Letter to the Editor - An idea whose time has come |15 June 2015

The week starting today, Monday June 15, can very well be described as the week of national celebrations. On Thursday June 18 will take place the flag raising ceremony at the Voice of the Nation monument which will be presided over by the President of the Repuiblic James A. Michel. This will be followed soon after by the launching of this year’s edition of the National Schools Athletics Championship. On Saturday June 20, the National Day Celebrations Committee in collaboration with the Home & Industry Fair Committee will be hosting a fair dedicated to the inner islands in progress (Zil Pros an Mouvman). And in between, we will have events organised under the auspices of the Seychelles Court of Appeal, headed by the Honourable Justice Francis MacGregor, and the National Assembly focusing on the day of the Constitution. The grand National/Independence Day parade will take place on Monday June 29 at the Stad Linite when President Michel will address the nation.

Any other idea to contribute towards further marking the importance of this day in the life of the Nation?
I believe that the idea of a special National Day Award recognising the work of certain individuals for their exta special contributions to the development, progress and image of the State is an idea whose time has come.

Historically, Seychelles is associated with two European nations which have throughout history created national orders of recognition which have become an integral part of the national day celebrations. Volumes have been written about La Légion d’Honneur which was created by none other than Emperor Napoleaon 1st focusing on “Honneur et Patrie”. The British on their side created the great Order of the British Empire which decorated individuals of merit at different level. At the very bottom discerning citizens were given the British Empire medal. Then came the Member of the British Empire; the Officer of the British Empire; the Commander of the British Empire; ad the Knight of the British Empire.

Of course these nations realised that in order to keep up the repute and glory of the award these designations could not be cheaply awarded. On the British side the award was a special gift from the King or Queen of the Nation. On the French Republican side, in order to guarantee the special grandeur and significance of the recognition, whilst the award was the reserved privilege of the Président en exercice, the law of France imposed a limitation as to the number of people at one time who could be members of La Légion d’Honneur.

Against their colourful background, the story of the two orders have also attracted a quantum of controversies – praises and dislikes included. Nonetheless both awards have survived and still serve the nations well and are still held in high respect by the general population of each nation.

A few weeks ago I was travelling from Heathrow Airport in London to the Royal Automobile Club (RAC) and the taxi driver, unmindful that it was the day of the Queen’s Garden Party in honour of the various members of the Order of the British Empire, took the Buckingham Palace Road to the club. It took us more than an hour to navigate through the crowd of proud British citizens of all ages who wearing their insignia of the British Empire were making their way to the party the Queen was hosting.

In France of course the holder of La Légion d’Honneur display rosette of different size and colour on the lapel of the suit for public awareness that they are members of the very exclusive group.
What has been happening in Mauritius since 1992 is worth noting if we are to consider creating an order of recognition of our own. In Mauritius the most distinguished Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean is the highest distinct order of merit in that country’s honour system. The Chancellor of the Order is the President of the Republic of Mauritius. Each year on Indepence Day the President of the Republic appoints new members on the recommendation of the Prime Minister and may be awarded to non-Mauritian citizens. In this case let it be noted that President Michel, a non-Mauritian, was made a Grand Commander of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean when he was a Guest of Honour at the Mauritian National Day celebrations in 2012. Another Seychelles citizen who was made a Grand Officer of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean is the chairman of Allied Builders Ltd, K.K. Patel, who holds dual nationality – Mauritius and Seychelles citizenship.

As a matter of fact the Mauritian Order comprises five classes in descending order or priority: (i) Grand Commander of the Order; (ii) Grand Officer of the Order; (iii) Commander of the order; (iv) Officer of the order; and (v) Member of the Order – following the practice within the Order of the British Empire. Perhaps in Seychelles we should introduce the Illustious Order of the Star and Anchor of the Blue Ocean, focusing on the important role we have committed ourselves to play as the leader of the small island developing states in the development of the global Blue economy concept. We should also consider the classification of the Order into the category set up as in Mauritius. A friendly visiting head of state could, at the discretion of the President, be made a Grand Commander of the Illustious Order of the Star and Anchor of the Blue Ocean on an ex officio basis and a personality like Robert Gaines Cooper could be made a Grand Officer of the Order on the basis of merit, taking into account the various contributions he has made to benevolent and charitable institutions in Seychelles, as well as his role in the development and manufacturing of laryngeal masks in the country.

Well, this is an idea whose time has come and I would suggest the setting up of a non-partisan committee sitting under the chairmanship of the President of the Republic to decide further on this possibility.

James R. Mancham
Founding President of Seychelles

Editor’s note: It is to be noted that founding President Mancham was granted the Dignity of an Honorary Knight Commander of the Civil Division of the Order of the British Empire by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on June 22, 1976 in the 25th year of her reign. Mr Mancham had previously on May 10, 1976, in his capacity as Prime Minister of Seychelles, been made an Officier de La Légion d’Honneur by a decree of the Président de la République Française Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, Grand Maître National de La Légion d’Honneur.