Defence Forces Day |25 November 2015

President Michel sings SPDF’s praises

President James Michel has commended the Seychelles People’s Defence Forces (SPDF) “for its invaluable service to the nation”.

This comes in his message on the occasion of Defence Forces Day today.

The full text of the message from President Michel, who is also the SPDF’s commander-in-chief, reads:

“Today I join the Seychellois people to pay tribute to our brave men and women, past and present, for their invaluable service to the nation. We thank them for their hard work, loyalty and professionalism. Once again, we pledge our full support to those who proudly wear the uniform. We stand alongside them. We come together to also show our deep gratitude to their families.

“Defence Forces Day is the special occasion dedicated to celebrating the successes and values of our military. It was on November 25, 1981 that our armed forces, still in their infancy, defeated a group of invaders. Our resolve to defend our motherland was tested by fire. The sweet sound of victory echoed all over our beautiful islands, over the mountains, in the valleys, across the sea, and beyond. A newly independent country, a tiny and valiant nation, was determined to defend our sovereignty, to protect our freedom, to preserve our aspirations, to guarantee the space for our future achievements. We emerged from the fight more united and stronger, evermore ready to forge ahead towards a brighter future.

“Our defence forces are the pride of our people. Together we have won many other battles. The successes against modern piracy have made our military a shining example in the Indian Ocean. Today we realise that the world is a different place. We have to remain vigilant, as the threats to peace and our own way of life are everywhere in the world. We are boosting our defence capacity to take on new challenges. We must be fully prepared, well trained, at all times, for any eventuality that threatens our lives, our freedom and progress. We need to remain abreast of events happening in every part of the world, in order to position ourselves to fulfill our role, obligations and responsibilities as a peace-loving country.

“The Seychellois people know they can count on our armed forces to safeguard our independence, to protect our compatriots.

“We take care of our servicemen and women. We take care of our veterans. Every servicemen, every servicewomen, every veteran, deserves the support and benefits they have earned. They put Seychelles first. We are today living in peace and greater prosperity. We recognise the tremendous contribution of our armed forces in our modern development. Together, we honour their commitment. Therefore, I strongly believe that our brave men and women in uniform deserve all the care and support our nation is able to give them.

“Expressing solidarity with armed forces personnel, showing appreciation for their duty, start with little gestures. A card, a greeting, a text, an email, a handshake, a thank you, to individuals we know in the armed forces, are little things that mean a lot to our servicemen and women.

“As we mark Defence Forces Day we also celebrate our patriotism, the love for our Seychelles. We remember our fallen heroes, and those injured in all wars.

“I wish all personnel of the military and their families a happy Defence Forces Day. “We pray for our brothers and sisters in the military. May God bless them and protect our homeland from harm.”