Ex-president contributes to national theme committee |07 May 2009

He said he had been invited to address the committee, which was chaired by Vice-President Joseph Belmont at State House on April 24.

In a 16-point statement, Mr Mancham said the existence of the committee shows the government recognises there is a problem of division in the country.

Attributing it to politics, he said the problem must be cured if we are to face the present period of economic difficulties as a united nation.

He talked of the need for national reconciliation and the erection of monuments that would stand for national unity.

Mr Mancham said unity is needed “in view of the fragility of our economy” and “all the people of Seychelles should come together as one nation in the face of the International Monetary Fund-supported reforms”.

“If this is to materialise, it is incumbent that all our political players should work together, not only with their minds but also with their hearts and souls, to put in place on an urgent basis a government of national unity,” he told the committee.