Maison du Peuple, the party headquarters built with public money

LDS is pursuing the theft of state property by the Parti Lepep and its predecessors in government. The impetus now is to stop them selling land and assets that were taken from government on the cheap and are now being sold for millions.

The battle for return of state property was taken up this week by LDS MNA Flory Larue, who has made herself a champion of the cause. In a motion brought to the NA, Hon. Larue asked for the prompt return of property and sounded the alarm over the on-going sale of these properties now that Parti Lepep is under attack. She ended with the call : “We must stop them before it is too late.”

Hon. Larue, with the support of LDS members, detailed the list of 59 properties which had been taken by the ruling party. Among these were 10 transactions in which the current President, Danny Faure, has been involved personally on behalf of his party.

Many of these plots have already been sold to third parties at enormous profit, including some which were sold back to government. Examples are plots at Plaisance and on La Digue which fetched over R8 million apiece. The scam to net the party millions has been laid bare. 

Some other properties have been put to other uses, highly beneficial in most cases. This includes a warehouse rented by the Seychelles Trading Company for R800,000 per month and buildings rented out for commercial space. 

The urgency now is to get the assets returned to the people of Seychelles, to whom they belong. In the debate on the motion, the LDS MNAs have highlighted the great need for land for different kinds of purposes whether home building or socially beneficial business such as day-care centres. 

LDS has vowed that the fight for the return of assets plundered from the state will continue until victory is achieved.

The subject of a military facility on Assumption Island has continued to arouse controversy and objection among the public and in the media. 

Public concern has continued despite official statements that the matter was being reconsidered and that any development will be by and for Seychelles only. Statements by the Indian High Commissioner in Seychelles has led to doubts that the Seychelles Government is sincere in its declaration to keep foreign powers out of the equation. 

There has been some quibling over what kind of infrastructure would be intended, but whether it is called a coastguard facility or a military base is of no consequence. It’s all the same in the end. 

There has been a level of acceptance that the presence of a security and defence facility in the south-west corner of the Seychelles maritime zone is necessary. But the proposal has become stuck with controversy over the involvement of India, which according to an agreement with the Seychelles Government, was to build and equip the infrastructure and operate it under joint control with Seychellois authorities.

There has been widespread objection to this formula. LDS has declared that it is categorically against any foreign power being in control of a military facility on our soil. It stands by this and will fight any attempt to secure it.

Recent events have thrown more doubt on the capacity of the Seychelles Defence Forces to meet its security obligations. One was the entry of a foreign vessel into Port Victoria without knowledge of the authorities. The failure was only brought to light by the grounding of the vessel on the reefs. The other is the disappearance of two young soldiers from Assumption Island itself – after they had supposedly gone fishing on a raft. Now, trust in the Coastguard has been diminished so far that the Seychellois find it difficult to accept assurances on their part.

The necessity of a military facility on Assumption has never been properly explained to the Seychellois public, and therefore objections remain. Foreign control is out of the question. There is no going back over this. 

In the ongoing confusion over what is intended, the idea of any facility at all has become suspect. It is necessary to stop and start again from the beginning, with a specific examination of our security needs for the south-west Indian Ocean. There is no going forward with the present plan.

LDS is the true champion of unity. We can rightfuly claim to have forged the sense of reconciliation and national unity that exists in our country today. 

The obstacle to national unity in Seychelles has always been our past history of coup d’etat and authoritarian government. The party which came to power in the coup d’etat has never adhered to democratic norms. It has maintained power by using the authority and resources of the state. It has only conceded political space to the opposition when it was obliged to do so. 

The LDS majority in the National Assembly in the 2016 elections made a difference. 

The main Opposition in Seychelles has always been responsible and patriotic – always putting the good of the country above party politics. LDS is doing so today, which is why the country has avoided bitterness and recriminations. 

The work of LDS today is focused on priorities for the country. It is engaged in bringing honesty and transparency in the management of state finances – to eliminate the corruption that has permeated the government under the Parti Lepep and its predecessors. It is also committed to securing all the rights of the Seychellois people which include the right to information and expression, access to opportunity and effective service delivery from government. 

LDS remains determined to bring better government for Seychelles.