January 12th 2016 will be a date to be remembered by many of
us landowners who have literally been at the mercy of the Minister of Land Use
and Habitat in the ruling party and his predecessors when it comes to the
planning authority and the right to build on a number of properties.
I must first congratulate Mr Talma and his daughter for
having had the audacity, courage and perseverance to continue the battle for 20
long years to have the right to build his hotel on land that belonged to him at
Anse Lazio, Praslin. I have held several posts in government for decades and am
well aware of all frustrations that the Talmas have had to endure over all
those years. How many of us would have continued fighting this evil government
for such a long time? Many would have given up and sold to some rich foreigner.
For sure there were many patiently waiting ‘in the wings’ for the Talmas to
give up the fight for Anse Lazio, one of the most beautiful areas that would
fetch a handsome little pot of gold with all the…….. We all know what happens behind
the screen!!!
In talking to friends, we all felt we have hope in the
judiciary. First of all, I must say ‘chapeau’ to the, CJ Mathilda Twomey, for
having boldly and in no uncertain terms declared Christian Lionnet’s Land Use
Plan invalid. For far too long some in the SPPF/ Lepep government have acted as
if they are the arbitrary decision makers as far as land use and planning
authority is concerned with little regard to the constitutional and legal rights
of many Seychellois. How many of us have been refused permission to build on our
own property for reasons that are not only unreasonable but border on the
ridiculous.
I have experience of
this senselessness when in 2011 my youngest son requested permission to build
two chalets on my property at Port Launay and we were told that the request had
not been approved because the project would spoil the natural beauty of Port
Launay. I was working in London at the time and when I returned to Seychelles and
made some discreet enquiries, I was informed that the order had come from the
minister who is well known in local professional circles as the ‘High Priest of
Lies’
I am well aware that the AG will be asked by he whose mother
asked him “pour kit ou lanmen prop” when he was sworn in as minister to appeal
against the decision of the CJ. It will be interesting to see how things pan
out. Meanwhile all of you who have a story to tell about being frustrated and victimized
by the Lepep government with regards to property development to come out and
tell their story. It is only in naming and shaming those corrupt high
government officials will we see change in the way the machinery of government operates.
Mrs Alexia Amesbury’s revelation of the corrupt land deals of Lionnet and
Morgan at Glacis and Praslin has put tremendous pressure on James Michel to the
extent that the rumour mill seems to indicate that they will be dropped from
cabinet. We will continue to push for an inquiry into the disappearance/ loss
of $4.5 million under the watch of Morgan.
Another breaking news
that allows us to hope is the story around James Michel’s personal friend, the
Indian Seychellois businessman, Mr Siva who was given precedence over James
Mancham some years back and made Ambassador- at-Large. Nobody has asked what he
has to show in terms of tangible benefits that he has brought to Seychelles after
he was conferred such a high profile title other than provide his private plane
to his friend from the house on the hill for trips overseas. Rumours abound
about politicians; including high profile civil servants at National house
having collected bags of cash from the gentleman in what has been labelled the ‘house
of sins’.
One eye witness relates how members of the legislative have
collected cartons of alcohol to organize parties for party faithfuls in the run
up to the presidential elections. Whatever may be the given details of Mr
Siva’s bankruptcy status (or lack of it), a number of high profile officers
stand to lose substantially’ while many of us, observers of the unfolding saga,
have the audacity to hope that we are witnessing a judiciary that is
manifesting its independence from the executive. We should all keep the faith
alive that perhaps we will be moving towards a truly democratic process faster
than we expected.
To all of us
Seychellois (opposition and Lepep supporters) I have two messages for you. The
first is never to give up; the Talmas is an example for us to emulate. The
second message is to come out into the open and tell your story. The time to
fear repercussions and victimizations is well behind us. We can only stop the
calculated frustration techniques and the victimization by coming out and
telling your story by naming and shaming those who are retarding the
development of freedom and justice. We will be all be helping our beautiful
country to move faster on the path of true democracy.
‘Nou lizye in ouver; in tro tar pou fer nou dormi boner”
