PRESS  RELEASE

Opposition Leaders Reject Road Map Without Consultations

The alliance of opposition political forces have declared that they cannot accept the road map for democratic reforms drawn up by the Electoral Commission without discussions or consultations with other political groups or vital stake-holders in the democratic process.

The leaders have declined today an invitation by the Chairman of the Electoral Commission to attend a presentation of the road map on the grounds that the  first move towards reform is a step in a very wrong direction for the following reasons:-

1. The presentation by the Chairman of the road map to the President is a blatant act of subordination to the executive of what is meant to be an Independent Electoral Commission, giving the distinct impression that it is doing reforms not within its constitutional mandate but under the direction of the executive, with the dangerous inference that it will not implement the reforms if so directed by the executive.

2. The Electoral Commission can only be perceived as heeding the call for reform of only one Party Leader, i.e. the President acting as Party Leader of Parti Lepep on the day of the election results, having ignored for years the call of all other party leaders for reform, and then presenting the road map to the leader of Parti Lepep in whatever capacity, thus giving that party the priority of ownership of the report and relegating other parties to a role of submissive observance.

3. The Electoral Commission is itself a vital issue of democratic reform which must be subject to consultations for the purpose of establishing it as a Constitutional Commission completely independent of the executive and directly responsible to the people of Seychelles.

The opposition forces who have advocated and proposed democratic reforms for 18 years can only accept a process in which they are included and consulted before any preliminary steps are taken, be it for drafting of a road map or other moves towards reforms. To be credible, the process must be fully independent, impartial, transparent and accountable to the people of Seychelles. The leaders therefore call for an independent commission in which they will be represented to direct the process of reform.

Ralph Volcere, New Democratic Party

Wavel Ramkalawan, Seychelles National Party

Philippe Boullé, Independent Candidate

October 18, 2011