois entrepreneur- ship back up. We are an intelligent people that can make our country work and produce. We must never be underestimated. Yes, we will need FDI, but first of all we need to exploit what we already have to attract the Sey- chellois to invest in their own country. We can be the Lebanon of the Indian Ocean if we set the right conditions for the Seychellois to rebuild their country and invest accordingly.
Seychellois brothers and sisters, we have to claim back our land. Our country needs us to re- verse the current trend where we are being treated as second-class citizens. As a body we need to eliminate the corruption, nepotism and greed that are the driving forces behind so much that is destroying us as a nation.
Our freedom from the colonial masters must be a source of inspiration towards greater fulfillment. Our Constitutional rights must no longer be words on paper, but must be an exciting experience. Therefore we have to turn the Constitution into a living document where our people will inhabit a country governed by the rule of law and good governance. Together, let us fight the attitude that this land belongs to some people. This is our country and we will unite to decide how it will be governed. Accountability and transparency must be guiding principles in this march towards greater prosperity for all.
May the Almighty bless this country and all her inhabitants. May we be given the necessary attributes to eliminate fear and bring respect and honour on ourselves.
On this, our true National Day, may every family in Seychelles see itself as a building block in creating a Seychelles we, and future generations will all be proud of.
Happy Independence Day.
Every year Mr Ramkalawan repeats the same thing.18 years of the same shit. High time he gets off his lazy backside and do something about it.
ReplyDeleteWords only does not bring comfort to people in pain and distress.
It has been going on for too long.We need action!
Gary Tall.
Ine ler pou SNP aret servi sa term " nou pa pou zamin les tomber".
ReplyDeleteZot ine fini les nou tomber.
Wavel what about your 40,000 per month pension you sell out priest?
ReplyDeleteWhat about Bernard George's bringing Khalifa to Seychelles?
What about derjaques looking for land for suleman and Saudi and David savvy?
You are a joke.
Indeed the last comment posts a valid point. You need to be brave enough to clean up your act, before you start crying about foreigners buying Seychelles, when your own people in SNP have been collaborators with PL SPPF to sell our patrimony.
ReplyDeleteAt SFP when a key office holder engaged with extortion tactics with El Matri, we dealt him a reflective departing blow, no matter how difficult it is.
In SNP he would have been promoted.
Seselwa Unite!
Sesel Pou Seselwa!
Christopher Gill
Leader
Seychelles Freedom Party
RAM is a tragic and twiced tale of a stooge who has to garb himslef as Oppostion to better hide his collaboration with Pp tyranny.
ReplyDeleteThere is no single person not even SFP that critize more Pp actions than RAM.We can then ask since RAM repeat what SFP says and seems at least to agree on many issues rasies by SFp,why does RAm fails to unite the Oppostion and concoct a common plan on common issues in order to free our people from PP tyyranny?Why RAM?Is it the perk Pp offers you or the life long pension or it is just something genetic inherited from you Dad Zonm Lib?
In fact that PP is still holding to power ,is not only that PP fake,and rape elections but mostly becuase those sTOOGES LIKE ram KEEP DIVIDING THE OPPPOSITIONS.
jEANNE DÂrc
Jeanne D'rc
David Pierre is paid 15 Million to run in an election.
ReplyDeleteRam and SNP are paid 12 Million to be pensioned off eternally every 10 years to remain silent.
This is the facts.
GOOD money wasted to pay crooks and sttoges to ensalve Seychellois. As to Pierre he must know that every single cent he is pocketing as Fake and unelected Oppostion leader hw would have to refund every cent back.RAM would have to face justice for conpilcity,collaboration,in Pp crimes.
ReplyDeleteThe amount of money those crokks and sttoges voted for themsleves are excissive in regarsds to our samll economy and the economic state of our country.Those multi-millions couzld have been better used to give a better salry our Seychellois teachers,create new businesses for our people,put thousands of Voltaic panwl on houses,better equipped our Coast Guard,Equipped Anse Royal hospital,better education, health,more Busar for our students , or even sart buying our own Tuna Seiners,build a new DAM, etc.. etc..etc...
Those momnkeys even earn more than French ministers whose salary is around 5000 thousands Euro monthly and some even less.
tHOSE CROOKS JUST CANNOT STOP PERPETUATING THEIR CRIMES IT HAS BECOME ENDEMIC TO THEM,THAT THEY NOT EVEN ASHAME.
The one sinGLe solution to our multiple of problems created by Pp thugsis that we need to remove thos3e monkeys out of power as soon as possible.
Jeanne D'Arc
Herminie has a nice big swimming pool at mont button.pierre and ramkalawan should build one to so they can chill out and enjoy the millions they are stealing to keep Seychellois in chain like zom lib. Ram your papa who built zom lib must be proud of you.
ReplyDeleteKeep Our Heads High with 40,000.00 per month as a sell out fake opposition!
ReplyDeleteOuch!