Africa-Press – Seychelles. President Wavel Ramkalawan has expressed total satisfaction with the 26 consultative meetings held across the country since last month where residents were able to raise pertinent points impacting their lives or national issues.
At the end of the last meeting in St Louis yesterday evening, the head of State said he was glad that the citizens could voice their concerns to the officers, and have their points addressed promptly.
“What impressed me was that during those meetings, the different agencies listened, and a lot of issues were resolved,” said the president.
He commended those that were not only bringing forth personal issues but making proposals to better the country.
“I was also touched by the way people in the community were reacting, where they have this community approach, with some ready to grant wayleave, or offer a part of their land for a project,” he stated.
He urged everyone to keep working in solidarity and to remain united for Seychelles.
“Let us all work for Seychelles, because if we can do 26 meetings without involving politics then as a country we can move forward without involving politics in a frank and honest manner,” stated the president.
President Ramkalawan also said the consultative meetings had a large following with people watching locally and abroad on all media available, including the Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation which aired the meeting live.
In his last consultative meeting, which took place at the La Promenade Gymnasium, the head of State reiterated that his administration will continue to take decisions that are good for the country and not based on whether he will lose votes.
Mr President said they will continue to take a “realistic approach” to unpopular issues such as increasing the age of pension from 63 to 65 years old.
“When concluding this series of meeting I would like to tell all Seychellois that this administration will come before you in a frank and direct approach,” he stated, adding that his government was a serious one that would not be threatened and was working according to the programme they were elected on.
“I am not working to get popularity votes or for people to kneel before me and say they like me. We will address the issues as they are and this is the position I am taking as president and as cabinet,” said the President.
He told the meeting that although the government has heard their plight and pleas, it could not assist all of them at once and asked them to be patient and understanding.
Several issues were raised at yesterday’s meeting, including housing, employment, education, health, and sports among others.
Carers called for better working conditions and salaries, while a resident speaking on behalf of stevedores requested a meeting with the president to address several issues they claimed were affecting their livelihood.
The residents also shared projects they were involved with at community level such as a self-help project to build a road and offers from many of them to either offer their land for a project of consent to wayleave.
The final meeting yesterday clocked nearly five hours and President Ramkalawan said all the points raised in all the 26 meetings will be given due consideration to ensure the citizens’ concerns were addressed in a timely and professional manner.
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