Leaders discuss issues of national interest |24 October 2014

Current issues of national importance were discussed during a meeting yesterday between the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly David Pierre and President James Michel.

This monthly meeting between the two leaders took place at State House.

Discussions focused on such topics as the ongoing ebola crisis, the declining strength of the rupee against major foreign currencies, new markets for tourism, foreign direct investments (FDI), renewable energy, corruption, and the fate of the three Seychellois convicts in Egypt who are facing the death penalty.

Regarding the current strength of the rupee, Mr Pierre said the government should do whatever it can to stabilise our national currency on account of its negative effect on commodity prices, especially the essential ones, and the subsequent effect on the lower income earners of our population.

Related to that, the leader of the opposition also touched on the FDI which he said is important for the country to continue attracting it as a decline in foreign exchange earnings in this area creates a negative effect on the strength of the rupee.

On tourism which he said is directly linked to the economy, the leader of the opposition said that the country should target markets that will bring a return.

“There is a lot of markets out there like China, South Africa, the Gulf where there are people who have money and are ready to spend if they come here,” he said.
Mr Pierre said that as a Seychellois and leader of the opposition he would never like to see even one case of ebola enter the country. “I appreciate the preventive measures being undertaken to prevent ebola from entering our country,” he said, adding that he would prefer things are done to the maximum to prevent this from happening.

On renewable energy Mr Pierre said that the amount of foreign exchange that goes into buying fuel is seventy-five per cent of the country’s total earnings. He considered this to be too high and not sustainable.

He suggested there are two things that can be done in this area. That we invest in renewable energy like in a solar farm for alternative energy so as to considerably reduce the amount spent in importing fuel for that purpose in the next five or ten years. And then we need to educate the people on the way to use energy and that the country imports energy-saving equipment.

Regarding the three Seychellois on death row in Egypt, Mr Pierre said as a Seychellois and a human being, he finds it tough for someone to be sentenced to death in a foreign country.

He said the efforts for clemency for the captives being pursued by President Michel was also discussed.
On the issue of corruption Mr Pierre suggested a specific law which deals with that issue saying that the existing legislation partially deal with the subject and they are not enough.

“And through this law we can have a provision for an anti-corruption commission,” Mr Pierre said, adding that both he and the President agree that this is an important issue.