Fooling the people

This week I observed just how desperate the authorities are to control everything and ensure that information that filters to the public is according to their version of events.

I was alerted by a number of calls since last Saturday morning that the Indian construction workers at the Savoy Resort and Spa site were complaining of not being paid and were refusing to work. Finally the situation got out of hand on Monday afternoon and they converged on the street to manifest their anger.

I got to the Beau Vallon police station in time to witness the negotiations between the workers’ representatives, the Indian High Commission officials, the Ministry of Employment and Human Resources (ML&RH), the developers and the Police.

Just like a police investigator at a crime scene, a journalist’s role whilst covering a story will usually make sure to cover all angles. That means talking to all sources involved and we tried to do just that on Monday. 

The police was happy to declare to the media that they were on top of the situation having successfully convinced the protestors to leave the road and to sit peacefully inside the station compound. They also allowed the media to interact with the developers and reassured us that the officials from the ML&RH were on their way to Beau Vallon and will give a press briefing. But one group was out of bounds and the police will interfere each time we tried to have a word with them – the Indian protestors! 

The striking workers were the reason we were all there that afternoon and their voices were imperative to be heard. But the Police would have none of it and said allowing the media to talk to them would only agitate them and disturb the peace they had already established. The workers were then escorted by the Police back to their compound and kept inside by the watchful Nepalese security. 

  

The police attitude to me was very clear for one reason - silence the voice of the protestors and protect the image of Government. To any fair-minded individual, this attitude is wrong. We need to hear the whole story and not just the official point of view. For far too long, we have been fed well rehearsed lines only to conceal the truth. This cannot go on for much longer, for as Bob Marley put it, “You can fool some people sometimes but you can’t fool all the people all the time.”

      

Exile yourself!

Last week, the Parti Lepep (PL) mouth piece, The People, shamelessly asked me to exile myself if I feel I don't like the Government.

The attack was in response to my editorial two weeks back entitled ‘I am ashamed of my Government.’

In typical one-party state attitude, The People wrote, “then what are you doing in this country if you are ashamed of your Government? Go and live overseas.”

This is not the first time PL has launched such an attack on anyone who dared challenge their regime.

It is my right to disagree strongly with the current socialist Government's position and agenda on a variety of issues. My loyalty and full support is towards the Constitution. An American social commentator once wrote “you can love your country without having to love your Government.”

I love my country and the ideals it was founded upon, such as peace, tolerance and hard work. The country is the people, the land and the way of life.

The government is the only governing administration I have known my entire life. From the coup d’état to winning the elections through scare mongering tactics, they have managed to impose themselves upon us until now.  Sure the Government has done bits and pieces for the country and its people, but at the same time it is gradually growing too powerful and starting to think Seychelles is uniquely theirs!

As a patriot I see it as my duty to defend Seychelles against any Government which is not serving its best interest.  I will be loyal to a Government only when it deserves it.

The trouble with the ruling party is that they cannot differentiate between Government and country, just as they are as confuse between party and state.

I will continue to voice my opinion when I feel the need to. If they do not like it tough like or else they want to resort to other illegal means to silence me, as we all know they have used in the past!

It’s only information for the public consumption

In past editions, I have written a lot about the duty of all public institutions to provide the public with the right information and for the media’s right to access official information to be respected.

When this is not the case, information is often prone to misinterpretation when it is not correctly adequately disseminated.  It often finds its way into the public domain through the rumour mill and frequently results in promoting restiveness among people.

LSH always try to officially verify any information before we publish it. We feel it is the onus is on the concerned authorities to confirm or deny the information we seek. As always we will also let our readers know that we have tried our utmost to contact those concerned with any story we print.

Since two weeks now LSH has written to the National Assembly (SNA) with regards to the status of the elected member of St Louis, Herbert Hoareau. It is obvious that Mr. Hoareau has been absent from a number of sittings.

We’ve also inquired about the Speaker, who was notably absent from the Legislature during the week of 22^nd to 26^th October.  As a matter of fact, it was Deputy Speaker Andre Pool who officially opened the COMESA workshop on the Role of Parliamentarians in the Fight against War Economies held at the Coral Strand Hotel on the 22^nd October.  Hon. Pool also presided over the Legislative session on the 23^rd.

