Source: The People Seychelles

Seychelles Minister Joel Morgan answers The People newspaper’s questions on issues relating to his ministries, ranging from the congested streets of Victoria to a congested Prison at Montagne Posee.

The People: Minister, you have the portfolio for Home Affairs and Transport, which means you have responsibility for Law and Order including the Police, Piracy, Prison Services, Fire and Rescue Services, Immigration and Civil Status, Land Transport, Maritime Transport and Ports, Air Transport and Airports, as well as Air Seychelles.  You are known to be efficient and a hard worker; can you tell us how do you manage all of these important areas?

Min. Morgan: Yes there are many areas for which I am responsible and I enjoy the work I do very much. I manage to achieve what I do through effective leadership and by having a line-up of very dedicated and conscientious people that work with me in the different departments and companies under my ministry. 
Working together as a team, we strive to deliver to the expectations of our President and the people of Seychelles. I work very hard and put in long hours alongside like-minded people in my team, who are efficient and who focus on service delivery. My own private office staff are totally centred on ensuring the effective running and on the smooth coordination of my office during my work day. 
This ensures that I have enough time to be attentive to the issues on hand and to make well informed decisions on matters under my responsibility so as to provide the correct strategic direction in line with the policies of our Government.
As for our national carrier Air Seychelles, where I sit as Chairman of the board for the moment, we have a good management team both from Air Seychelles and Etihad who have put in tremendous efforts to ensure that our airline makes the needed transition from its difficulties last year. I am confident that we are making good progress towards restoring the airline to profitability. 
We will declare a modest profit this year after the first nine months of operation, in partnership with Etihad. Our focus is now on developing the Asian market, with China being at the fore of this strategy. It is very important that the right marketing is done in China for this strategy to work. STB has a key role to play in this.
Air Seychelles is due to receive another A330 aircraft in January 2013, which will be used for the flights to Hong Kong, China. These flights will for now, be through the Abu Dhabi hub, but using the same Air Seychelles aircraft all the way from Hong Kong and back here. The reason for going through the Abu Dhabi hub is that it improves our load factors significantly, by picking up Hong Kong traffic that are travelling onwards from Abu Dhabi and vice versa. It increases our yields and ensures less risk for the airline at a time when we must ensure that we not only continue to serve Seychelles but do not put our airline in an unacceptable financial risk. 
As for our key European markets, Air Seychelles will continue to maximize its benefits from the Etihad code share partnerships to serve those countries in Europe. This is working well and we will continue to grow our connectivity through code shares into the many cities of Europe, in collaboration with our partner, Etihad.
With the strong emergence of new markets such as Germany through the Etihad-Air Berlin-Air Seychelles partnership and with Russia also quickly becoming a very important market, we have managed to better our tourism arrival figures compared to last year, while many other countries of the region have seen a drop in their figures. Europe remains our primary tourist market and we must continue to do all that is possible to bring European tourists here. They are our bread and butter, keeping our tourism economy going.

The People: Our roads are now highly congested, especially in and around Victoria. One reason is that motorists from north Mahe have to drive through the entire capital, past several roundabouts to refuel at Roche Caiman. Is it not high time to have more petrol stations, notably in the northern part of Victoria?

Min. Morgan: In order to address the acute problem of traffic congestion in Victoria, one has to realize that it is the nexus of all traffic coming from north to south and east to west and vice versa. What is needed is to have alternatives to provide to motorists, such that they do not have to traverse Victoria if they do not need to. This is where the Victoria Traffic Management Plan which has been prepared by the Department of Transport comes in. 
This plan has been approved by Government and will be progressively implemented as funds permit. Essentially, this plan provides for a north-south bypass with bridges from Ile Aurore to link up with Bois de Rose Avenue heading southwards, re-routing of traffic in Victoria, adding an extra directional lane to 5th June Avenue in specific areas, an overpass/underpass option near Maison du Peuple, providing for a one-way circuit in certain parts of the town and signalization of key junctions, all aimed towards improving the traffic flows and decongesting the town. 
Plans are also approved for the Mont Fleuri area and Bois de Rose Avenue to connect Mont Fleuri central area to Bois de Rose, via a roundabout and to implement a dual carriageway from the Le Chantier roundabout to link up to the Providence Highway. 
Another element will be the introduction of a park and ride system by SPTC on a pilot basis, such that people can securely park their cars just outside of town, in the north and south, and use a specially provided shuttle service to go into and move about the town. There is also the project for a monorail system to link the main population centres along parts of the east coast of Mahe, which when implemented will greatly improve the mass transportation of people along those areas. 
The implementation of this traffic management plan will be key to resolving this problem that today causes much frustration, lost time and of course increases our fuel consumption bills for vehicles. 
There has also been consideration for the introduction of bicycle lanes in Victoria but the narrowness of the lanes does not provide much space to fully implement this in many areas. There are plans for the introduction of a new petrol station in the north of Victoria, and when this happens the need for motorists to head south for refuelling will cease.

