Seventy years ago 1941, a young Seychellois by the name of Arthur Barallon amongst many other Seychellois, departed our shores under the leadership of Capt Boulle & Capt Michel, whose sons and family are here with us today. Arthur Barallon, aged 21yrs like many others, very young in their prime, went to serve in Egypt & Libya under 8th Army Commander, of Field Marshal Montgomery, 1st Viscount of El-Alamein fighting against the Germans led by Field Marshall Erwin Rommel, known as the Dessert Fox. Seychellois soldiers provided crucial support in the supply of ammunition and logistics to Infantry on the war front. The world was at war.
At the same time, Derrich Wienbroer, a young German aged 19yrs old was in the same war. His posting in 1942 took him to Stalingrad where he experienced the horrors of that campaign during the winter offensive; incidentally a city affected by the war in Ukraine today. Stalingrad left scars from all those who fought, including the civilian population.
In fact, everyone was treated as hostile. No-one was spared. Those battles are engraved in military history amongst some of the most horrendous.
So, there we have, two soldiers, from two separate families, in two parts of the world, but fighting the same war. Both dragged in a world war where they probably had very little understanding of the great implications. After the war, both Arthur Barallon, and Derrich Weinbroer returned to their native land carrying with them some tough memories. Both got married. Derrich Weinbroer had two daughters. Arthur Barallon married to Laure Hoareau had 8 children.
One of Arthur Barallon’s sons, Gilbert, joined the British Army years later in 1971. And this time the story is about love and not war. For on one of his skiing trips in the Alps, he met Gudrun, the daughter of Derrich Weinbroer. They got married and have two sons and grandchildren. And today we welcome them at the Remembrance of their parents and those who never made it back. I was personally honored to have met Derrich Weibroer, wounded three times and went back to the front on recuperation. And as we remember, the fallen of the two World Wars and other campaigns around the world, not forgetting the War in Ukraine, we recognize that wars are fought by people on both sides who otherwise have normal family lives. Families who would probably be friends in normal circumstances.
Soldiers never start wars. But when politicians & diplomats fail, they are called upon. And, they come willingly. For they are the true protectors of the values of freedom, of unselfishness. And it’s those great values that encourage the soldier throughout his mission. He does not consider himself a hero. It’s not his wages that pushes him forward. He is guided by his beliefs and his sovereign faith.
This commitment to duty, commitment to country without limits is sometimes at odds to many. In today’s world, where the first question is, ‘what’s in it for me? It may be difficult to comprehend this undying faith. Remembrance day gives us this opportunity to renew our unerring task of remembering the greatness that was once in abundance but can still be found amongst veterans.
Yesterday, the Veterans’ Voices Exhibition had its official opening at the National Museum of History. This Museum captures an important part of our national history from 108 years ago of the First World War, through the Second World War and the numerous other conflicts and campaigns that Seychellois have been involved in. Many of whom are amongst us, somewhat more pickled, but still prepared to bear all lumbar discomfort, in order to maintain that youthful ram-rod posture.
I would like to make special mention of Jackie Bulmer, the Community Engagement Officer, & husband Major Renny Bulmer for having led this wonderful initiative of the Veterans’ Voices Book and the Museum. This Museum will ensure that those great lessons of the character of our countrymen, the qualities of what characterized a Seychellois serviceman, will now be embedded in our history and serve to influence our youth in shaping their future values.
I thank the office of the British High Commission for the continuous support to the ex-servicemen community, Ambassador Patrick & Kathy Lynch for your hands-on energy towards our various cooperation and support to those who were proud to have had the opportunity to serve the crown.
In the name of the President and Government of Seychelles, VP Ahmed Afif, I congratulate and thank our War Veterans, and I take this opportunity to thank our local armed forces and Law Enforcement personnel. Likewise, we are grateful to the families and relatives of those who are no longer with us.