Since the SNA has made no public announcement on his absence, LSH decided to inquire about his movement. Our email was never acknowledged as if the information was none of our business.

However, LSH is of the opinion that since SNA is supposed to represent the people, the institution has the responsibility to be open and transparent to the public through the media on the whereabouts of their representatives.

I am ashamed of my Government

Whilst I sit at my desk writing this column, the lyrics of Jean Ally’s song “I feel proud to be a Seychellois” keeps resonating in my head.

I have always been proud of my country, in spite of its many flaws. Every time I travel I would say where I am from with pride and invite friends to visit our islands and I was a good ambassador.

But last weekend, I can across an article in the daily newspaper, Seychelles Nation that pushed me closer to those who have lost faith in our confidence as a sovereign nation and wondered where the ruling party has led us to, 36 years after independence?

The article in question may be about the air evacuation of a 6-month old baby to receive specialist care in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), but at the same time it exposes so many things that are going wrong with us as a nation and the sovereignty of our country.

The baby’s parents reaction has nothing to do with the way I felt. As a parent I would also have politely thanked whoever saved my child’s life.   

But is it the mandate of a national newspaper to propagate state propaganda, promoting the ruler of the UAE, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan as a savior and a “great leader,” – not to forget the urgent intervention by President Michel”?

What the writer did not realize is that the article reminded us how backward our health service is in terms of quality care, availability of qualified personnel and specialized equipment that a critically ill patient can easily die if not for the generosity and compassion of Sheikh Khalifa.

“All this became possible thanks to the close links that President James Michel has with the UAE President,” the article read – a well rehearsed line in typical North Korean style indoctrination.

This sort of eternal gratefulness to a foreign ruler makes me appalled, disappointed and ashamed. I cannot recall experiencing such an emotion before that flirtation between Seychelles and the Arab state began. For most people, I assume, that is now becoming a common feeling. 

I will surely be criticized in some quarters for my stance. I stand by it and feel glad I am not being cowardly and ignorant to what is happening before my own eyes.

Seychellois need to start reflecting and questioning the relationship this administration is pursuing on our behalf with the UAE. I could not help but wonder what the Emiratis think of us privately or ask myself if there is a Seychellois who will not feel at least a bit awkward when he or she next encounters somebody from the UAE, because of the way our Government makes us so dependent on them? Come to think of it, perhaps it is the Michel Administration I should be ashamed of rather than my country.

Your powers do not exceed the public’s rights

The recent court verdict in the case against the Editor of the Seychelles Weekly newspaper, Ralph Volcere, brought the Attorney General, Ronny Govindeen on SBC TV to give the public a talk down on how some offices or institutions should be respected at all costs and never be subjected to slander.

I do not disagree with Mr. Govindeen on this point. No one should be subjected to slander. However, it is equally important to make the difference between slandering and criticism.  With the absence of a strong official Opposition to scrutinize the work of the Government in the Legislature, the task is being left to the media to take them to task and this is where the problem is arising.

Sadly far too often our public officials are developing a thin skin and are heading to court en masse to seek redress to what they see as ‘malicious libel,’ ‘lowering their authority,’ ‘prejudicing them’ or ‘committing an act of intentional disrespect towards them.’ 

As a watchdog institution, the press is charged with the responsibility of ensuring that actions and decisions taken by public officials are subject to oversight. Without a vocal press, openness and accountability will be impossible in Seychelles today, when we consult the level of influence the ruling party has in all tiers of Government. By keeping the necessary pressure, the press is ensuring that government initiatives meet their stated objectives and respond to the needs of the country. 

As the press learns to avoid the pitfalls in the law, so should the public officials learn to handle criticism, even if sometimes it is unfair.

Most criticism is probably based, at least in part, on some truths. Yes they may appear negative, but through criticism we have the opportunity to learn and improve.

The press is often described as the mirror of society. So, instead of taking what they write personally, public officials should consider it as someone is asking them to listen. This is what the Seychellois public in their vast majority do nowadays; they get the press to report on an issue that is affecting them and that they want to see change. So please stop using your powers to stampede on the public’s rights to have an open and accountable Government.