SEYCHELLES: Ruling and opposition parties round their campaigns up with large rallies ahead of landmark parliamentary elections scheduled for May 10-11

Record ID: 345947

  • Title: SEYCHELLES: Ruling and opposition parties round their campaigns up with large rallies ahead of landmark parliamentary elections scheduled for May 10-11
  • Date: 10th May 2007
  • Summary: PERFORMERS DANCING ON STAGE
  • Embargoed: 25th May 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Seychelles
  • Country: Seychelles
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVACETKGNMBMGJIWPD1IPKSKBYM0
  • Story Text: Seychelles ruling and opposition parties round their campaigns up with large rallies ahead of landmark parliamentary elections scheduled for May 10-11.

    Supporters of the ruling party, the Seychelles Peoples Progressive Front (SPPF), gathered in their thousands to transform the capital's central Freedom Square, into a sea of red - the party colour.
    Supporters came to show support for the SPFF in its final campaign rally ahead of parliamentary elections planned for May 10 -11. After this, the country will observe a 3-day "cooling off period", a time designed to allow voters reflect on the election issues.
    Issues that have dominated debate include the country's limited access to foreign exchange and social benefits. The SPPF have won much support through the provision of government health care and housing schemes.
    "SPPF is the party that has worked for progress and development," says Bernard an SPPF supporter.
    "SPPF have made many life better through many ways, to my family life, for instance they give us a home, and in the country they provide work for every poor Seychellois. Yeah they develop the country, they're the ones who develop the country you can't say it's not them," adds Conrad, another ruling party supporter.
    President James Michel dissolved the 33-seat assembly last week after opposition members boycotted it for five consecutive months. A new vote must be held within three months of his move.
    Analysts say Michel, who won presidential polls eight months ago, has become increasingly impatient with opposition members who began boycotting sessions in October in protest against a parliamentary vote that denied them a radio station licence.
    Eleven seats in the assembly, which serves the archipelago's 81,000 people, were held by the opposition. The rest were held by the SPPF.
    "Definitely I'm very confident, I think the victory that we had last year, is going to be more impressive again this year, because the people have realised that I'm doing a good job, and that the SPPF is the best party for them," President Michel said at the rally.
    While the ruling party have held numerous outdoor rallies with bands and beach parties, the SNP, Seychelles National Party have chosen to pursue what they call a "silent fight". Large numbers of their supporters gather at indoor meetings such as this one at the International conference centre in the capital of Victoria.
    Wavel Ramkalawan, an Anglican minister, is the leader of the SNP. He's joined forces with the other main opposition party, the Democratic Party, to try to weaken President James Michel's hold on the National Assembly.
    "Seychelles has been a one party state since 1977, ok we had the return to multiparty but it's always been the same party, we've never had any transition, there has never been any power sharing in this country and we feel that it is time now for us to move to that stage and maybe this will help our country itself as far as democracy is concerned," Ramkalawan said at the final SNP rally.
    SNP supporters at the rally echoed the party leader's sentiments.
    "We have so many problems you know, like the government is not ready to listen to the population, they do whatever they want in the country," added Robert Booley, an SNP supporter.
    "If the SNP takes over they will bring the status of the Seychelles back to where it was once, before independence and just after independence," said another SNP supporter known as "Angel".
    Despite its recent political troubles, the country is often perceived as one of Africa's success stories. At official exchange rates Seychelles remains the richest country in Africa in terms of GDP per capita, however the Seychelles has a total public debt of over 150% of its GDP, making it per capita the most highly indebted country in the world.
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