Interview with outgoing British High Commissioner Patrick Lynch |06 July 2023
British High Commissioner Patrick Lynch
‘The world is safer and more stable when countries like Seychelles are independent, sovereign, prosperous and democratic’
British High Commissioner Patrick Lynch was accredited to Seychelles on August 23, 2019. As he nears the end of his mandate, Seychelles NATION caught up with the British diplomat who shared highlights of his four-year tenure in the following exclusive interview.
Seychelles NATION: You have lived in Seychelles for the last four years. How have you found the experience?
HC Lynch: What a four years! The contrast of moving from Washington DC to Seychelles, a global pandemic, an historic democratic transition and the launch of a range of significant new programmes. It certainly has not been boring! Joking aside, it has been a great experience. Seychelles has the most stunning landscape in the world and it has been a joy for our family to explore it all extensively. It is a great country to live in, a healthier lifestyle than anywhere else we have lived, our children have gone to a great school and we have all made friends for life.
Professionally, things have also gone very well. We have built an expanded team at the BHC and every one of them is hard working, fun and dedicated to building a bilateral relationship that can benefit the people of these islands. That has been reflected in a real surge in activity over the past few years.
Seychelles NATION: The British High Commission in Seychelles has been very active. Can you tell us about your work?
HC Lynch: It has been a busy time for our team and I am proud of the work that has been done with some great local partners. Our focus has been on our community projects as well as extensive support on anti-corruption and policing. All of the work we do here is governed by three very simple principles. We work where we are invited to do so, we work on issues where we think we can make a difference to the local community, and the work is always directed by local expertise to ensure that Seychellois challenges have Seychellois solutions.
Other countries will have different agendas and objectives for small strategically important countries like Seychelles. For the UK, our objective is very clear. The world is safer and more stable when countries like Seychelles are independent, sovereign, prosperous and democratic. The depth of our partnership reflects our deep shared history and values and is based on mutual respect.
Seychelles NATION: A lot of the BHC’s recent work in the community has been youth-focused. Will UK support for these initiatives continue?
HC Lynch: Yes, our most successful projects have been with young people. We are delighted to be in the middle of the third season of the Seychelles’ Schools Premier League, with boys and girls from every secondary school in the country now competing in the kits of English Premier League teams. The dedication of the players and coaches has been brilliant and it has also been great to see families and friends coming along to watch the games. A notable success this year was our support to the relaunch of the Seychelles National Youth Assembly, through its first ever democratic election. Once again, we saw great local leadership engaging on this project.
We have also been working with schools and care homes for children and the elderly and we continue to look for areas where we can try and make a difference. All of this work will continue and flourish.
Seychelles NATION: You mentioned anti-corruption. Why did the UK choose to partner with Seychelles on this theme and how will the people of Seychelles benefit?
HC Lynch: The UK responded very positively when we were asked to provide support to Seychelles on anti-corruption. We have provided a number of international experts to advise the Anti-Corruption Commission on investigation, prosecution and recovery of illegal assets. The UK and Seychelles have also been delighted with the recent support provided by Australia and the US.
Wherever there is unexplained wealth there are opportunities to bring illegal assets back to the communities that they were stolen from. Public resources belong to the people, and, where they can be recovered from criminals, there is huge potential for investment in schools, hospitals and to improve the life chances of young people. Seychelles has a very small population. If it can recover substantial illegal assets then it has the potential to transform the lives of its citizens.
Inevitably, there will always be small number of people who seek to obstruct any progress that challenges criminality and self-interest. Where we see that, it only encourages us to increase our support to Seychellois who are working hard to build a better country.
Seychelles NATION: What has the UK support on policing involved?
HC Lynch: One of the first requests for partnership that we received following the last election, was on police reform. There had been relatively little change in policing in the preceding decades so it is understandable that an incoming government was keen to review and reform. We have had a number of policing experts from the UK here, working with local leaders to explore options to further improve police effectiveness and build safer communities.
The Commissioner of Police has now published a very clear plan for reform. We believe that this has the potential to have a very positive impact for the people of these islands and UK specialists are assisting a number of impressive local police officers who have been appointed to implement various parts of the change programme. Understandably, we have also been asked to support new efforts to tackle the heroin epidemic.
Seychelles NATION: You’ve lived in many countries around the world. How bad do you think the drug problem is in Seychelles?
HC Lynch:The heroin epidemic is obviously by far the biggest challenge that this country is facing and the government of Seychelles has confirmed that the situation is worse than in any other country in the world. It really is markedly different and anyone who lives here, including my own young family, regularly witnesses the human impact and the human tragedy. It truly is a human tragedy that wealthy Seychellois are able to enrich themselves through killing other Seychellois and destroying communities here.
Seychelles NATION: Can the situation improve?
HC Lynch:Absolutely. There is no reason why the heroin networks cannot be successfully and quickly dismantled. The President has asked for international assistance, which has been forthcoming, and has stated that no one is above the law. Seychelles has a relatively well resourced police force and, in a country this small, the cause and effect of crime is often very visible.
If it doesn’t improve, Seychelles is facing a major economic threat. International media is now projecting very negative images of Seychelles, tourists are increasingly concerned and the UK and others are being forced to carefully monitor our travel advice and decide how safe it is for our citizens to travel here. We would much rather that the heroin networks were dismantled and the lives of many Seychellois were saved.
Seychelles NATION: Do you think corruption and the ongoing drug problem in Seychelles are connected?
HC Lynch: In all countries that suffer from drug use, including the UK, Seychelles and across the world, drug dealers rely on and are enabled by elements of corruption. If Seychelles has the worst heroin epidemic in the world then it would be impossible for anyone to dispute that corruption is a factor.
Seychelles NATION: As you approach the final months of your four-year mandate as High Commissioner of Seychelles, what are your plans moving forward?
HC Lynch:We will be moving on in a few months’ time with very fond memories. We will be going back to the UK for a while so that I can undertake some language training ahead of my next diplomatic posting.
Seychelles NATION: What are you looking forward to most about being back in the UK and what will you miss about Seychelles?
HC Lynch:I’m looking forward to getting more time with friends and family. We are likely to be based in Scotland for some time, so I am very much looking forward to getting back to watching the Scottish national football team in some big games that are coming up.
I’ll miss some of the great people we have met in Seychelles, I’ll miss the brilliant BHC team and I will miss the nature, weather and lifestyle I have enjoyed here.
