Let the dialogue begin

As a newspaper, LSH often writes on social affairs in an attempt to make a difference in our society or try to exploit an issue which is topical and generating the public’s interest.

These pieces are often written whilst we are feeling positive about change. Does this kind of journalism change anything? We don’t know, but are always enthusiastic and optimistic. It’s what we do, what we can do, what we have time to do. We know it’s not enough, but we have to keep at it. We are serious of doing our bit in our country’s nation building process. 

The reason we have to highlight this fact today is because the level of pointless political attacks on journalism saddens us in this country. Political parties need to make the distinction of when a journalist as a private citizen is making a social commentary as oppose to a politician making a political argument at a political rally.

We have reason to believe there is a serious misunderstanding of what any serious journalism is all about in this country.

We don’t do this job because we want to antagonize as many public figures as possible in the name of selling papers. We do it because so many things are going wrong in different bits of Seychelles’ public life, and in the small way that writing articles allows, we want to ask why – by exerting the necessary level of pressure, sometimes flatter and yes we are willing to embarrass those who can give us an answer as well.

LSH journalists are not creatures of the established norm locally that you cannot bring forth something until you have been granted the go ahead officially. Yes we are not always “objective” and “neutral” because we strongly feel that the status quo does not have the monopoly on all ideas on these islands. Who says their views have more authority than any other possible stance? This is why we will continue to promote the other side of all arguments despite the underlying suspicion that we are promoting a particular political view. We simply feel the most important dialogue and exchange of ideas is just beginning.