One Seychelles president reacts to allegations of financial mismanagement |14 January 2020
Mr St Ange
Reacting to allegations of financial mismanagement within the One Seychelles political party following the resignation last week of its treasurer Vincent Padayachy, the party’s president Alain St Ange has said the treasurer was responsible for all the party’s finances.
Answering Seychelles NATION’s question as to whether it was true that the treasurer resigned because he felt he was not implicated and involved in handling and managing the party’s funds, Mr St Ange stated that to date the party is still baffled as to why the treasurer had until his resignation not opened a bank account for the party.
“He was the treasurer and he had the responsibility to open a bank account for the party and administer all its funds,” said Mr St Ange.
“We still don’t understand why he had not opened an account for the party because he kept all the money members contributed and donors gave for the running of the party,” Mr St Ange added, noting that it was the treasurer himself who provided him with funds for the party’s work in the districts.
Mr St Ange went on to add that Mr Padayachy is alleging that donors were giving him, Mr St Ange personally, money for the running of the party and he was keeping these for himself something which he has categorically denied.
Meanwhile, Mr St Ange has welcomed the fact that the Electoral Commission has confirmed that it will hold an enquiry into those allegations and more specifically into the source of the party’s financing as under the Political Parties Act, political parties are not allowed to accept funds from certain sources namely foreign governments or their agents, foreign political parties among others.
“One Seychelles welcomes the enquiry as it will prove that Mr Padayachy is lying and I am sure the enquiry will bring to light many issues and I am really looking forward to its outcome,” Mr St Ange said.
Meanwhile Jean Claude Denis has been named the new treasurer of the party.
Marie-Anne Lepathy