Mancham launches book in Abu Dhabi

[Grandlarousse]

Mancham launches book in Abu Dhabi


Seychelles’ founding President James Mancham has officially launched his new book, SEYCHELLES - The saga of a small nation navigating the cross-currents of a big world, in the UAE.

The event took place on Sunday evening at the Inter-Continental Hotel in Abu Dhabi during a special reception hosted by Seychelles’ ambassador to the UAE, Dick Esparon, with the sponsoring support of Air Seychelles, Etihad Airways, Seychelles Tourism Board and the Al Reyami Construction Group of UAE.

Mr Mancham, who arrived in Abu Dhabi from Paris on Saturday October 11 was met and welcomed on arrival at the Abu Dhabi International Airport by Saif Kharbadi from the Protocol Office of His Highness, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.
http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=243306

[Grandlarousse]

Mancham on multiple European mission

03-November-2014



Mr ManchamThe office of former President James R. Mancham has announced that Sir James will be leaving Seychelles bound for Europe on a multiple trans-European mission.

In London the founding President will be a guest of the famous The Economist magazine which is organising the World Water Summit.

According to the organisers the world has woken up to the dangerous consequences of the looming water crisis. Demand is rising rapidly thanks to industrialisation, population growth, climate change and the planet’s growing need for food, yet nature has decreed that supply is fixed. With agriculture, homes, factories and offices consuming water in ever greater quantities, the United Nations secretary general Ban Ki-moon has warned that by 2030 nearly half the world’s population could face a scarcity of water, with demand outstripping supply by 40%.

Attendees will include world leading thinkers on water policy, management irrigation, technology, economic development, sanitation and hygiene and water related risks.

Among those who will speak at the summit, which will be held at The Crystal in London, are Jian Eliasson, deputy secretary general of the UN; Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources of Singapore; Alan Clarke, chief executive officer SABMiller; Herbert Oberhansli, Vice-President, Economics and International Relations Nestle; Brian Arbogast, director of water, Sanitation and Hygiene Programme, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; and Barbara Frost, chief executive officer Water Aid.

“We in Seychelles are fully aware of the growing question mark with respect to solving our water problems, particularly during the periods of drought. As water plays a crucial role in all segments of nature, society and the economy, access to water will remain a fundamental issue for years to come. I am proud to have been invited to participate in this historic gathering,” Mr Mancham said.

From London, the former President will be going to Berlin to take part in the annual conference on cultural diplomacy 2014 which is being held this year under the theme of ‘A World Without Walls’ and sub-titled ‘Opportunities for peace building in a time of global insecurity’.
Sir James is among those invited to deliver a keynote address at this summit.

From Berlin Sir James will fly to Rotterdam in Holland to be one of the guests of honour attending the launch of the memoir of Judge C.G Weeramantry, a former Vice-President of the International Court of Justice which will take place at the prestigious hall of the Justice Palace of the International Court at The Hague.

Following this visit, the former President will head for Belgrade, Serbia for discussions with the secretary general of the ECPD (European Council for Peace Development) to finalise plans for the launching of a Serbian edition of his recent book ‘SEYCHELLES: The saga of a small nation navigating through the cross-currents of a big world’.

“Some parts of the book will have to lay more emphasis on what has been going on or what is going on in the Balkans today,” Mr Mancham said.

Finally Sir James will proceed to Florence, Italy to take part in a policy dialogue organised by Le Club de Madrid in association with Robert F. Kennedy Centre for Justice and Human Rights. The conference will facilitate discussions on the state and the future of democracy which will constitute the backbone for the project entitled ‘Next Generation Democracy’ which Le Club de Madrid is working on.

Le Club de Madrid is an association whose membership consists of 92 leaders, former heads of State and prime ministers of the world who came to office through democratic elections.

http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=243512

[Grandlarousse]

Reflections - A visit to the valley of memories

03-November-2014
On Saturday November 1, All Saints’ Day, I woke up in the early hours of the morning to go to the Mont Fleuri cemetery to pay homage to the memory of my late grandmother, father, mother, brothers and many friends and relatives who have found their resting place in this valley of memories as their souls, according to our Christian faith, happily meander in the eternal kingdom of heavenly bliss and happiness.

The Mont Fleuri cemetery looked impressive and dignified and certainly testified to our great Christian heritage on this bright Saturday morning. More important to note and to observe is that many Seychellois are already in the cemetery whitewashing and putting flowers on the graves of their departed loved ones while others are busiy picking weeds which have grown since last year’s pilgrimage.

