Assassination Ploy Averted At Seychelles CarnivalOn the day of the Seychelles International Carnival, the rumor mill took off of a possible assassination plot to kill President James Michel during the carnival festivities.
http://freeseychellesnow.blogspot.co.uk/Carnaval International de Victoria
Authorities deny security scare
… But measures taken in reaction to the alert negatively impacted the carnival.
BY DB
The country was rife with conspiracy theories on Saturday with unpleasant consequences for the fifth edition of the Carnaval International de Victoria. But a day later, after most people had witnessed the overwhelming presence of the army, armed police officers and the dog unit, as well as the last minute change in the VIP arrangements for the carnival, Minister Alain St Ange went on record to say that the panic was created by social media.
And yet on Saturday, at about 1.45pm as the protocol unit of the ministry of Foreign Affairs was putting the last touches to the seating arrangements for the Very Important Persons (VIPs) in the car park of the Stad Popiler, instructions were given to make alternative arrangements for the President and other dignitaries. The top of the stairs in front of the International Conference Centre Seychelles (ICCS) was hastily converted into an alternative VIP area.
But not all VIPs were to be included in this alternative arrangement. And the information was not properly relayed to those concerned. As a result, upon hearing of the alternative arrangements, some diplomats made their way to the ICCS only to be told that access was reserved for the President, Ministers and other foreign dignitaries.
A few other diplomats who arrived at the stadium car park were not told of the change in plans and waited in vain for the President to arrive. Meanwhile, the VIP section at the car park started to steadily empty as news of the security scare trickled in. But most other guests were oblivious to what was happening. No explanations were given to explain why the parade which was due to start at 3pm had still had not begun. At about 4pm, as diplomats came to the realization that the President was not going to turn up, they started leaving.
On the streets, people who had stationed themselves near the Le Chantier roundabout saw the floats starting to come in but then turned right around and go back towards Bois de Rose Avenue. The rumour mill went into overdrive when armed military officers started pouring into town. A sniper positioned on top of the Le Chantier mall, at a loss to explain the changes to members of the public, actually said that the VIP section had to be moved because of “the wet soil” (Ed’s note, the car park is asphalted).
The rain, which had stopped long before the parade was due to start, was also used as an excuse to explain the change of the VIP location to some guests who asked why the President was watching the show elsewhere.
The alternative arrangements came about following a meeting chaired by Home Affairs Minister Charles Bastienne at the police headquarters at about 1pm. Police officers and the military were then informed that there was a security threat and that the President should be kept away from the car park (see page 2 for more on this).
The fact that the VIPs had moved to the ICCS meant that the parade route had to be changed. Only at about 4.30pm - the time when the parade should have ended – did the floats start to proceed along the new route.
They had to first stop in front of the ICCS, coming from Docklands (which was not on the initial route), then go down Francis Rachel Street, enter the Stadium Car Park to perform in front of practically empty secondary VIP section, go back out and then on towards the Clock Tower.
A lack of police officers on the streets as well as the absence of barriers on both sides of the road made it at times difficult for the large floats to pass and the security accompanying the floats had to do what the police couldn’t – ask people to stay back. Foreign journalists stationed at the Clock Tower could not work, their press passes affording them no protection against the onslaught of spectators who wanted to be as close to the floats as possible.
In fact, most of the police officers, military officers and armed bodyguards were stationed near the ICCS to protecting the President against the potential security scare. There was an anxious moment when the King of Ashanti who as everyone else, had initially gone to the car park to watch the parade, was relocated to the pavement opposite the ICCS where his court was awaiting. Two of his emissaries then crossed the road and walked up to Foreign Affairs Minister Joel Morgan, presumably to inform him that the President would have to personally greet the King. Which James Michel did under heavy guard. The President was surrounded by six bodyguards as he went down the stairs while just opposite the ICCS, policemen dressed as civilians used binoculars to scan the crowd. Five dogs from the Dog Unit were also stationed in the vicinity of the ICCS.
Meanwhile the parade went on tediously. Either too much time passed between the floats or not enough. And the dulcet notes of the poor Sami folk singer from Sweden could barely be heard above the deafening bass of the previous float.
The order of the parade was also something of a mystery. Local floats were mixed in with international ones with delegates looking as tired as the spectators felt. By the time the long awaited Notting Hill carnival appeared, night had fallen and people who by then had lined the streets for four hours, were more than ready to leave.
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Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2015 7:07 pm