Seychelles is honoured to have hosted the first ever MROLEX under the UNODC’s Global Maritime Crime Programme. We have here present, country teams from Seychelles, Mauritius and Kenya who have participated in this two-week exercise that comes to closure today.
The exercise has served to integrate key components of the criminal justice chain with regards to combatting illicit acts at sea. This ranges from detection of suspected vessels, efficient maritime interdiction, and the legal prosecution of these acts.
As such, participating country teams comprise of Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) watch-standers and operators, boarding teams for Maritime Law Enforcement (MLE), legal prosecutors for the application of the Law of the Sea, as well as maintenance personnel to ensure operationality and longevity of maritime infrastructure.
This exercise follows a series of trainings and table-top exercises that specialised in the aforementioned thematic areas. What this exercise affords to the country teams is an opportunity to apply the skills and knowledge acquired in previous UNODC trainings.
To this end, the MROLEX presented a simulated operation within which, participating country teams analyzed information from a regional centre to take action at sea at the national level, leading up to a successful legal finish and prosecution of illicit acts, all with maintenance considerations and the availability of operational vessels taken into account throughout.
Incorporating the roles of the Regional Maritime Information Fusion Centre in Madagascar and the Regional Centre for Operational Coordination here in Seychelles, such an exercise is key to understanding and fostering the roles to be fulfilled by national law enforcement agents, as well as the need for regional integration and cooperation in the face of looming illicit maritime activity.
The exercise was facilitated by UNODC’s team of traveling experts who have spent the last four months traveling across the east African region, and we are pleased that your long journey has concluded on the shores of Seychelles.
Next week, the UNODC team moves on to facilitate a second exercise for our French-speaking member states of the region – Comoros, Djibouti and Madagascar. We look forward to another successful and fruitful exercise.
With sincere gratitude to the US State Department Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, for its financial support for this event, and to our national counterparts for their important role in helping make this exercise a success. To all the UNODC facilitators and everyone who assisted in one way or another, thank you.
I hereby conclude the MROLEX I. Thank you all.
Good afternoon. It is a pleasure to join you to celebrate Police Day and equally, the International Day of Peace. I am honoured to commemorate these important occasions with you.
Police Day is a moment of reflection, not only spiritual but a reflection of you as an individual, in assessing yourself as a Police Constable, irrespective of the rank you hold. The good constable is someone whose senses are ever tuned. Eyes, ears, brain. He reads what others cannot even see. He is accurate, detailed, vigilant, and always aware of his surroundings. He is alert. (Once a PC always a PC).
Crime is a fluid threat. Today we face more complicated crimes, in terms of Cyber –crimes, financial crimes, amongst fast communications, transfer of money through bit coins, and it is going to get worse as technology moves on. But, despite all those technologies, and other skills required, we still need the ‘constable’ in each and every one of you.
Police Officers face difficult challenges every day. Your jobs can be dangerous, frustrating, even tedious at times, but regardless, law enforcement is a very rewarding career. Police Officers, you have the opportunity to significantly improve the quality of life for the citizens of your community by keeping peace despite sometimes overwhelming odds.
You have the opportunity to demonstrate leadership. You must continue to evolve, to continue to hold and even raise standards. The best defense against negative forces is to embrace accountability by policing ourselves. Be a guardian of your community while practicing solid tactics. It might be tempting to lower standards or to overlook problem officers. We serve as gatekeepers. Look out for each other.
Remember that the challenges of today only make you stronger to face the challenges of tomorrow, and the challenges of tomorrow will only further prepare you for what comes next, knowing that you are supported and appreciated.
Finally, the families and loved ones of our brave and diligent Officers. You play a crucial role in supporting these men and women throughout their careers. Certainly, that is not easy on you, and so I take this opportunity to thank you for your support.
Today I wish to express gratitude for all of you who put yourselves in harm’s way to keep us safe. I wish you the very best in the coming challenges.
Happy Police Day!
Thank you.
