‘Victoria must acquire more vibrancy’

The Mayor of Victoria, Jacqueline Moustache-Belle, yesterday paid a courtesy call on former President James R. Mancham at his residence at Glacis-sur-Mer, Mahé.

Mrs Moustache-Belle has just returned from Congo, Brazaville, where as Mayor of Victoria, she took part in "The United Cities of Local Government of Africa" Forum as a member of the executive committee.

It is to be noted that Mayor Moustache-Belle is an executive member of L'Association International des Maires Francophones. In Congo, Brazaville, President Denis Sassou-Nguesso awarded the Mayor of Victoria L'Ordre du Mérite Congolais.

In their discussions, Mr Mancham recalled the time when he was growing up in Seychelles with Victoria being administered by a Local Government elected-body called "The Victoria District Council”, which body was under the chairmanship of the late Dr. Hilda Stevenson-Delhomme and vice-chairmanship of his late father, Richard Mancham.

Mr Mancham said that in the interest of internal stability and the minimising of political tensions, it was perhaps a good idea that the Mayor of Victoria was appointed by the Central Government and therefore he had no problem to provide full support to Mrs Moustache-Belle in the discharge of her challenging duties as Mayor of Victoria by appointment of President James Michel.

The former President, who himself is an Honorary Citizen of Dade County Florida, USA; an Honorary Citizen of New Orleans, USA, and who has been awarded "Le Grand Médaille de Vermeille" de la ville de Paris; the Gold Medal of the City of Pusan (the Republic of Korea); the Gold Medal of the Municipality of Dubai; the Gold Medal of the City of Mumbai, India and the Gold Medal of the region of Kostroma in Russia, told the Mayor that she should consider initiating an Award scheme under which she could award "Honorary Citizenship of Victoria - Capital City of the beautiful Seychelles archipelago" to deserving and discerning visitors.

He said the Award should be given on a very selective and meritorious basis as and when the visit of a VIP or benefactor would justify. 
"This," he said, "is certainly a way to consolidate and perpetuate friendship and amity without too much cost."

However, before going along this way, Mr Mancham said, he believes that Victoria must prove itself to be a "city of light" - the pride of all Seychellois.
To achieve this, the former President made several suggestions:-

1. Victoria must stand-out as one of the cleanness capitals in the world; all eyesores removed, all rats exterminated and all rubbish effectively disposed.

2. Victoria must be seen for what she should be - beautiful and colourful. A building painting policy must be put in place to ensure harmony and there should be more flowers and palm trees everywhere.

3. Victoria must acquire more vibrancy. It should be seen as a city of "music, songs and laughter”. Every Sunday afternoon there should be a band offering soft music next to the Post Office or at some other pivotal corners of the town. At carnival and festival time, Port Victoria should organise "un son et lumière event”. A plot of land should also be allocated to the build-up of an Aquarium and a track must be demarcated for a "tortoise race”.

Mr Mancham told the Mayor that in this world, things do not just happen - more often than not they are made to happen when people of vision and goodwill decide to work together and turn vision into reality. In this spirit, he was agreeable to provide the Mayor his full personal support.

Mayor Moustache-Belle said she was most encouraged by the ideas and support of the former President and felt that all citizens of Seychelles should play their part in making Victoria "a quality town by all standard”.

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