President Faure meets Preserve Seychelles’ executive board |07 August 2019

The executive board members of Preserve Seychelles during their meeting with President Faure yesterday

President Danny Faure yesterday met the executive board members of Preserve Seychelles, an association aimed at protecting the country’s sovereignty, to discuss numerous issues pertaining to foreign military presence in the country and preserving the local environment among others.

During the scheduled meeting at State House, chairperson of Preserve Seychelles, Terry Sandapin, presented President Faure with a copy of the finalised report on Assomption island and the association’s convention. The report has been drawn up by the association following a visit to three outer islands last month whereby Mr Sandapin, Guynemer Antoine Corgat and Ralph Volcère, all members of the association, visited three outer islands including Assomption in a bid to determine whether there is any foreign military presence or any indication that foreign military is to establish on the outer islands in the near future.

Spokesperson for Preserve Seychelles, Robert Grandcourt, noted that the main point of discussion with President Faure is the sovereignty of Seychelles, the environment and harmony in communities in Seychelles.

“We discussed our sovereignty, we are still concerned and oppose the idea of any country establishing a military presence on our soil. It started with Assomption and it came as a big shock to us as members of Preserve Seychelles because we saw it as the beginning of another country trying to conquer our own country,” he said.

“Secondly, there are many other softer ways that we can lose control over our country. Next year we are going to celebrate 250 years since the first settlement in Seychelles so we need to anticipate what kind of dangers we can be faced with and what contributions, we as an association can make. There are dangers, if we are not cautious we can lose control of our country and we can be colonised again. Though we are unsure what country will colonise us but we have to be ready and prepared for any foreign powers that may wish to colonise us again,” he added.

In terms of the environment, members voiced concerns about large construction projects that damage the environment and which are not necessarily beneficial for the people of Seychelles. Referring to granitic formations which have formed naturally over thousands of years, trees and greenery, Mr Grandcourt noted that these natural resources bear value not only to Seychellois citizens, but also for visitors and tourists to the islands asserting the need to preserve and conserve the natural beauty of the Seychelles islands.

Additionally, Preserve Seychelles addressed the issue of immigration and foreign nationals who are granted Seychellois nationality all too easily. He stated that Preserve Seychelles is not xenophobic but that it simply wants to ensure that all Seychellois benefit from the privileges which the forefathers of Seychelles fought for.

Preserve Seychelles also forwarded several propositions to address the issues raised by them, propositions which Mr Grandcourt states were welcomed by President Faure.

“We pointed out many points and the President listened attentively to us. But one thing he did explain to us is that he inherited many of the problems and our members shared with him certain suggestions to mitigate problems,” Mr Grandcourt said.

“I think it was an honest and sincere dialogue and as with all dialogues he told us he is available to us and we will take up that offer. I will use this opportunity to urge young people to join Preserve Seychelles as there are a lot of things that are difficult for our politicians to do so we can help our country in both good and bad times,” Mr Grandcourt concluded.

Preserve Seychelles will schedule a press conference in the coming days to disclose the findings of the report on Assomption island.