75 candidates to vie for seats in National Assembly election

75 candidates to vie for seats in National Assembly election | 19.09.2020
http://www.nation.sc/articles/6151/75-candidates-to-vie-for-seats-in-national-assembly-election


Highlights of the Nomination ceremony for National Assembly candidates in pictures | 19.09.2020
http://www.nation.sc/articles/6152/highlights-of-the-nomination-ceremony-for-national-assembly-candidates-in-pictures

List of candidates for the National Assembly election according to districts | 19.09.2020
http://www.nation.sc/articles/6144/list-of-candidates-for-the-national-assembly-election-according-to-districts

Leader of one of Seychelles’ opposition parties resigns
Victoria, Seychelles | April 24, 2014, Thursday @ 14:04 in National » GENERAL | By: Sharon Uranie | Views: 3
http://www.seychellesnewsagency.com/articles/312/Leader+of+one+of+Seychelles+opposition+parties+resigns

LDS presents manifesto for general elections | 28 September 2020
LDS presents manifesto for general elections
Efficient service-delivery,working towards a dynamic economy with equal opportunities for everyone and protection of state sovereignty are but some of the priorities of the Linyon Demokratik Seselwa (LDS) for the next five years, should it be elected to the executive in the upcoming general elections.
http://www.nation.sc/articles/6232/lds-presents-manifesto-for-general-elections

Kandida pour Anse Aux Pins ek Anse Boileau pou prezant zot progranm tanto lo radyo ek televizyon
http://www.nation.sc/articles/6277/eleksyon-lasanble-nasyonal

Eleksyon Lasanble Nasyonal | 02 October 2020
Eleksyon Lasanble Nasyonal
Kandida pour Anse Etoile ek Anse Royale pou prezant zot progranm tanto lo radyo ek televizyon
http://www.nation.sc/articles/6296/eleksyon-lasanble-nasyonal

Eleksyon Lasanble Nasyonal | 03 October 2020
http://www.nation.sc/articles/6311/eleksyon-lasanble-nasyonal

Eleksyon Lasanble Nasyonal 2020 | 13 October 2020

Kandida pour Mont Fleuri ek Perseverance pou prezant zot progranm tanto lo radyo ek televizyon
http://www.nation.sc/articles/6430/eleksyon-lasanble-nasyonal-2020

Eleksyon Lasanble Nasyonal 2020 | 14 October 2020

Kandida pour Plaisance ek Pointe Larue pou prezant zot progranm tanto lo radyo ek televizyon
http://www.nation.sc/articles/6445/eleksyon-lasanble-nasyonal-2020

MNA candidate Ivy Edmond hopes to see women hold equal power in Seychelles
Victoria, Seychelles | October 19, 2020, Monday @ 10:14 in Editorial » THE INTERVIEW | By: Joanna Nicette Edited by: Betymie Bonnelame | Views: 626
http://www.seychellesnewsagency.com/articles/13708/MNA+candidate+Ivy+Edmond+hopes+to+see+women+hold+equal+power+in+Seychelles

Election Day: How to ensure it is a peaceful process? | 19 October 2020
http://www.nation.sc/articles/6510/election-day-how-to-ensure-it-is-a-peaceful-process

General elections ‒ October 22-24, 2020 | 19 October 2020
Illegal posters still up despite EC’s call for their removal
http://www.nation.sc/articles/6511/general-elections--october-22-24-2020

Tuesday, 20 October 2020
Election results
When is the right time?
Three days before Seychellois voters start heading to the polls, the Electoral Commission has again politely declined to reveal important details regarding the way in which they plan to conduct the 2020 elections.
by W. J. May
Asked yesterday the order the Electoral Commission is planning on announcing the results of the Presidential or National Assembly Elections, Chief Electoral Officer, Manuella Amesbury replied:
“At this time, we will not be addressing this [issue]. We have our own internal plan but would prefer to not make it public at this point. It will be done. You will be informed but at the right time.”
She also brushed aside the question of roughly when the Electoral Commission plans to broadcast the election results. An announcement is expected somewhere in the early hours of Sunday morning.
When pushed why the Electoral Commission is keeping such information close to its chest just days before the elections, Amesbury added “it is not that we do not want to announce it.”
“We will be announcing it at the right time. Like I said, we will be meeting again with the press and – at the right time and in the right manner – it will be done,” said Amesbury, who returned to face-to-face work last Saturday, 17 October, having been quarantined for two weeks. This came after she travelled to Dubai to oversee the ballot printing process.
Speaking about whether her ability to work was hampered while in quarantine, Amesbury said “not at all.”
“Funnily, I was able to work from 5am until late in the evening…so I did have virtual meetings with my staff. There were certain things I wanted to get done which I couldn’t but the majority of work has been done,” she said.
Meanwhile, it was only yesterday afternoon that local media were finally given access to certain statistics from the Voter’s Register, selected at the discretion of the Electoral Commission.
https://www.facebook.com/todayinsey/photos/a.417785501592599/3388005394570580/

