BY ALEXIA G. AMESBURY
Although I have had the desire for high political office in
Seychelles for an infinitely long time it was not until last year that I called
at the office of the electoral Commission for the forms to get the ball
rolling.
If truth be told I waited with the hope that one day our
political leaders will give democracy a chance to take root in Seychelles. I
was still in the UK when I came across a Parti Seselwa leaflet that touched me enormously
and made me decide to be a part of the vision I read about because I could not
push for the thrust to democracy if I was on the outside.
I returned to
Seychelles briefly in1992 and then intermittently but I remember voting in the
first multiparty election, and every other election except for the last one in
2011. In 1993 I hoped that with the New Constitution, Seychelles would finally function
as a democracy. With the same old leaders I did not expect it to be an
overnight democratic success and slowly I began to realize that there was no political
will to change the old one Party State mentality.
I now think that when Mr. James Michel was handed over power
in 2004 it was already obvious to him as Vice-President and Minister for
Finance and Mr. René that the economy was on the verge of collapse. The powers
that be, did not expect Mr. Michel to win in 2006. “Sa gato” imminent economic collapse
was prepared for the opposition, at the time the SNP, but of course with a two
year head start, Michel won, and so he was forced to admit economic failure and
call in the IMF.
I have since heard stories of harassment, killings,
disappearances, victimisation and detention meted out to those who were
fighting and pushing hard for Multi-Party democracy. Today I salute and honour all
those who suffered for justice, democracy and freedom in our country because
without their courage and determination I would not have been empowered to proudly
stand up as a Seychelloise on the verge of participating as a Presidential
candidate in the forthcoming Presidential election.
I also salute and honour Dr. Hilda Stevenson Delhomme
Seychelles’ First Female Politician. I am aware that today Wavel Ramkalawan is
being demonized but we cannot erase history and he was the one who single-handedly
opened the eyes and ears of the people when he was the sole voice of the
opposition in the National Assembly. I may not agree with one or two of his
decisions but I salute and honour him and members of his Party for their
persistence, and bravery often in the face of open animosity and State
sponsored violence, because without their conviction and belief in the ideals
of democracy I would not be standing beside him as a Presidential candidate.
Despite divisive words being spread by the ruling party that
the opposition is in disarray I will say this. We are united in or collective desire
to remove the elective dictatorship that has ruled Seychelles since 1977 from
power. We are united in our collective desire to give Seychelles a President
whose mandate starts at the ballot box. If South Africa could emerge as one
nation after years of apartheid, we can too.
At the end of the day that is all that the opposition
Parties want, and if the people of Seychelles want the same things, they will
have to choose whom, among the opposition Leaders they can place their trust
and confidence in to deliver, by deciding which leader has the combined qualities
of “honesty, integrity, credibility and compassion.” During the 29th Congress
of Parti Lepep President Michel said that “Las I dan zot lanmen” and I say “fer
sir zot pa kapot ek las”.