The People: A recent incident which received widespread media attention and was also a talking point was the alleged beating up of a young solider by elements of the police. You appointed a Panel of Inquiry to establish the full facts. Are you satisfied with their findings? What lessons can be learnt from this?

Min. Morgan: You have rightly noted that I took appropriate steps in the calling of a Panel of Inquiry to investigate into the allegations and to determine the truth of what actually happened that morning. I selected people who have the professional competency in their respective fields to sit on this panel, with a view to having an objective, unbiased and rational inquiry. It is now a matter of public record that the panel, having reviewed the reports, interviewed those who made statements and re-examining all evidence, have concluded that no assault had actually occurred. In this matter, the Panel went public with their findings, and I have already acted on the recommendations of the Panel. 
I have also submitted a copy of their report to the Human Rights Commission. I wish to reassure the public that the Police will act on any proven case of unjustified use of force by any member within the law enforcement agencies.  
The law enforcement agencies are there to serve and to protect our citizens from crime and to guarantee law and order in our country. You will agree with me that they have a very demanding and difficult job. They face many challenges on a daily basis out there on the streets and in the communities. Anti-social behaviour, delinquency, drugs and crime have become a major concern to all communities and law abiding citizens of our country. 
The National Crime Services Division together with the regular Police have been very active to combat those threats. While the majority of people are reassured and encouraged by the increased levels of safety through focused response actions, intensive patrols, more all-round police presence and continual spot checks by the police, a minority are clearly unhappy about this increased level of police activity for  their own reasons. 
They have used the social media and certain political newspapers to continually lash out at the police in order to try to demotivate and demoralize our courageous and dedicated men and women in the Force. 
They have attempted to turn public opinion against the Nepalese officers working side by side with our Seychellois officers, calling them all sorts of derogatory names and demeaning their valuable work in helping us in a transition period, while we continue to build up our Police Force.  One has to examine why they have this motive of denigrating and discrediting the noble institution that is our Police Force in that manner.

The Seychelles Police has made a great many advances in recent times, with a focus on professionalization through refresher training, review of policies and strategies, modernization of equipment and assets, a review of systems and operations, recruitment of good people and re-visioning towards effective crime prevention and reduction. Our training for new recruits continues, with a new cohort of 70 currently undergoing their training at the Police Academy. I am convinced, as are the majority of the Force that we are on the right track. The Police will persevere in its objectives to have a modern and professional Police Force and it will succeed.
They will continue to seek ways to improve their work and their relationship with our citizens for confidence building. They will continue to relentlessly deal with criminals in accordance with the law.

The People: Still regarding the police, it is presently staffed by Irish officers, South Africans, and now we hear that British technical assistance is also expected, along with a few Mauritians. Along with a significant contingent of Nepalese, don’t you think this is becoming too much of an international force? 

Min. Morgan: With criminality having become a significant problem, time is of essence in the strategy to combat and interdict the criminals. The capacity to do so is also of essence. The Seychelles Police has long been working very hard to combat crime in our country. 
Like all Police Forces in the world, it avails of certain technical and professional support to help it improve its capacity to deliver better where this is needed. Getting external expertise to complement our own and getting assistance for the implementation of our action plan has been necessary therefore. 
There is nothing wrong in having some expatriates assist us towards that objective, when needed. We have Seychellois working elsewhere in different parts of the world doing exactly the same thing, do we not? There is talk about the Nepalese officers in the Force. Some would have us believe that they are here for sinister reasons. 
I would like to make it very clear that this is not true! 
They are here to help the Police in their patrols and operational activities, with a view to reinforcing capacity on the ground and sharing their experience in such duties. Overall, their presence here has helped make a significant difference to the law and order situation on the ground.