Monday, 19 October 2020
Presidential Debate: Election 2020
The people add their two cents…
Following the second and final round of the first-ever Presidential Debates held in Seychelles on Friday, 16 October 2020, TODAY reached out to its audience to get their views and whether or not the debate organised by Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) and broadcast live over multiple platforms will influence their vote in the upcoming elections this week.
by E. Chang-Thiou and J. Larue
Sandra Bistoquet told TODAY that the debate did not influence her vote, but instead just gave her more reasons to vote for the person and party she intended to vote for in the first place.
“The debate, for a first, was spot on. There was fairness, equality and the candidates debated their points in a civilised manner; most of the time. I find that all three candidates spoke well, and had the country’s best interest in their statements. However, I feel that some of the points brought forward were unrealistic. It hasn’t influenced my vote, but it gave me confirmation that the person I intended to vote for is best suited for the job. I’d like to say it was a job well done and I congratulate SBC for the initiative.”
Emma Didon opined that the debates were “interesting and entertaining to some extent and also very insightful when it came to knowing how the different candidates wanted to tackle certain issues. Personally, I would say that the presidential candidate for LDS, Mr Wavel Ramkalawan made some good rebuts to President Danny Faure’s arguments, especially what he would do in relation to the police force. The points made by Mr Ramkalawan made a lot of sense and were strong. They all had their share of things to say and they all managed to get what they wanted to say across, some more clearly than others. It would’ve been nice to see the debate go on longer but unfortunately the time constraints did not allow that.”
Hendrick Celeste said that he was satisfied with the answers given by all candidates, but, was equally disappointed with some of the responses given, especially when it came to health. “I think the first time around candidates were not well prepared, so they came back in the second round a little more prepared. I saw that they answered their questions well and got to the point, but I was a little disappointed with the responses for health. Salaries is one part that they focused on the most but I did not hear them speak about the working hours of nurses and doctors that needs to be revised,” he said.
He added that the debate has, in some way, influenced his vote. “I was still trying to figure out who to vote for, as I am a first-time voter. The debate has in some way helped me to make my decisions. I hope whoever is elected as president, walks the talk.”
Darrel Didon observed that LDS’ candidate shone brighter than the other two candidates. He said, “No doubt Father Wavel was the clear winner because he gave clear examples of policies that he wants to put in place to achieve as president. He answered questions with comprehensive explanations as to what he wanted to achieve if he is elected president. This was done consistently in all the responses to the questions that were asked to him. Both his opponents had little to say. Alain St Ange’s government of technocrats …funnily enough he couldn’t even get 26 candidates to run for MNA and he wants people to believe that he could win an election? He was unconvincing to me. Danny Faure on the other hand, did much better than last time when he was stuck on COVID, although this time he was stuck on “government of Linite Nasyonal [National Unity]”. He was lost and sometimes he had no clue on how to achieve certain things that he said he wanted to establish. There was nothing new on what he wanted to bring for the country. Basically he had the chance to prove himself and he wasn’t able to do it. His big excuse was, “The Assembly prevented me from doing it.”
Gerard Ernesta’s opinion is that “The presidential debate allowed the Seychellois watching to decide which of the three candidates will best be able to represent us on the 22, 23 and 24th and fight for our country as well as who will be the best choice to run the country for the next five years. All three had strong points, but LDS’ candidate, Wavel Ramkalawan generally came out victorious in both debates. I am saying this because Mr Ramkalawan made use of all his points and arguments from his manifesto to be able to deliver a substantial, comprehensive and direct argument.”
From TODAY’s Facebook post, asking its audience whether the final round of the debates has influenced their choice of who to vote for to lead the country and how they felt each candidate had performed, Sabry Bruce said, “Yes, it has influenced me. All three candidates had some good answers on some of the questions raised. Although I feel more time should have been given to each candidate to fully answer the questions and shed more clarity on their policies as presidential candidates. Currently the most challenging issue is the state of the economy. I wanted to clearly understand what the three candidates will put in place to better our economy, lower the cost of living, improve the civil service and something very close to my heart, improve and modernise law enforcement. Overall, this was very fruitful, and going forward I hope to see more of such debates, hopefully extended to MNAs too, earlier on when campaigning starts in the future.”
Another comment came from Santale Tirant who wrote, “I had already made my choice long ago.... I was shocked when Mr Faure said that if he wins he will put the police force under state control!! This is a very worrying statement to make on live TV...”
“To be honest, not enough time was given on important questions that need more details. I felt the candidates were too hasty in answering questions due to probably trying to get out as much as they could in the short time given. Wavel Ramkalawan was clearly the only candidate with any real substance. If you really want change, only LDS, with a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly can bring about the change, otherwise, it will just be another five years of wasted stalemate,” said Andre Uzice.
Colin Brigitte Louise said, “I hope that anyone who wins will do more to control drugs in Seychelles, that is such a big problem.”
Daniel Laurence commented, saying, “Yes. As a person voting on ideals, it has showed me who is serious about taking up the job. The debates have separated the seed [from] among the leaves. I have been able to see and judge the characters of each leaders and who would retain [their] sangfroid and remain composed in difficult situations needing a bold and decisive decision. Perhaps the scariest and most crucial point that has influenced me as a voter was when the president said that he intends to administer the police force under State House. Tellingly, that for me will be a direct breach of the oath taken by a president to protect and preserve the Constitution of Seychelles. It is an attack on our professionals and the fundamental principle of non-interference with those offering a public service.”
Guy Labrosse agreed with Mary Carbognin who felt that the debates were “too soft” for her taste, saying that “none of the candidates wanting to land a killer blow on the other.” They were too nice with Danny [Faure] who should have been torn apart for his dismal record, not just over the past four years, but all the time he has been at the top level in government,” Labrosse opined while noting the interest of the population in politics. “Those debates have shown the huge interest that politics holds for the majority of the Seychellois people. In most mature democracies, people have an apathy towards politics and politicians in general, perhaps because the novelty of such events have worn off,” commenting that this should now be taken one step further, with the introduction of programmes similar to ‘Question Time’ in the UK “that would help to empower people and keep politicians accountable and on their toes while enhancing the quality of political debate in the country.”
[Editor’s note: Responses have been edited for clarity and space considerations]

