President disappointed with attempt to blow up petrol station |06 July 2021

President Wavel Ramkalawan has said that he is very disappointed with regard to a recent incident where two individuals were apprehended on suspicion that they were attempting to blow up the Grand Anse Mahé petrol station on the eve of our National Day.

President Ramkalawan was speaking at the Seychelles International Airport upon his arrival from a State visit and environment summit in Austria.

“I feel very disappointed. Disappointed especially in this time when everybody is having the liberty to express themselves,” President Ramkalawan said, noting Seychelles has never, in her history, been in a situation where everybody can express their opinion as freely as they can now.

President Ramkalawan stated that many avenues, such as through the media platform, the National Assembly, among other organisations, including informing the police to hold rallies or demonstrations, are available to anybody in the country who wishes to express his or her opinion without the threat of being arrested or put in jail.

“Violence is not the way to move the country forward. I congratulate the police for preventing a devastation from taking place given the fact that the station is situated in a community next to residential areas and most probably many people could have lost their lives,” the President said.

President Ramkalawan added while he condemned the action, he will, like everybody, let justice take its course.

He appealed on Seychellois to continue to culture the peaceful attitude and to use all platforms available to voice their opinion as violence is not good for the development of our country.

“I want Seychelles to be a country where we can express ourselves but not by use of arms. I want Seychelles to be a country with no coup d’etats again or where nobody practices violence for political reasons,” President Ramkalawan said.

Speaking on the pandemic situation in the country, President Ramkalawan again called on everyone to take their responsibility, to follow all health guidelines and restrictions, and also to get vaccinated against the virus if we are to help the country return to normal as quickly as possible.

Patrick Joubert