The People: We know this is a sensitive issue. But regarding our two fishermen held captive in Somalia, it appears that faced with a loss of business, the hostage takers are adamant about ransom payment. Recently, they executed a Syrian sailor, because they claimed that ransom payment - after two years, was taking too long. Can you state what the position is without jeopardizing our case by disclosing anything deemed sensitive?

Min. Morgan: The plight and suffering of our two brave compatriots have been a painful experience for everyone, but especially so for their loved ones.  This is the burden that we bear, acknowledging of course that it is but a fraction of the suffering they experience each and every day of their time in captivity. We are not alone in this unenviable position of having to negotiate the release of hostages from despicable criminals who hold no value for life, except as a means to try to extort money for their release.
We have never wavered in our resolve to bring them back. Their situation drives us on, motivates our days and unites us as a nation, in our resolve to see them back home very soon. Our negotiating team is making headway, now that certain positive developments have taken place in the negotiations. We are optimistic for a breakthrough. We are doing everything that is in our power to bring them home safely and we are determined to achieve this goal.

The People: Our prison is already said to be crowded with some 500 convicts and detainees. About 90 more people are awaiting trial on drug-related charges. Can you elaborate on our capacity for incarceration? Obviously, some will be sent to Marie-Louise. Under what conditions can convicts be sent there?

Min. Morgan: I am confident that the strategic objectives and plans that are being implemented have us firmly on the right track towards better offender incarceration and behavior management. Much is being done to address the constraints that our prisons are faced with, including the capacity issues you speak about.  
A lot of work is currently ongoing at the Montagne Posée Prison to have better infrastructure for improving the safety and security levels in the prison and to provide for the expansion of the facilities there.  In addition, the prisons have been allocated a piece of farmland adjacent to the Montagne Posée site for growing their own produce. This will enable the prisoners to not only learn farming skills, but it will also lessen the burden on the taxpayer for feeding the prison population.
On another front, Seychelles Criminal Justice System is now beginning to move forward with dealing with the backlog of criminal cases that today present themselves as remand prisoners at the Prisons. This means that we will have a speedier justice delivery system, where cases on remand do not take so long. Remanded prisoner levels account for 1/5th of our total prison capacity at Montagne Posée. Somali prisoner levels account for another 1/5th. 
There is a pressing need to reduce Somali prisoner levels and I have been working closely with our international partners and with Somaliland and Puntland to honour their signed agreements with us for the transfer of convicted Somalians back there. I am currently working to have a significant number of them sent back soon. We have indicated to our partners that we are unable to accept any more suspected pirates until significant transfers are made back to Somalia.
We are pressing on with four other important projects outside of Montagne Posée. The first is the Marie Louise Special Prison where we will be accommodating 130 drug traffickers and other hard or dangerous criminals; the second is the Coetivy Prison where we will be placing some more low risk, good behaviour prisoners who have not committed serious crimes, to work in a more open type of environment, doing rehabilitative work on the island.
The third is also on Coetivy for first time offenders or first time drug users who have been convicted of possession of drugs or of stealing, where they will undergo a detox programme prior and then move there in a more secure facility to rehabilitate and reprogram their lives, such that they come out not as hardened criminals, but rather as good citizens ready to reintegrate in our society. 
Lastly, we are planning to set up a Young Offender Incarceration Facility at the ex-YRTC on Praslin to house the young men and women away from the adult population, as is required by law. There again, they will be in a more conducive environment away from bad influences and will undergo rehabilitative programmes and have counselling, so that they reform for their future lives. After all, prisons are also meant to help the individuals become better citizens for when they are released. 
Otherwise, we will continue to see the high number of repeat offenders that currently come back to prison and we will not solve the problem of offending behaviour in our country 
There is much work to be done, but I am confident that we will succeed.

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