Former PS and politician Olsen Vidot passes away |12 September 2023

Mr Vidot

Seychelles NATION has learned of the passing of Olsen Vidot, former principal secretary of the community development, former member of the People’s Assembly, and past director of the defunct National Youth Service in the 1980s and 1990s.

Following the announcement of his death yesterday morning, messages of condolences have been pouring in.

In a communique, the president of the United Seychelles party, Dr Patrick Herminie, stated it was with immense sadness that the party had heard of his passing.

He stated that Mr Vidot will be remembered as one of the first members to be elected in the People’s Assembly. He also had a long career within the public sector serving in several posts in the ministry of community development and local government until his appointment as principal secretary in 2004.

He stated that a lot of community projects on Mahé, Praslin and La Digue were realised under his guidance.

Mr Vidot also worked a lot with the youth in the public sector and in districts.

Within the party, he served as secretary general, a member of the central committee, and branch chairperson for several years, and had other leadership responsibility at district level where he still played an active role, despite his illness.

“We thank him for all his remarkable contributions for the country, his district, Anse Boileau, and our party, the United Seychelles. I join the Anse Boileau residents, especially the Branch committee, members and supporters of United Seychelles to sympathise with his family. On behalf of the staff of Maison Du Peuple, my family and personally I sympathise with his wife, daughter and grand-children,” stated Dr Herminie. “Mr Vidot will be remembered as a person who was disciplined and serious in his work, and during his leisure time he was friendly and liked cracking jokes. A worker, a hardworking father, a politician who put his party’s principles first,” said Dr Herminie.

For his part, the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, Sebastien Pillay, also took to social media to express his profound sadness following the news.

“He was a dedicated public servant, friend and colleague. He will be missed. Our deepest sympathy to his family and friends. May his soul rest in peace,” wrote Mr Pillay.

Seychelles NATION also spoke to former minister, Vincent Meriton who worked with Mr Vidot for a decade, when he occupied the post of principal secretary in the Ministry of Community Development and Local government.

“What I admired most about him was that he was disciplined, serious and fair. These are the qualities needed to manage a division or department,” said Mr Meriton, who added that he was blessed to have worked with Mr Vidot and seen his humane side as well.

He said he was a simple person who was always seeking solutions to issues, listening and paying attention to people’s plight.

“As you are aware, local government was a place where we interacted with a lot of people and Mr Vidot was always attending not only to government issues, but to those people that knocked on his door. Every time we discussed one of those issues he would resolve it. That is why I say I am blessed because not everyone reacted and behaved the way he did,” said Mr Meriton.

He added that despite being a serious person, Mr Vidot was always one who mingled and cracked jokes at social events such as Creole Festival, and other local government’s gathering.

“He was one of us, and not a show-off; another trait I admired about him,” concluded Mr Meriton.

Mr Vidot’s career in public service spanned 35 years until 2012 when he moved to the private sector.

He was born of February 4, 1955. He was married to Jeanne D’Arc and was father to Elsia and a grandfather of two.

Compiled by Patsy Canaya