Friday 25 January 2013

What’s with the silence?



Events of the past week have indeed reinforced local skeptics’ views that we have a Government that is bent on hiding the truth from the general public. Or should I say is determine to stop the truth from getting out. 

It’s been only four weeks since the New Year but the Government is already facing a number of scandals including the death of the unborn child of Seychelles Weekly Editor, Ralph Volcere at the Seychelles Hospital which underlines the crisis in the country’s health sector. Then there has been confirmation of a Tunisian fugitive walking free in Seychelles, showing that our country as an African Union member and an International member of the Interpol organization is still willing to betray member countries. Also in the wake of the Union Estate corruption investigation, comes the revelation of the controversial sale of state land by former Minister, Dolor Ernesta which further highlighted the high level corruption going on in Seychelles.

However, on all the above issues the Government is remaining tight lipped. It has been clear over the years that the strategy applied by this Administration over similar issues in recent years is to say nothing at all until the stories eventually die out. This is, because the Government thinks the Seychellois public forgets easily and moves on with life fast.

The only hope left for the Seychellois public is for the opposition press to keep the story alive by reminding their readers of it week after week. In the past a degree of success has been achieved by applying this strategy.       

Managing public information is something the Seychellois authorities are still grappling with. Exposing sensitive information remains an important strategy in the eventual opening up of state institutions.    
Silence may be golden, but for how long can one keep silent, when knowing too well that keeping silent often says you have something to hide. But most importantly the truth always comes out.

Friday 18 January 2013

Make a make this year



A new year offers an opportunity for a fresh start for you and your family.

My hope is that every Seychellois can enjoy a 2013 that is peaceful and fulfilling in terms of the attainment of personal goals as well as the goals of organisations – community, social, educational, cultural and artistic, faith based, civil society, labour, co-operative and businesses both small and large – in which citizens participate in and contribute to.

Given the realities we experienced in 2012, 2013 is promising to be indeed another challenging year. I hope that collectively we have the courage and decency to take our elected leaders to task in the months ahead so that they address the issues that arose in 2012 along with all of the other baggage from prior years.

We have heard enough promises and we have complained for long enough in silence. Now is the time to make your voice heard and of course count. 

2013, like 2012, will see ongoing citizen dissatisfaction with their quality of life. Issues such as roads, drainage, flooding, poor conditions at our schools and health care facilities, the absence of adequate, quality community facilities and the continuing rise in violence and crime will continue to be part of our lives. So what are you going to do about it?

Let us reject the complacency of saying that things cannot change. Let us instead re-imagine our future and start thinking outside the box. Learn about your rights, write protest letters to your representatives and start boycotting activities, products or venues that you are dissatisfied with. Only then will you as a citizen will be taken serious. Only then will the rules of the game change fundamentally for you and your family.