There is a lot to be learnt by a visit to the cemetery, particularly the Mont Fleuri cemetery which is the home of many hosuehold names which have made history in our cupboard of memories. As I stared and gazed at my parents’ graves I could not help reading the inscription which I got engraved on their tomb stones:

“Measures in miles, you are far away, but measured in thoughts you are close today.”
My father Richard Mancham who, on several occasions acted as the Chairman of the Victoria District Council and who during economic times constructed the building now occupied by the Seychelles Trading Company (STC) on Albert Street in Victoria, and who was perhaps one of the most successful and loved entrepreneurs in Seychelles; my mother Evelyne who was specially decorated with an MBE by a Colonial Governor for a charitable, benevolent and philanthropic disposition which included the spearheading of La Salle D’Oeuvres now occupied by Deepam Cinema; my brother Mickey whose songs and lyrics are still being played and “pirated” – all of them are here buried in peace at the Mont Fleuri cemetery, with none of them having succeeded to qualify for a place in the recently unveiled ‘Seychelles Wall of Fame’.

As I prayed in silent reflections I became bothered by what I wrote as the conclusion of my book ‘Peace of Mind’:

“Along life’s sandy shores
Let me leave behind my
humble footprints
Until the tide will come in
To wash them away
For no matter how one is moulded today
Time and tide wait for no man
And the ravaging waves of history
Soon cast one unto its wilderness
A forgotten being in the mists of a bygone past”.

Indeed when I think about all those books that were burnt in China during the cultural revolution; when I remind myself of the deliberate burning of Christopher Lee’s ‘Political Castaways’ soon after the coup in 1977; and the recent controversy over the reckless, negligent, if not deliberate, dumping of books by the National Library; when I hear Mickey’s songs ‘Praslin napa pti zil ki pli zoli ki ou’ or ‘Ranpli mon ver mon a bwar en pti lasante’ being sung with enthusiasm at the recent Festival Kreol without a single credit being given to the man who sang and composed them, I am bound to think that Napoleaon Bonaparte was right when he said: “History is a set of lies agreed upon”.

James R. Mancham


Comment - Sir James Mancham is a very strange personality, had we live in the French Revolution his fate - he forgets that there are, were and will always be/have many Seychellois of respectable and noble French/European blood, bones, linage - in France, Europe, the USA, Africa who battled the elements to lay the foundation of our present world/nation. He treats us/most of us a little nobody just he alone is the great one. Yet collectively what we have done and had to do and those children in the future when fate befall/ confront them - their turn. Those who remembers the East African Attitude of such personality. These Children high responsibility to take over such legacies, high heritage, values, Traditions and carry them onward and rear children and bring them by to do the same.

He has managed to amassed a House full of titles and decorations it is no enough - like a supermarket - like a supermarket owner in old Seychelles only they have the rights and monopoly of certain goods and agencies and brands. He goes about the same with education and intellectualism. The strange thing is how those out there in the world think and they do not take time to think twice what is really going and what we are doing - they are driven by the corrupted media who prints their lies and version of reality and they are controlled.

Sir James has had the opportunity to be very close to Rev Moon - the controversial personality he was in the Religious workings of the world. Today given the landscape of world Religion how they portray. From his point of view it is the only way. When even such high personality like Pope John Paul ll, Pope Benedict and Pope Francis have had to reevaluated their views and knowledge on may highly important workings of the Roman Catholic church in existence much much longer that Sir James Mancham existence.

Across the globe there are millions of very talented personalities and individuals of fame and importance few like Sir James how have pursued such zeal to collecting titles, Accolade and decorations. ( Well a bit like those avid antique collectors and other collectors having written his thought - the many young Seychellois how are they to take it as benchmark for their life and future orientation. Many in Seychelles do not know just as some have large collection of books, Stamps, pictures, Plants, Post Cards be they in Mauritius and Reunion - at the length Sir James will go to present his personality in line with the titles, distinctions and accolades - just as you small and medium size collectors of a given hobby or art will do. We stress out in the world there are thousands hundreds involved in the same exercise - his rightly saying the Sand and Sea of time waits for not man. )

This requires a good degree of ruthlessness and cold blooded acumen. Such accolade, titles and recognition do not always fall on your lap the manner and extent one will go to acquire it just as any Collector will do.

The new Seychelleois generation white, brown, Chinese, Indian, Africa, Creole and others are not daft - given their knowledge and education they try to equate/measure such, almost ruthless quest for title, renown and importance. We do not have many such personalities from the old Folks and Families - how it is impacting them and current development of things.

Take for instance it was a Seychellois contributed to the writing/putting in place of the WWW yet the impacts on humanity - it means nothing - then we have Sir James marketing, advertising and broadcasting his special achievements on the back of the WWW existence. Just a simple thought.