https://www.facebook.com/todayinsey/photos/a.417785501592599/3388007821237004
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Seychelles' political campaigns to go dark 24 hours before first ballots are cast Thursday
Victoria, Seychelles | October 20, 2020, Tuesday @ 17:25 in National » POLITICS | By: Betymie Bonnelame | Views: 560
http://www.seychellesnewsagency.com/articles/13734/Seychelles%27+political+campaigns+to+go+dark++hours+before+first+ballots+are+cast+Thursday

General elections 2020 | 20 October 2020
http://www.nation.sc/articles/6530/general-elections-2020

AMPS voices out concern on coverage restriction for upcoming elections | 20 October 2020
http://www.nation.sc/articles/6525/amps-voices-out-concern-on-coverage-restriction-for-upcoming-elections

Linyon Demokratik Seselwa Vice-Presidential candidate Ahmed Afif | 20 October 2020
http://www.nation.sc/articles/6513/linyon-demokratik-seselwa-vice-presidential-candidate-ahmed-afif

United Seychelles Vice-Presidential candidate Maurice Loustau-Lalanne | 20 October 2020
http://www.nation.sc/articles/6514/united-seychelles-vice-presidential-candidate-maurice-loustau-lalanne

One Seychelles Vice-Presidential candidate Peter Sinon | 20 October 2020
http://www.nation.sc/articles/6515/one-seychelles-vice-presidential-candidate-peter-sinon

