Brief History Seychelles
The first person to discover Seychelles was the Portuguese explorer Vasco de Gama. Bennett, & Bennett, (1993) asserted that he did this during his second Voyage in the year 1502 while crossing from India to Africa. The Englishmen were the first people to alight on the shores of the Seychelles. The French East India Company began controlling the island in 1744. In 1903, the Seychelles became a British Crown Colony. They carried out slave raids in the region that saw the population of Seychelles reduce by over half. Towards the beginning of the Second World War, Seychelles began lobbying for an internal self-rule. The first political party was formed in 1939. They were selected to the legislative council in 1948. The Seychelles attained full independence on June 29, 1976, with Mancham becoming the first President.
Geographic Information
The Republic of Seychelles is a conglomeration of 115 islands that are located in the Indian Ocean on the Northeast side of Madagascar. On the map, it lies between approximately 4 and 10 degrees South and 46 and 54 degrees East. According to Nwagwu and Ibitola (2010), the islands are classified into two: the central group and the outer islands. The central groups are formed from granite and consist of mountainous heart that is surrounded by a flat coastal strip. The central groups also include the main island Mahe. The outer islands consist of coral accretions at different stages of formation from reefs to atolls as asserted by Cawthra et al . (2007). Most of the islands lack water, and only a small number have been inhabited. The main highlands experience a high amount of rainfall and humidity. Wildlife in the region comprises the giant land turtle and animals such as the Green Sea Turtle. The islands have unique forest and wildlife.
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Statistics on Economy
Seychelles is vulnerable economically owing to its small size, isolation, its overdependence on tourism, and the limited natural growth. The tourism industry accounts for the bulk of foreign exchange earnings ( Government in the Seychelles ). The tourism sector grew strongly during the 1990s due to the cheaper flights that made Seychelles more accessible. The imports required for the tourism industry were responsible for Seychelles trade deficit. From 1979-1989, the country’s GDP grew by 1.4%. The country has made major strides with regards to diversifying the economy. This has been done by encouraging farming, fishing and manufacturing. Between 2005 and 2007, the country's economy strengthened as a result of increased foreign direct investment and tourism receipts. However, in 2008 the economy stalled and Seychelles sought for an emergency support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The GDP shrank by around 2.1% largely due to a sharp fall in tourism income. Economic reforms have since seen a steady growth in the economy. The reforms include evolving entrepreneurial framework which is geared towards improving overall regulatory efficiency. Tax reforms include cutting and simplifying personal and corporate taxes. Trade is also an important aspect of the economy as the value of the exports and imports equals 181% of the GDP. Quick facts on the economic statistics include a GDP of $2.4 billion with a growth rate of 4.4%. The inflation rate is currently at 4.0% ( Seychelles Economy ).
Social Issues
The population density of the country is at approximately 204 per square kilometre. Campling et al . (2011) pointed out that the population of the country is about 100000 with a life expectancy of 73 years. A large chunk of the population is located at the Mahe Island accounting to up to 88% of the population. The population consists of mixed African, French, Chinese, Indian, and French descent. Minorities include the European, Indian and the Chinese population. The official languages include Creole, English and French. In terms of religion, a majority of the people practice Christianity with a greater population subscribing to the Roman Catholic faith. Hindus account for 2% of the population with Muslim making up 1%. Belief in supernatural powers has also coexisted with Christianity and other faiths. The acts of sorcery were outlawed in 1958.
Role of Colonization and Path to Independence
French planters and their slaves began settling in Seychelles in 1768. In 1771, the first plantation industry was started in Seychelles in 1771 with the aim of competing with the Dutch in the European trade. Seychelles was also used as a transit point for slaves from Africa, Madagascar, and India among other countries. Kothari (2012) asserted that some slaves were retained in Seychelles to work for their masters. In 1994, Britain colonized the Seychelles, with administration stretching from Mauritius. The island altered hands between the French and the British seven times for the next thirteen years. However, after a series of battles, British emerged the front runners in 1811. The Treaty of Paris rendered Seychelles and Mauritius both colonies of British. In 1835, two important things happened in the history of Seychelles; the abolishment of slavery and the establishment of the Roman Catholic Church. Until 1903, the Seychelles colony was considered a dependency of Mauritius which was also passed from French to British administration in 1814. In 1903, Seychelles became a distinct British Crown colony. The first election to the legislative council occurred in 1948. The year 1964 saw the formation of political parties such as the Seychelles people’s party and Seychelles Democratic Party. Colonial and political representatives met in London for a constitutional convention in 1970. Subsequently, elections brought the constitution to effect in 1970. Further elections were carried out in 1974 which saw major political parties campaign for independence. After the elections, negotiations were carried out with the British administration with an agreement to have Seychelles a sovereign republic being arrived at on June 29, 1976. The negotiations led to the restoration of islands such as Aldabra and Farquhar.
