Monday, October 3, 2011

James Michel - A Dictator, with no Dignity, in Denial and Decline

The 2011 early parliamentary election in Seychelles, called by Michel, has revealed and exposed the true Michel; a dictator who is loosing his grip on reality and power. Let us remember that Michel was part of a coup that led this country through 15 years of dictatorship and the ruler was no other than his old buddy Rene.

This election came about after the dissolution of the National Assembly after the SNP, the opposition party, had been calling for proper, sincere, and meaningful electorate reform and after several events, surrounding the appointment of the electoral commission, took place.

In past elections SPPF and Parti Lepep would use material things, promise promotions in the goverment, used bribery and other forms of tactics to influence voters. For instance, for each and every election that has taken place since 1992, Mr. Gregoire Payet would distribute money in sealed envelops in his office on the eve of these elections on La Digue. These activities took place mostly at night. The sum of these disbursements would vary from SR1,000.00 to SR5,000.00. The amount would obviously be inversely proportional to how stupid the receiver was perceived to be. In other words if they thought you were really stupid you get SR1,000.00, if you were harder to convince, the sum would go up. And yet, Michel is telling us that everything is perfect and that such activities never took place.

If Michel had the slightest interest in his country, let alone respect for the call of his people, he would have showed some signs of his willingness to discuss the issue at hand with all stakeholders. Instead Michel forged ahead, and pressed Mr. David Pierre, the Judas of the SNP, to register a political party so that the election would go ahead. Let us remember that Mr. Pierre was paid 6.5 million rupees to cause trouble within his party before the Presidential election that took place back in May this year. Mr. Pierre bought a house in La Louise, on Mahe, with some of this money.

Despite the fact that, according to the parliamentary election results, approximately 55% of eligible voters in Seychelles do not approve the way Michel runs his affairs, the man keeps appearing on TV denying the voice of the majority. Michel should know, as president, that 55% is more than 45%, the percentage of votes that the Parti Lepep candidates obtained across all constituencies. But let us recall that if it wasn't for these Indians and other nations who obtained citizenship illegally under this regime the 45% would have shrunk to arguably 38%.

Although not surprising, there are three major phenomena that transpired from this election: (1) the fact that over 16,000 votes were purposely destroyed, this reaffirms that there is a substantial number of people in our country who, irrespective of which side of the fence they are, continue to live in fear under the ruling party, and (2) the 25% of people who did not cast their votes showed that this is a new Seychelles - that there are a few thousand people in Seychelles who no longer live in fear like they used to between the years of 1977 and 1992, the year Parti Seselwa put a stop to Rene's 15 year dictatorship.

Notwithstanding the outcry of his people for electoral reform and a blow to this parliamentary election, Michel continues to claim victory, praises his party, and insists that this was an historic election. It is this type of defiance and behavior that clearly demonstrates that this man is finally and quickly loosing his grip on the control he once had, and his sense of the reality that is brewing under his nose. His behavior is reminiscent of dictators like Sadam Hussein and Gaddafi.

After all it is an historic election. People are courageously showing that they are fed up with this government.

But the silent voice of the 16,000 plus citizen who destroyed their votes runs deep.

Now Michel is calling for reform through dialogue with the people by using different avenues and forums; those that dictators are accustomed with; meetings in districts that are attended by their supporters only. Obvioulsy the media (SBC) which is under his control, will air these meetings giving an impression that he is so serious about such reforms. This is what Michel calls democracy; a one-party state, with the president going around like an idiot consulting with his supporters.

According to Michel electoral reform is done after an election; especially after he has gone in an election without the opposition, and "won" all the seats. What good is an assembly with all the seats occupied by one party? This is Michel's version of democracy; when more than 55% of eleigible voters do not approve of those candidates.
Michel has admitted over and over again, after this election, that there should be consultations regarding the electoral process. Given that he has made such statement on several counts, this tells us that he is and was quite aware that there is a problem regarding the appointement of this so called electoral committee. Thus if this is the case then why couldn't he be open and honest about it prior to the election.

Michel cannot survive a fair and democratic Seychelles. This is why he has never been man enough to appear in a Presidential debate. Not to offend or unnerve, but after all, at 67, this man can barely hold himself together, he looks frail, as his dozens of mistresses are sucking the living daylight out of his nuts!

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