Wednesday, 21 October 2020
Elections 2020
Why vote?
Unless you have been living under rock or hibernating in a cave for the past couple of months, you should know that this weekend will be a moment forever marked in Seychelles history. The citizens of Seychelles are bursting with excitement about voting on Saturday, 24 October, impatiently waiting for the results.
by J. Larue
Voting is beyond choosing who you want to be president or a member of the National Assembly. When casting your vote, you are not just voting for the candidate running for president; you will be voting for what their party stands for and for your aspirations for the country.
Who is eligible to vote? The Elections Act states “Every citizen of Seychelles entitled to be registered as a voter under article 114 of the Constitution and who has attained the age of eighteen years shall, if the citizen resides in an electoral area, be registered as a voter in that electoral area unless the citizen (1) is disqualified from registering as a voter under this Act or any other written law (2) is under any written law, adjudged or otherwise declared to be of unsound mind or detained as a criminal lunatic at the pleasure of the President; and (c) is serving a sentence of imprisonment exceeding six months imposed by a court in Seychelles.
To recap from the statistics published in TODAY a few weeks ago, about 75% of the Seychelles population is eligible to vote. Compared to the 70, 943 eligible voters registered in 2016, this year there are 74, 634 names on the voters list. The increase in numbers means that there are more people available to vote for their favoured party.
Out of the 10 people TODAY spoke to, only one person said that he will not be voting this year. Jacob Assaf stated that he will not be voting because he did not register to vote.
The remaining nine individuals firmly expressed that yes, they will be voting and that it is of utmost importance to vote.
Williana Volcere stated, “I am definitely voting this year, because I believe its everyone’s responsibility to be able to vote for a government, and when we’re voting we have the power to contribute to society. If we don’t vote, how will we be able to bring that contribution? How will we be able to voice out our opinion? It is very important. It’s important to vote for a president that stands for love, stability and peace, and a government that prioritises its people and helps its people through difficult situations that the country faces.”
According to Jean-Marc Préa, “Voting is a constitutional right. Everyone has to vote, because at the end of the day, whether you vote or you don’t vote it affects your livelihood. This is the only weapon that we have against people that we think are not properly handling our resources, our money, and state of life and this is passed down to your grandkids.”
Martin Charlot opined that voting “very important. The situation in the country is very delicate and we need to make a decision for what we want to happen in the next five years. We need to take a leap and good decision to see where things go. We need to listen to what the candidates are saying and see which one will bring a better future for Seychelles.”
Amina told TODAY that “It’s important for us to vote for change in the country. We really need it. We need to see the future. I am going to vote to change the country. Slowly but surely.”
Carlos Larue’s opinion is that “I find it important to vote because you need to decide the future of your country, the people and your children. You as an educated person have the right to make the right decision and analyse who is the best fit to be running for president. I personally want things to done better than it has been done previously.”
https://www.facebook.com/todayinsey/photos/a.417785501592599/3390629277641525/

Voting grey Issues -
Number of Drug addict and on Special program
Elderly Home
Handicap
Hospital including nurse
SPDF
Police
Grey economy and Trafficking
New age church Movement
Abstention and spoil vote

Access to media during the upcoming elections | 21 October 2020
Electoral Commision reacts to comments made by media association’s chairman
http://www.nation.sc/articles/6542/access-to-media-during-the-upcoming-elections

A tiny island as the Mahe, people have to queued for 4 hours on the first day of vote day? wTF?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAUiTv4AmJo

220 voters cast ballots for president, National Assembly on Seychelles' outer islands
Victoria, Seychelles | October 22, 2020, Thursday @ 19:38 in National » POLITICS | By: Sharon Ernesta | Views: 223
http://www.seychellesnewsagency.com/articles/13748/+voters+cast+ballots+for+president%2C+National+Assembly+on+Seychelles%27+outer+islands

Seychelles votes: On Silhouette island, an 81-year-old casts a ballot amid COVID-19 precautions
Victoria, Seychelles | October 22, 2020, Thursday @ 13:18 in National » POLITICS | By: Salifa Karapetyan Edited by: Betymie Bonnelame | Views: 725
http://www.seychellesnewsagency.com/articles/13746/Seychelles+votes+On+Silhouette+island%2C+an+-year-old+casts+a+ballot+amid+COVID-+precautions

First votes cast in Seychelles' 3-day presidential, National Assembly election
Victoria, Seychelles | October 22, 2020, Thursday @ 10:51 in National » POLITICS | By: Daniel Laurence Edited by: Betymie Bonnelame | Views: 1009
http://www.seychellesnewsagency.com/articles/13744/First+votes+cast+in+Seychelles%27+-day+presidential%2C+National+Assembly+election

General elections update - 6.03 p.m. Longer waiting time on Praslin | 22 October 2020
http://www.nation.sc/articles/6566/general-elections-update-603-pm-longer-waiting-time-on-praslin

General elections (October 22-24, 2020) | 22 October 2020
The press conference in full swing (Photo: Louis Toussaint)
5,000 people accredited
http://www.nation.sc/articles/6565/general-elections-october-22-24-2020

8 p.m News 22-10-2020
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcqfpyRBmUE

Presidential and Legislative elections 2020 | 23 October 2020

The release of the first initial report by the EASF team (Photo: Joena Meme)
First initial report released by EASF after day one
http://www.nation.sc/articles/6581/presidential-and-legislative-elections-2020


President Faure receives election observers | 23 October 2020
Mr Wassihun during his call on President Faure yesterday (Photo: Thomas Meriton)

President Danny Faure received the head of mission of the Eastern Africa Standby Force election observer team, Dawit Assefa Wassihun yesterday morning at State House.
http://www.nation.sc/articles/6583/president-faure-receives-election-observers

EASF mission meets with One Seychelles presidential candidate St Ange | 23 October 2020
http://www.nation.sc/articles/6582/easf-mission-meets-with-one-seychelles-presidential-candidate-st-ange