Early Development Policies
Following the independence of Seychelles in 1976, the opening of the international airport had a huge impact on the economy as the tourism industry began to thrive. With tourism proving to be a great economic pillar in the country, policies on the conservation of the island’s natural resources and wildlife were enacted. Policies that managed the fishing industries were also made to ensure diversity in the economy. Major steps are being taken towards ensuring that Seychelles remains a great tourist hub. As much as the fish from the waters forms part of the meals for the Seychelles' people, there are protected and cannot be eaten. This is geared towards ensuring the export trade of fish is guaranteed. To counter excessive importation and the over reliance on food from other countries, the government over the past has formulated policies that are aimed at promoting agriculture in the country. The government has availed resources and facilities that promote the farming of food crops such as sweet potatoes and bananas among others. Also, as a means of stabilizing the economy, the country's management has focused on policies that improve the manufacturing industry and production companies. Technological policies have seen the advancement in the oil drilling and exploration sector.
Current Development Issues
Seychelles faces several contemporary challenges that threaten the economic, social and political well-being of the country. First, budgetary support for the various programs may be insufficient at times. The Maputo Declaration provided for a 10% allocation of national budget to agricultural development, but so far the country has only managed a 5% allocation towards this sector. Service delivery has also remained a problem as the service providers are unable to reach some subgroups which can subsequently worsen their situations. A small number of organizations carry out outreach programs. The education policies make it difficult for the citizens to access the present job market. The policy on automatic promotion which guarantees advancement even for the low achievers is detrimental for the long term development of the country with regards to innovation and creativity. Social ills such as drug and substance abuse have also taken a toll in Seychelles. Cultural and gender biases that discriminate against women have also been a major challenge in creating a unified society in Seychelles ( Seychelles: Issues and challenges).
Impact of Neoliberalism and Globalization on the Economy and Society
Neoliberalism is a policy that transfers the control of economic factors from the public sector to the private sector. It suggests that government have a duty to limit subsidies, make changes to the tax laws to widened the tax base; reduce deficit spending, and open markets to trade. The globalization of economy on the hand means interaction and integration among stakeholders of various countries through international trade and investment. Concerning neoliberalism, the Seychelles government has greatly focused on major tax reforms which involve cutting and simplifying personal and corporate taxes. Privatization has also been enhanced, though at a slower rate. Efforts that are geared towards enhancing transparency and improving governance of state-owned businesses have continued. Private sectors have been hampered by massive corruptions in the country ( The Economy of the Seychelles ). On globalization, Seychelles joined the World Trade Organization in 2015. Foreign investments have been enhanced by the foreign financial institution. The export and import market has also improved accounting for over 181% of the country’s GDP. The country's chief economic pillar-tourism industry-has also enjoyed a global scope as various tourists from various countries of the world such as Europe and America have boosted the economy of the country over the years.
References
Bennett, G., & Bennett, P. R. (1993). Seychelles . Santa Barbara, Calif: Clio Press.
Campling, L., Confiance, H., & Purvis, M. T. (2011). Social policies in Seychelles (Vol. 5). Commonwealth Secretariat.
Cawthra, G., Du, P. A., & Omari, A. H. (2007). Security and democracy in Southern Africa . Johannesburg: Wits University Press.
Kothari, U. (2012). Contesting colonial rule: Politics of exile in the Indian Ocean. Geoforum , 43 (4), 697-706.
Nwagwu, W., & Ibitola, T. (2010). Aspects of size and geography of an African cyberspace. South African Journal of Libraries and Information Science , 76 (2), 168-180.
Seychelles Economy: Population, GDP, Inflation, Business, Trade, FDI, Corruption. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.heritage.org/index/country/seychelles
Seychelles: Issues and challenges - Other MDGs - AHO. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.aho.afro.who.int/profiles_information/index.php/Seychelles:Issues_and_challenges_-_Other_MDGs
The Economy of the Seychelles | So Seychelles. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.seychelles.org/seychelles-info/economy-seychelles
The government in the Seychelles. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.commonwealthofnations.org/sectors-seychelles/government/
