SNP Leader meets Danish diplomat

The SNP Leader Wavel Ramkalawan met with the newly accredited Danish Ambassador, Geert Aagaard Andersen.

The meeting took place at the party headquarters at Arpent Vert.

Mr Ramkalwan took the opportunity to discuss Denmark’s willingness to help Seychelles in its renewable energy sector.

He says his administration will be committed towards a green future with appropriate investment in in solar and wind energy.

Join in the greates adventure: Change a 34yr old dictatorship

Everyone aspires to doing something memorable and important in one’s life. Some aspire to climb Mount Everest or land on the moon. I believe that the youth of Seychelles, in particular the 7000 first time voters, can be in for an adventure that will be a lifetime experience: Their vote can help Seychelles experience the first democratic change of government through the ballot box! This to me is a great adventure and a lifetime achievement.

The May election will be determined by the youth. This is what should make it exciting for them. The choice they have can be summed up in this way: Vote for Mr. Michel, and nothing will change. They will still be subject to political pressure, security clearance, and they will still be made to feel that whatever they want to pursue in life will depend on the government or their affiliation to some youth political organisation.

On the other hand, a vote for the SNP candidate will mean that first of all they will have turned an important page in the history of Seychelles. It will be the first legitimate change of government since we became an independent nation in 1976. It will also mark a new road for the country where the youth will not be subject to any political pressure. They will be entering an era when they will be respected for who they are and what they believe in, with freedom to seek employment and obtain it on merit, the elimination of security clearance and other means of control. In a nutshell, they will be in control of their own lives.

The youth vote will achieve even more. It will determine the country’s direction. For the first time in 34 years, we will seek to establish real democracy by pulling down all the barriers that have kept us is a one-party mode. The Seychellois will no longer feel that they should behave as loyal subjects to one person’s whims or risk losing everything. The youth can give our people back its respect and dignity. 

When I speak to young persons, they always express their disappointment in many areas, especially with the lack of facilities in schools or the hardship they experience to get a job once they have qualified. They see the big gap between what is promised by the authorities and what actually happens in reality. They are tired of being pushed around, and most say that unfortunately they just have to play along in order to move forward in life.

May 21, 2011 will be the opportunity to reverse this present trend and get a government that does what it promises. What will make this happen is simply the fact that the rights of everyone will be respected and the youth will be allowed to stand up and make their demands heard by the government. There will be no tear gas, AK47’s or batons, but instead, there will be attentive ears willing to listen and carry out necessary reforms. This is part of the change the youth of Seychelles can give their country in about 8 weeks. The mere thought is exciting.

History has always been the greatest judge of humanity, and this is not about to change. This is why the May election has been described as a ‘rendez-vous’ with history. If you miss this chance, you will have to wait for another 5 years to correct it. 

I am calling on the youth to ‘Get it right the first time.’ I believe our youth will rise to the occasion. Together we can make it happen for our generation and future ones. On May 21, let us all be part of the greatest adventure in our country’s modern history: Let us together change a 34yr old government.  As the Nike slogan goes, ‘Just do it!’

New SBC Act Fails Constitution, SNP Leader says

A new law to regulate the Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation will do nothing to improve the functioning of state owned media, SNP leader Wavel Ramkalawan has said after the law was passed in  the National Assembly this week.

The law fails to meet the requirement of the Constitution for all state-funded media to be impartial and to accord access to divergent political views. "Article 168 of the Constitution specifically states that all media which receive money from the state must be so 'constituted and managed' that they are not influenced by any person or group," Mr Ramkalwan noted. "For that to happen for the SBC, it is absolutely necessary for its Board to be made up of persons independent of the Executive and of anyone representing political parties." 

The most glaring fact is that all appointments to the seven-member SBC Board depend on the President. In effect, the President has total control of the Board.

Firstly, the Chairman and two members are appointed by the President from nominations made by the Constitutional Appointments Authority (CAA), which is effectively controlled by the President. Since he appoints the chairman and one other member of the 3-member CAA, the President's wishes effectively determine the nominations of the CAA and the subsequent appointments. 

Secondly, two members are from Government organisations, from the Ministry of Information and the Attorney General’s office. Thirdly, the President directly appoints two other members of the SBC Board. 

The SNP leader considers that the law is unconstitutional. It fails both the key terms of Article 168 which is that state-funded media should be 'constituted' and 'managed' to be independent of political influence.

