SEYCHELLES REALITY

Those who may find comfort in knowing our presidential election process due in just a few days will include international observers should be aware that the SADC Electoral Observation Mission is the same body that has gone on record saying Robert Mugabe’s presidential mandate bestowed by voters in Zimbabwe was achieved through credible elections allowing the result to stand, no matter that fairness was observably lacking. “On the question of fairness, it’s very difficult to say everything was fair,” SADC election observer Bernard Membe said in the capital Harare as he summarised his report. SADC mission members are in Seychelles again now after observing the 2011 vote, still refusing to disclose what was found more than four years ago on the grounds that, “they do not want to affect the current election by divulging any of the findings from the previous election watch ... “, and promising to illuminate Seychellois AFTER this election concludes. It makes sense only in the context o...

Yes guys let’s blame John for all that goes wrong. Let’s shame him for our lacklustre PPBs. Let’s blame him when we lose. Let’s blame his absence for our poor performance. Let’s beat the shit out of him. Get real guys. John may not be here with us to vote but that will never ever diminish the value of what he did for democracy in the country. He probably singlehandedly did a lot more than the rest of us put together. – put his neck out , used, reused, packaged, repackaged and recycled by all, none of whom provided support and protection to him and his family, in spite of everyone knowing what difficulties he was going through and his needs and threats he had to face because of what he did for us. Taunt him and goad him as you please. John is irreplaceable. All the more reasons for him to remain safe at this juncture. Remember Micheal Arnephy, 2013 and Wavel Ramkalawan, 2006; after they had their skulls slip open; they have never recovered, probably never will. They are no...

Danny Faure and James Michel According to Vice President, Danny Faure in last night's PPB, the Government of Seychelles received a grant of $50m in 2002 from the Government of Abu Dhabi. This was paid to SMB which then used this to pay for commodities. This confirms exactly what we in Lalyans stated earlier but denied by JP Adam to the national assembly a few weeks ago. Government accounts in 2002 shows no receipt of any kind from Abu Dhabi. If what VP Faure says is correct, how come this $50m gift was never presented in 2002 to the national assembly as part of the budget by the supposedly hard working JAM who was Minister of Finance then and never declared in Government books ever never mind to the public at large who were suffering from severe FX shortages.  Now that VP Faure admits it happened, how come in SMB’s accounts of 2002 or any subsequent account of SMB, there is no mention of the $50m grant from the Government either! This scandal now takes a ne...

Viral Dhanjee ‘Pti Dimoun’ enters the ring & all bets are off. Whilst all the world leaders are currently, at COP21 in Paris, addressing ways to save humanity from man-made consequences of Global Climate Change, this evening we the people of Seychelles we will be subjected to the final round of PPB in the people’s fight to remove the devil that is, once and for all. It is not the fact that the opposition parties have been sleeping all this time, but JAM has to realise that the only thing that matters to the people of Seychelles is the CHANGE we so badly want. The opposition parties may well have been sleeping, but the people NOT. Jam was already on the back foot by the voices of the people on the social media well before the opposition parties decided to wake up, but now that they have what a powerful force has emerged. You can trash the political parties over and over again JAM but how do you fight the power of ‘dimoun ordiner’ and the ‘pti dimoun’ JAM? Ready for the knoc...

Tomorrow the country celebrates the Defence Forces Day. We the people salutes our boys and girls in Uniform on this occasion and wish to convey the pride with which we the people look up to them. We the people would take this occasion to remind our boys and girls in uniform of the oath they would have taken when swearing in: -- to uphold and defend the constitution of the Seychelles, its people and nation. SPDF The people would also remind our guys in uniform that they are one of us; that they share, and are part of, a non-violent, friendly, peaceful, docile population that enjoys happy living. The message from the people of the Seychelles to those in Uniform on the eve of the most important elections in the Seychelles is, be it before the elections, during the elections or after the elections, if given any order, before the execution of that order you ensure that the order is both legal and constitutional. Check it out before acting on the order. If you have any doubts, then ref...

Viral Dhanhee OPINION: 2015 Presidential Election Special– 3.The other fight; defining the political landscape, 2016 The other fight -All NEW presidential hopefuls have another very important fight before the election day. Remember the infamous rhyme ‘’En vote pou Ralph Volcere and a vote for Philip Boulle is a vote pou James Michel’’? Wavel will be playing that unsubstantiated tune again, and at an opportune moment that does not allow the president hopefuls targeted to respond in any way. All candidates would be smart to come out and warn the nation of Wavel’s coming battle cry, how unintelligent and inaccurate this statement is, but to expect it from Wavel. Wavel’s strategy has always been to absorb any opposition under his wing prior to the first round of the elections, under the guise of unity equaling strength! While I can understand the motivation for Wavel spouting such nonsense, I have never been able to understand why people buy it and fall for it. Wavel viciously tar...

Viral Dhanjee OPINION: There may be honour amongst thieves, but is there honour amongst politicians? James out. Michel in. – won by the system, not at the polling booths? What lies ahead: ROS. --- POU ANVOYE, PA POU ANVOYE? James Michel warned earlier this year, ‘’People in glass houses do not throw stones’’. This was meant solely for the break-away cluster of ex- SPPF/PL ministers and technicians who surfaced as the new political party, ‘Lalyans Seselwa’. There were massive expectations from the public that we were in for a spectacular fireworks show, in that for once we would know the inner (maybe even dirty) secrets of the SPUP/SPPF/PL era. Thus far, people have been disappointed. Campaigning has started earnestly, elections will come and go, but no stones will be thrown. Those concerned would be good boys and pay heed to Michel’s warning. But what are these stones that Michel cautions against throwing? Skeletons no doubt, which if known to the larger public would ra...