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 picks Prea as running mate

SNP presidential hopeful Ramkalawan has picked Nicholas Prea, the elected Member of the National Assembly for Bel Ombre, as his surprise running mate in the May election.

At 46, he is three years younger than Wavel Ramkalawan and is credited with his leadership qualities as the Opposition Whip in the Assembly. 

The announcement was made at the party extraordinary convention at the STC Conference Hall on Sunday. 

Mr Prea, is highly respected for his work in the National Assembly International Affairs Committee, his participation in the Seychelles’ negociation with the World Trade Organisation and the Economic Partnership Agreement.

Mr Ramkalawan described Mr Prea as exemplary, serious and competent.

“With a Vice-President as Mr Prea, am confident that Seychelles will be in good hands as he is the perfect right-hand man.”

Mr Prea’s soft and concessionary approach to politics is expected to appeal to the blue soft Parti Lepep supporters.

He is a devoted Catholic and father and has over the year worked tirelessly to help various communities notably the fishing and farming communities.

Mr Prea was introduced to the convention by his Assembly colleague, Hon. Gervais Henrie, who said he was inspired to join politics by Mr. Prea’s humane approach to politics.

Ramkalawan launches SNP's campaign

Wavel Ramkalawan has accepted the Seychelles National Party’s nomination to run for president of the Seychelles in front of a crowd of some 250 supporters and party activists.

In an address at the party's extraordinary convention, he promised he would do his best to make Seychelles a better country.

“After SPPF/Parti Lepep's 34 year rule, we we need to seize this opportunity to live a life free of politics, to do away with victimisation and intimidation.

This is the fourth nomination of Mr Ramkalawan by the SNP.

In his speech at the STC Conference Hall, Mr Ramkalawan promised to do his best to unite the Seychellois nation and make Seychelles a better country.

He also attacked the record of President Michel’s administration and said he’s open to new ideas and new ways of conducting the business of government.

"This election is our chance to do away with mediocrity, broken promises and to ride of our fear of the government." 

Mr Ramkalawan criticised President Michel as out of touch with the concerns of the working Seychellois. He added that the President had failed to help them on issues such as the cost of living, the right to work, health care they can have confidence in and quality education. 

He also stressed that he would reform the civil service and makes it free of politics.

“No civil servants will be tolerated to overtly show their political affiliation, whilst conducting their professional duties. The ruling party’s supporters have nothing to fear under an SNP administration.”

Joined for the occasion by his wife Linda, Mr Ramkalawan was given a standing ovation by the crowds. 

SNP “Ready To Lead”

The annual convention of the Seychelles National Party was a rallying call for members to work for victory in the Presidential election due next year.

The SNP is ‘Ready to Lead’, Party Leader Wavel Ramkalawan declared to participants gathered in the International Conference  Centre, Victoria, on Sunday. The SNP has proven that it had the right ideas on what was necessary to move the country forward, the Party Leader said to an enthusiastic audience, and it has championed the principles that the ruling party is following today.  It has shown that it is capable of leading the country to achieve a higher standard of governance and prosperity for its citizens, he declared. 

Mr. Ramkalawan expressed his confidence that the SNP has the support of the majority of the people of Seychelles today, and would win the election if it they were free and fair. The convention was a resolute call for the party to do everything possible to remove the obstacles to greater democracy and equitable conditions for elections.

Party Leader Ramkalawan said that Seychellois people had been taught to be fearful of change, but that it had realized there was nothing to fear. SNP did not believe in forcing politics into people’s lives. “No one has to fear for his liberty, his rights, his job or his security under an SNP Government”, the SNP leader said.
The approaching elections loomed large in the business of the Convention, from the Secretary-General’s report to the resolutions at the end of the event. Officers and members stressed the need for everyone to view it as a defining moment in the history of Seychelles and for all to work for the goal of making SNP the next Government of Seychelles.

The convention was the occasion to deal with administrative requirements which included approval of the country’s accounts for 2009. In an open forum, members took the opportunity to bring forward points that they wanted the party to take up. These points were framed into resolutions on a number of points on which the party executive was called to act.

One of the resolutions passed was to endorse a petition calling for an independent and impartial SBC which members signed, to be delivered to State House. Others included protecting artisanal fishing for  Seychellois, improving the salary and conditions of home carers, ensuring equal pay for all stevedores, and pressing for an independent electoral commission.

The Convention approved a special motion to extend the mandate of the Executive Committee in place for one year instead of holding elections. In presenting this motion, executive committee member Bernard Georges explained that the present executive committee had begun preparing next year’s elections campaign and needed to carry on with the task.

The Convention elected two officers to fill vacant posts. Maryse Eichler was elected as the Party Treasurer to replace Alain St. Ange and Bryan Julie was elected as the new Deputy Treasurer.

The Convention paid a special tribute to the events of October 3, 2006, when party leaders and members were beaten up by police outside the National Assembly, an occasion which symbolized the party’s struggle for freedom of expression in Seychelles.

 Sunday’s event included the draw for a lottery which the SNP had organized. Sharifa Ho-Kan of Port Glaud came away with the star prize of a new Hyundai I10 car.