Peter Sinon, One Seychelles party’s interim president and secretary general ‘One Seychelles’ assessment of LDS government performance can be considered as a low average’ |26 October 2021
Mr Peter Sinon
“The One Seychelles assessment of the performance of the Linyon Demokratik Seselwa government in office, with an overwhelming majority in our National Assembly for a year can at best be considered as a low average performance.
“The Linyon Demokratik Seselwa (LDS) government took office in a very difficult socio-economic predicament. The spread of Covid-19 in the Seychellois communities and the complete closure of the tourism industry brought the economy to its knees. The Seychelles rupee went into free-fall as the inflows of foreign currency drastically dried out with the demise of the tourism and related industries.
“The availability and continuous drive to promote uptake of vaccines as well as the installation of the Travisory system to allow the ‘safe’ re-opening of the international airport to re-welcome certified, PCR tested tourists is also a commendable action that allowed the ‘safe’ resumption of some critical pre-Covid-19, income-generating economic activities from tourism. Those actions restored much hope under the advice of the Public Health Authority with new norms of how we can fairly safely live our lives with Covid-19 within the ambit of the ‘New Normal way of living’.
“Those are the pluses!!!.
“However, there are areas on the domestic front that warrant clarity in strategies, lack of critical information and where we are most disappointed.
“1. We are told that we are in an International Monetary Fund (IMF) economic reform programme, however unlike the first such programme where the President of the Republic personally chaired district consultation meetings where questions and answers went a long way to allay the fears and uncertainties that prevailed then ‒ is what is missing today and of great concern to many. This is especially so, when a number of people are losing their jobs (livelihoods) and are having increasing difficulties to meet basic needs and provide for their families.
“2. To add petrol to fire of hardship, welfare support to such people is also under the axe and the axe is cutting a bit deeper than those who, we are told, were abusing the system. It is the least fortunate in our country who are being affected as have been the case in all past IMF reform programmes across Africa and least developed economies in trouble. Some have begun to take to the streets on weekends. Thus, we have the embers of a possible explosive situation forming right under our eyes. ‘A hungry man is usually an angry man!’
“The 'welfare system' that we once knew is systematically being dismantled. Welfare is being effectively chopped and now Seychellois are being informed how government will soon disengage itself from housing provision as well! On the streets concerned Seychellois are wondering “What's Next?”
“3. Rise in poverty goes hand in hand with rise in crime. Seychelles is witnessing this upward trend for both aforementioned buddies. It is up to the new leadership to find apt ways to address this rising trend for the sake of all of us, especially our resurging tourism industry.
“4. Inflation and cost of living seem to know no limit. The Seychelles Trading Company (STC) once the main government lever in a market economy context that was able to anchor the prices of basic necessities without national price controls, has become a shadow of its previous self. Its ability and impact on national price stabilisation is now minimal, given its absences in the districts or inner islands as outlets for multiple consumers. The consequences of its absences are felt by the poorest who feel the pain of unaffordability of most consumables whose prices continue to rise!
“5. LDS has so far been unable to produce a national strategy for the short, medium and long term for Seychelles. All Seychellois rich or poor, those living in the country or abroad, healthy or sick, would like to know the direction and strategy that this new government plans to take this educated and ambitious Seychellois nation. However, all that we have to go on so far, is their pre-election promises ‒ their party manifesto. If we were to go by that document, our initial assessment would be much too generous. Why? Because unfortunately very few, if any of those pre-election promises to the electorate have materialised. One year in office and all we are told is to be patient for the promised changes to eventually break ground ‒ no strategy, no timeframe!
“6. The recently accented amendment on the 'Public Asset Declaration Act' is an untimely and grossly miscalculated regression right after the European Union (EU) has removed Seychelles from the financial blacklisted countries and placed it on their grey list. Our domestic re-action seems to be a slap in their face since they are internally facing pertinent questions as to the rationale for their decision and action given that Seychelles features prominently in the recently published ‘Pandora Papers’.
“7. Major issues such as the Air Seychelles saga are also still very much in limbo. The jobs of a large number of young highly trained Seychellois, from managers to technocrats, to technicians as well as the support staff are all on the line. To date, we are all none the wiser about the issue except to cling to the hope that the minister's promise that all workers who do not fit in the next restructuring programme of Air Seychelles will be given another job! We would all agree that this is not much to hold on to these days. Far much more have been promised and not delivered.
“We can go on and on but given the space limitations that is always an issue we will stick to our rating of a low average performance with much room for improvement. If this government wants to rally the majority of Seychellois behind the reform programme it must have trust and confidence that the present Seychellois electorate are no longer the ignorant and childish and almost blind followers. But rather experienced and educated patriots who have the abilities to join hands and shoulders to move this country not just forward but enhance the living standards of all its 100,000 souls ‒ leaving no-one behind. Yes we can, if there is the collective will for a One Seychelles.”