One year on: how ‘serye’ is the Jj Spirit and his Assembly?

This month marks exactly a year since the SPPF Assembly team won the majority seats in the legislative elections, as a serious team, willing to wake Seychelles from its siesta, and push through long delayed yet vital economic, social, and political reforms.

But now, twelve months after being elected, the team President Michel described as his ‘lasanble serye’ has turned out to be a mere docile group of politicians. Whilst the SNP had brought about a series of propositions to reduce the cost of living, call for more support for the farming community and to gear up the fight against drug, the SPPF had been nothing but a voiceless power in bringing about change.

Part of the problem is the huge expectations the SPPF created, through their heavily state subsidised election campaign. Riding on the phrase ‘kapab, konpetan e kosto,’ Mr Michel and his MNAs spoke to the voters in a ‘soit disant’ renewed commitment, as if they were not part of ex-president Rene’s 27 year reign.

Whilst the people initially appreciated Michel’s efforts to bring the militaristic, aloof Seychelles presidency closer to the people, his Assembly team remains disconnected and lacks the ability to provide him with solutions for our deepening economic crisis.

To date President Michel has been more concerned with his over exposure in the media and giving more time to projects with no immediate results, such as the Seychelles University, the sea level rise foundation and the ‘Jj Spirit Foundation.’ Critics charge that Michel has so far failed to clearly explain where he wants to lead the country, to provide a roadmap. Instead, he’s been promoting Strategy 2017, with no clear explanation for the average Seychellois to make sense of the proposals.

Michel is most sharply criticized, however, for his handling of the economy. Elected in large part on the slogan of creating more prosperity for the people, he promised to restore the purchasing power of the Seychellois workers. His failure to do so is strongly resented by his supporters, who are having a hard time making ends, meet. For his part, Michel blames the international economic crisis - the high fuel prices and other raw materials, and the global food crisis – for our economic woes. In the meantime, the Seychellois people are judging the president by his actions.