FRIDAY THE 22ND OF JULY AT 1330hrs AT THE ANSE ROYALE AUDITOIUM, UNIVERSITY OF SEYCHELLES
Mental and Physical Health as a Bridge to Peace
It is a privilege for me to be here this day for the prison service’s fifth observation of Nelson Mandela Day, and participating in what has become an important annual event for us in Seychelles as well, and observed globally every 18th of July.
Due to the Covid 19 pandemic, last year a virtual session was held involving the prison services of Mauritius, Tanzania, Israel and of course the Seychelles. Today I am thankful that we can observe this year’s event together and in person.
Commissioner St. Ange has brought to my attention at our numerous briefing meetings, the concerns of the prison service, that more and more they are managing inmates who are, with social behavioral issues, or exhibiting psychological concerns, and other health complications.
I am aware, that as a result, the prison service working with other sectors such as the Health Department and other NGO’s is developing a roadmap to address the health and wellbeing of inmates in general. I thank Commissioner St-Ange for his spirited efforts in the ‘duty of care’ given to the inmates.
A key area of concern adding stress to the overall psyche of an inmate would be HIV/Aids and hepatitis. The roadmap which was presented in May 2021 and adopted in May 2022 with the launch of an integrated committee, using a multi-sectorial approach begins to better focus the work, and help identify what needs to be improved upon.
It is pleasing and reassuring to note that the Prison Service, supported by key partners in health, mental services, drug addiction, advocacy groups, including families of inmates either incarcerated or released back into society, will focus on the mental and physical health of the inmate. We thank the University of Seychelles for coming on board and facilitating and assisting us further in this endeavor.
At this time, I will make mention of the ‘Respe Nou Vwazinaz’ approach launched some 24 months ago, involving different sectors to engage with communities to address the ‘respect’ of self, community, villages and districts, and advance a sense of responsibility and ownership, as we all work to address the lack of ‘normality of life at home’, directly linked to criminal activity. Again, often because of drugs and addiction, low self- esteem and dysfunctional families. The issues are complex and does manifest themselves within a prison setting, as prisons are often a reflection of society itself.
We know that a survey conducted in 2015 /2016 showed that the rate of recidivism showed that 36% of inmates returned to prison for same offenses.
Monitoring the situation today, the prison authority is noting increasing numbers of former convicts now returning to prison. 40% of those returning did not participate in any rehabilitation efforts during their incarceration, compared to 29% of those who did participate. More work and analysis certainly needs to be conducted. Law and Order and Crime Prevention necessitates identifying potential areas of improvement within the complete cycle of Law Enforcement.
In conclusion, The Nelson Mandela Rules on the humane treatment of prisoners in our custody, remains a key area of work for the prison service, as it continues to ensure compliance to this internationally recognized standard. Health, treatment, and care of inmates, one rule within one hundred and 22 rules that needs to be carefully and systematically observed and applied. Doing so enables an inmate to regain a footing, for himself and also his or her family. I know that the Seychelles Prison Service, under the command of Commissioner St-Ange, with determination and dedication and with staff who serve with integrity, will continue to move forward and I anticipate such improvements towards the sixth Observation of Nelson Mandela Day in 2023.
I wish to once again thank, Commissioner St-Ange for spearheading this event, along with members of his staff; Angela Ernesta, Donald Zialor, Inspector Julitha Agathine, Vicky Rose, Chlory Rose, Erine Estrale, Angelique Tirant, Noella Lajoie, SI Flore, Sergeant Figaro, LCP Samedi, LCP Lepathy, LCP Rosemary, Khrisna Poudel, Ritu Magar, Dalil Nwenos and CI Sam Dodin.
I also extend a special thank you to Professor Hardy and Ms. Diana Benoit of the University of Seychelles, James R. Mancham Peace and Diplomacy Research Institute (PDRI) for assisting and facilitating the Prison Service Department with this initiative over the years.
Thank you for your continued efforts and goodwill.