Has the Constitution lived up to its purpose? |18 June 2023

To commemorate Constitution Day, Seychelles NATION spoke to the public about their views on our Constitution and whether it has lived up to its purpose over the last 30 years.

The director of the National Conservatory of Performing Arts, Pierre Joseph, says that after Seychelles democratically approved the 1993 Constitution, it gave the rise to the Third Republic and a whole lot of expectations for change was observed. Firstly people expected fair and just treatment, better health and education and a general increase in economic growth. In his views Mr Joseph feels that the focus has been too much on political and economic stability and not enough on the rights to enhance education and social growth. Mr Joseph is also a musician, writer, painter and photographer and has contributed greatly in the artistic world of Seychelles.

On the other hand Veronica Maria, who is the managing director at TODAY Publishers’ Ltd, strongly believes that a country’s constitution is like a Bible written to guide its leaders and the nation. She says she does not believe it is the Constitution that needs to meet any purpose but the leaders of the country should practice the ethical guidelines set forth in the Constitution to steer the path of its nation in order to align with the latter.

“It is only then that its moral expectations and values can be achieved,” says Ms Maria.   

Sir Gregoire Scholastique, who is a physical educator at the Mont Fleuri secondary school, shares with Seychelles NATION that the Constitution has achieved its purpose throughout the years. He mentions that the Constitution has respected the right to liberty as a citizen and also the freedom of expression especially for the media which was not the case before. However Scholastique believes that there has been some interference in what our Constitution entails such as allowing the Seychelles Defence Forces to be involved in community policing which projects the wrong image of freedom in the community.

Scholastique has been involved in basketball for most of his years and expresses that the Constitution delivers on the cultural and the physical wellbeing of the citizens of our country.

The appointed district administrator for Ile Perseverance, Nicole Gabriel, believes the Constitution has lived up to its purpose to a certain extent bearing in mind the social development and other aspects that have made our country what it is today. There have been amendments made without considering the country’s benefits but favouring a certain group.

Rashina Reginald, a public health officer, believes that many people associate our Constitution with politics which is not the case. According to Ms Reginald a country has to be guided by a certain principle set by an independent constitutional committee not by the government. In her views Ms Reginald believes that our Constitution has been violated as the public has been kept in the dark as to what our Constitution entails and the fundamental rights it provides its citizens due to political games. She adds that the reason so many do not know their constitutional rights is for the politicians to hold power over the population as in the past those who exerted their constitutional rights were eliminated, a practice which has instilled fear throughout generations. In addition she says those who know the constitution are being pinned down so as not to influence others, keeping the games of thrones in their favour.  To summarise Ms Reginald believes that the Constitution has not lived up to its purpose and expectation as the citizens could not exert most of what it entails for political reasons.

Neil Sirame