Much missed: Elvis Dias in younger days
14th March 2024
By Lewis BetsyThis is such a sad time as I have lost another dear friend, Elvis Dias.He died four days after his 66th birthday and with family and friends, I attended his funeral at Our Lady of the Vi... more...
By Lewis Betsy  The scandal of what is happening with the Truth, Reconciliation and National Unity Commission is an outrageous insult to the people of Seychelles. In his State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Ramkalawan referred to the TRNUC, but he never offered anything serious or concrete concerning what would happen to the victims. I had previously warned that the Commission looked doomed to fail.  Yet it must not fail. The Government must not let the victims down. The truth is that the TRNUC has become a joke for the LDS Government. They are playing politics with it and applying a delaying tactics strategy with the victims.  The time has come to say enough is enough. My case number is No 2 and I am sure by now the Government must have had an idea where mine and all the many other cases were heading. It is not that difficult. We simply want justice and compensation for all the hurt we have suffered since 1977.  Naturally, we need answers to achieve closure.  In the meantime, we are forced to wait and trauma continues to impact families. Those that decided to stay in Seychelles have also suffered, but it was their choice not to bring their cases to the TRNUC.  It appears there is a blame culture going on: We are not children of Seychelles now because we brought our cases to the TRNUC. However, the suffering goes on for all.. For some victims it is too late. They have died with no answers forthcoming. So I ask: Where are the lists and names of the perpetrators? Why is the President keeping the lists from us? Is he protecting someone? Of the few perpetrators who came to the TRNUC, only five or six of them publicly said sorry for what they had done. And that was it. I note that many other known perpetrators are out and about in town, mixing freely with the public. It has become a sick joke and we, the victims, are suffering. The fact is I believe the TRNUC has become such a shambles that no one wants to deal with it. The LDS have the power they want and are cynically running the country without a care in the world. They have no sense of responsibility or duty. The LDS government is trying to wash its hands when it comes to paying the victims – though I see that they managed to find the money to pay all the Commissioners.  Yet who set up this scenario in the first place? It was Ramkalawan and former President Danny Faure. Timing is all, of course, and there are elections next year. We’ve got to watch it, or LDS might use the victims again to get another term in office. The more you think about the issue the more it makes you sick. How on Earth are we ever going to achieve unity in Seychelles when this situation persists?
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By Lewis BetsyThe scandal of what is happening with the Truth, Reconciliation and National Unity Commission is an outrageous insult to the people of Seychelles.In his State of the Nation Address (SONA... more...
Hope: Lewis Betsy meets President Danny Faure at State House on 16th March 2017 to discuss unity.
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Devoted mother: Helen Azolan
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Dedication: Rosie Bistoquet (picture The National Assembly of Seychelles)
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By Lewis BetsyI would like to pay a personal tribute to the life and work of Rosie Bistoquet, a member of the Seychelles National Assembly, whose life has ended so tragically.Rosie Bistoquet, 62 and a... more...
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The goals we scored, the lives we lived… soccer veterans meet up and recall their glory days

13th April 2021

By Lewis Betsy

Team spirit: (from left to right): Stephen Biscornet, Max Racombo, Ralph Volcere, Charles Alcindor, Vincent Confait, Colin Whiting, Lewis Betsy (standing), Terry Sandapin, Gilbert Servina, Pat Nanty and Tony Hoareau
Team spirit: (from left to right): Stephen Biscornet, Max Racombo, Ralph Volcere, Charles Alcindor, Vincent Confait, Colin Whiting, Lewis Betsy (standing), Terry Sandapin, Gilbert Servina, Pat Nanty and Tony Hoareau

Stars from Rovers Football Club met up to talk about the old days and savour the time when they were the best in Seychelles.

I was one of those players, and what an amazing day it was.

Every single veteran had something to say and story after story came up of the great moments we had together.

The idea of the reunion came after fellow player Colin Whiting and myself recalled that during the 1970s Rovers and its close rival Rangers were the top two football sides in the Seychelles.

Reunion organisers:  Ex-Captain Lewis Betsy, left, with fellow star Colin Whiting
Reunion organisers: Ex-Captain Lewis Betsy, left, with fellow star Colin Whiting

I had been captain of Rovers and we decided that it was time to relive those glory days.

Our party was held on 14th October 2020, 40 years after a particularly bad time for the club. A group of players and committee members from Rovers were arrested on 15th November 1979.

The action of then-President France Albert Rene meant the end of club football in our beautiful Seychelles.

Yet it was mostly the good days that we recalled at the reunion, though with some notable people absent. 

Sadly we have lost players from the old era, including the famous Pat Laporte.

Others who were unable to join the celebration were Gonzague D’Offay who had much to do with the set-up of Rovers, Pat Laporte’s son Mervyn, and Barry Gendron, our assistant coach.

However, it was a brilliant day to remember that went into extra-time on nostalgia. 

Now I am looking forward to a replay.

Extra time: Colin Whiting, left, with Stephen Biscornet
Extra time: Colin Whiting, left, with Stephen Biscornet

Latest News

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Much missed: Elvis Dias in younger days
By Lewis BetsyThis is such a sad time as I have lost another dear friend, Elvis Dias.He died four… more...
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11th March 2024
By Lewis Betsy  The scandal of what is happening with the Truth, Reconciliation and National Unity Commission is an outrageous insult to the people of Seychelles. In his State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Ramkalawan referred to the TRNUC, but he never offered anything serious or concrete concerning what would happen to the victims. I had previously warned that the Commission looked doomed to fail.  Yet it must not fail. The Government must not let the victims down. The truth is that the TRNUC has become a joke for the LDS Government. They are playing politics with it and applying a delaying tactics strategy with the victims.  The time has come to say enough is enough. My case number is No 2 and I am sure by now the Government must have had an idea where mine and all the many other cases were heading. It is not that difficult. We simply want justice and compensation for all the hurt we have suffered since 1977.  Naturally, we need answers to achieve closure.  In the meantime, we are forced to wait and trauma continues to impact families. Those that decided to stay in Seychelles have also suffered, but it was their choice not to bring their cases to the TRNUC.  It appears there is a blame culture going on: We are not children of Seychelles now because we brought our cases to the TRNUC. However, the suffering goes on for all.. For some victims it is too late. They have died with no answers forthcoming. So I ask: Where are the lists and names of the perpetrators? Why is the President keeping the lists from us? Is he protecting someone? Of the few perpetrators who came to the TRNUC, only five or six of them publicly said sorry for what they had done. And that was it. I note that many other known perpetrators are out and about in town, mixing freely with the public. It has become a sick joke and we, the victims, are suffering. The fact is I believe the TRNUC has become such a shambles that no one wants to deal with it. The LDS have the power they want and are cynically running the country without a care in the world. They have no sense of responsibility or duty. The LDS government is trying to wash its hands when it comes to paying the victims – though I see that they managed to find the money to pay all the Commissioners.  Yet who set up this scenario in the first place? It was Ramkalawan and former President Danny Faure. Timing is all, of course, and there are elections next year. We’ve got to watch it, or LDS might use the victims again to get another term in office. The more you think about the issue the more it makes you sick. How on Earth are we ever going to achieve unity in Seychelles when this situation persists?
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