Commonwealth election team call on SNP candidates

The SNP candidates for the May presidential election met with a Commonwealth pre-election delegation at Arpent Vert to discuss on conditions for fair elections.  

The SNP delegation was headed by Presidential Candidate Wavel Ramkalawan. It included the Vice-Presidential nominee, Nicholas Prea, SNP Secretary-General Roger Mancienne and legal advisor Bernard Georges who is also the SNP Liaison with the Electoral Commissioner's office.

The Commonwealth group was led by Ambassador Ayo Oke, head of the African section in the Commonwealth Secretariat’s Political Affairs Division and two technical experts, Martin Kasirye and Sabhita Raju.

Ambassador Oke says they are here to assess the political situation prior to elections including the issues of concern of the different parties.

The SNP officials took the opportunity to review the outstanding obstacles to a fair electoral process, including the state broadcaster SBC’s bias, the use of state resources by the ruling party, the use of the security forces for partisan politics and the failure to do away with restrictions on the right to assembly imposed by the Public Order Act.

The SNP Leader says, his party has made a written submission on these points to the group and expects that they will be taken up with the Electoral Commissioner.

Ramkalawan meets with Spanish diplomat

The SNP Leader has met with the Spanish ambassador Antonio Sanchez-Benedito Gaspar to discuss the issue of piracy in the Indian Ocean.

The meeting took place at Arpent Vert. Ambassador Gaspar was accompanied by Commodore Edmond Hoareau.

He was briefed on the Seychelles National Party’s support to the authorities in the fight against piracy.

The SNP has primarily used the National Assembly platform to bring support to the Coast Guard, fisheries community and families affected by the scourge of piracy.

Mr Gaspar reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to help Seychelles and the region in the fight against piracy. 

A Seychelles where Everyone is a Winner: Signs of Hope and Change

Since the beginning of this year, there have been many signs that our people are ready to carry out their own revolution after 34 years of rule by one political party. Fortunately, we will not need the methods which have been used in North Africa. We will have a change of government in the ballot box.

Since last year, many people have openly expressed their support for a new Seychelles. People from all walks of life have expressed their disappointment and frustration at the way our country is being governed. We need a change that will unite our people, bring out the locked energies in each one of us, rid our nation of discrimination and allow us to have a normal and peaceful life. This is what gives rise to hope. 

The hope has not come without effort. The work of our MNAs, district representatives and activists has been important. There are also many people who quietly bring a message of change when they talk to their work colleagues, friends and others.

The debate on the State of the Nation brought out the main differences between the ruling party and the SNP. From our side, people have seen a new vision and heard new ideas. From the Parti Lepep, there have been the same old insults and personal attacks. This, in fact, shows one of the choices that people have to make.

During the debate, the SNP took its time to share this vision. We talked of rebuilding the foundations of our country by bringing our people together in unity, removing politics from the civil service, and not allowing it to dominate our lives, giving every child and youth the same opportunities to learn and be a responsible adult, empowering our workforce, sharing the country’s wealth equitably, while encouraging clean and serious investment. All these are necessary tools in the rebuilding of our nation.

The encouragement also comes from the fact that our members and activists understand and share that message. They are therefore able to transmit the positive aspects that change will bring.

Questions can be answered with enthusiasm and conviction. They are not spreading a message for their own benefit, but for the welfare and prosperity of a whole nation. The strength of their message is that they are not trying to buy people with material goods, but instead convincing them. This will be the success that will bring real change to Seychelles.

Our Convention last Sunday, to name our Presidential candidate team, was a moment of great encouragement. I was honoured to accept the party’s nomination as the Presidential candidate. It was with great confidence that I announced my decision to name Nicholas Prea as Vice-Presidential nominee. The spontaneous applause from everyone present confirmed that the choice was the right one. People from all walk of life and from across the political spectrums have since then expressed their support. 

I am sure that Nicholas will bring a breath of fresh air to State House. He will lead in turning the Presidential team into one that remains close to the people, and above all, be the servant and not the boss of the nation. As I have said, the presidential team will not load itself with ministerial portfolios, but instead will be there to give strong leadership and to remain close to people.

What has happened so far are small but decisive steps leading towards a new Seychelles. Through determination and a lot of effort we will achieve the task ahead. Obviously the biggest hurdle is changing people set in a particular way of thinking for 34 years. Let me reassure you that even this is happening, and at a fast pace.

We are heading for change. I call on all of you not only to be agents of change, but to be the change our country needs.