Parti Lepep conference stresses need for innovative thinking
New ways of thinking and doing things at both government and party level have been stressed in a series of strong recommendations at the end of the ruling Parti Lepep’s general conference.
The conference, the first of its kind, took place at the party’s headquarters at the Maison Du Peuple over the weekend.
For three days some 1,000 delegates held in-depth discussion on nine specific theme groups relating to the party’s structures, roles and operations. On Sunday, recommendations were presented by the groups for party and government action as follows:
The youth group recommended that through youth structures in place, the government and the party should seek ideas from the youths whenever there are decisions concerning them to be made.
It also asked the government to review the existing system of training and employing young people and called for more youth empowerment and structures to help youths who are doing well, as well as measures or programmes to help those who have been left behind and depend on social help.
The women’s group asked the party to consider including more women with skills and experience in positions of responsibility.
It also asked the government to consider making March 8, 2011 a public holiday to honour our women on the 100th anniversary of the declaration of this day as theirs.
As the group that enriches the history of the party, the veterans’ goup recommended that the party speeds up efforts to set up a veterans’ movement in all districts and identifies a group of veterans to give them the necessary skills to teach young people party history.
The workers’ group stressed the need for the party and government to review the competence of the Seychelles Federation of Workers Union and encourage party members to become members of the workers’ union.
It also recommended that the party and government should support the workers’ union in gaining access to and support of workers in various workplaces including the Seychelles International Trade Zone.
The international affairs group believes the party’s secretariat needs to be reinforced to ensure a better image of the party is projected overseas; to develop a network for the party among Seychellois living overseas; and to set up links with international organisations that share the same ideas as the Parti Lepep.
In relation to The People newspaper, which has existed since the party was formed, the party newspaper group highlighted the need for it to maintain and increase its popularity among party members and receive first-hand information from government and party officials to better inform the people and be in a better position to counter the opposition.
The young professionals group called on the government and the party to reinforce discipline and deal severely with cadres who tarnish the image of the government and the party, and to review remuneration levels for young professionals.
The party school group recommended that political training for party cadres, prospective members and its officials in government should be a must.
The group recognised the government’s effort to give the public information but pointed out that information is often contradictory. It recommended that the government puts mechanisms in place to ensure consistency in public information.
The majorty party group highlighted the need for parliamentarians to go back to their communities and talk to their constituents more regularly; and for the National Assembly to tell people more about the work it does through open days and media programmes.
Speaking after the recommendations were presented, Parti Lepep President James Michel said if there is a lesson to be learnt from this great historical event, it is that to build the future of a country is not the work of one man alone but of everyone who has the interest of the country at heart.
“The conference was a great exercise of democracy within the party, as well as a great innovation as the Parti Lepep is the only party in the country that offers the people space to have debates with its leaders,” he said.
“We have worked together in unity and had in-depth discussions which will define the way forward for our party.
“Lots of criticisms have been made, but there have also been lots of suggestions and new ideas on how to do things better, as the recommendations show.”
Mr Michel said some of the recommendations will be carried out as soon as possible, while others will be formulated into policies, strategies and a plan of action that the government will have to carry out.
He said the recommendations will prompt the party to move on to another level and remain up to date with the hopes and needs of the people.
What has come out of the conference shows clearly that all party and government leaders need to listen and act accordingly, he added.
“We have noted that through the party’s development in this new era there is this urgent need for more openness as the party must live what it has always been – a party for all Seychellois,” he said.
“We need to embrace innovation, be more attentive to the voices and needs of the people, and as the party in power we need to value ideas and views from the party’s grassroots.
“As the majority party we are the guardians of the people’s interests, and therefore it is normal for us to examine and criticise our performance.”
Mr Michel noted that all the recommendations stressed the need for and the value of innovation to ensure the Parti Lepep is the winning party for the future.
“To do that, we need to take all these recommendations seriously,” he said.
“Our work has to be concentrated around the needs of the people that the conference has put forward. And we have to identify and overcome all obstacles which are delaying our work.”
As was agreed at the party’s congress last June, this exercise will be repeated every two years and “will ensure people from all levels of our society can identify themselves with new policies and feel they are part of all that is being carried out”, Mr Michel said.