Seychelles Party for Social Justice and Democracy presidential candidate Alexia Amesbury |01 December 2015

‘My wish is to eliminate poverty by making the country’s vast wealth available to all’

Seychelles NATION: Why do you think the people should vote for you as President of Seychelles?

Alexia Amesbury: I do not live in an ivory tower. I connect to people at every level. I possess the four qualities of: credibility, honesty, integrity and compassion that are an absolute necessity if the office of president in Seychelles is to regain its constitutional stature.

Seychelles NATION: What is your definition of leadership? And what is your overarching purpose as a leader?

Alexia Amesbury: Leadership is a strategic vision with a persuasive voice that produces tangible results. My overarching purpose is to seek to find new opportunities for individuals by empowering them to harness their capability, potential and  other resources  in order to come together to build a worthwhile future. To make the future and vision a reality leadership is about delivering successful and useful change.

Seychelles NATION: Are we better off now than we were four years ago?

Alexia Amesbury: No, because the vast majority of people today are poorer in every way than they were four years ago.

Seychelles NATION: In the past, how have you responded to, evaluated and learned from mistakes – your own and those of your team?

Alexia Amesbury: I do not have a political past to speak of and neither did I have a team.

Seychelles NATION: What is your negotiating style, approach, philosophy?

Alexia Amesbury: “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God that things that are God’s”

Seychelles NATION: Tell us about a time when your judgment has been tested in crisis. And what do you want the people to appreciate about your judgment?

Alexia Amesbury: Years ago in Kenya I had to help a woman deliver her baby in a “country bus” with no facilities at all, after all passengers “freaked out”. I got the driver to pull off the road, got the men off the bus, grabbed a newspaper from a passenger, and laid her in the aisle of the bus. After the baby was born, I laid the woman on the back seat with the baby on her belly as there was no scissors on the bus and then asked the driver to drive like “hell” to the nearest hospital. My level headedness and the way I take control in “panic situations”.

A more recent incident was when I heard about the case of the prisoner dying of cancer. I immediately did what had to be done to save him from death in prison. Again it was my rapid positive action.

Seychelles NATION: What are the keys to translating your vision for Seychelles’ future into action?

Alexia Amesbury: My wish is to eliminate poverty by making the country’s vast wealth available to all.

Seychelles NATION: Young people will be engaged in this election in greater numbers than ever before. How will you keep them engaged?

Alexia Amesbury: We need to dissipate the dark cloud of despair surrounding the youth. Treat them with the respect they deserve. Make adequate provisions for their continued education without political control and victimisation.  
    
Seychelles NATION: How will you create an environment for innovation within your leadership team?

Alexia Amesbury: By not being dictatorial.

Seychelles NATION: In what ways will you help Seychellois realise the challenges we face and do the hard work of overcoming them together?

Alexia Amesbury: The root of every challenge facing the Seychellois today is a corrupt government with no credibility. Together, we should vote it out. Get rid of the government and there goes the problem/challenge.

Seychelles NATION: Can you give us two or three concrete examples from your past as to how you have helped change the culture of an organisation?

Alexia Amesbury: It seems to be a part of the Seychellois culture to mantoun (complain) about a problem but not stand up and do something about it.
I have always complained about foreign judicial appointments.