(Posted 11th January 2025)
The well known Seychellois politician Alain St.Ange is set to release (towards the end of
January) his latest work, ‘Alain St.Ange, My Journey – Life & Times in Politics’, a comprehensive 785-page book chronicling the political history of Seychelles. This
groundbreaking publication highlights Alain St.Ange’s personal experiences, his family’s
political legacy, and the evolution of Seychelles from colonial days to its establishment as a Republic in 1976.
The book promises to be an essential read for anyone interested in Seychelles’ rich political history. Digging deep into the past, St.Ange sheds light on the contributions of his family, from his father Karl St.Ange, to his grandparents, Kersley and Josephine St.Ange, during an era before modern political parties existed. Winding through pivotal decades, St.Ange recounts Seychelles’ transition from French dependency to British colony, and eventually to the Republic it is today.
The book showcase documents obtained from British archives on the island’s pre-
independence era, the 1977 coup d’etat as well as the 1978 era of arrests and detentions.
Featuring a blend of historical facts and rare visuals – including archival photographs,
campaign materials, and documents – this book provides an intimate look at Seychelles’
political landscape. Readers will uncover how political affiliations shaped the country’s
destiny, leading to Constitutional Commission meetings in London and the emergence of key figures such as the Chief Minister, Prime Minister, and the establishment of a Coalition Government.
During his political career, Alain St.Ange participated in six elections, the pinnacle of which was his bid for the presidency in 2020. Reflecting on his time in public service, he shares, “I knew that my participation would, in one way or another, help democracy to establish its needed roots in Seychelles. People change, and political charters change. Following a party blindly simply for tradition is not the transformative leadership Seychelles needs.”
Alain St.Ange served in three consecutive cabinets under Presidents James Michel and
Danny Faure, working closely with all five successive Seychellois Presidents in different
capacities. His memoirs and analysis honour the privilege of public service and confirm his commitment to serving the people of Seychelles throughout his career. “At each of my swearing-in ceremonies as Minister, I reminded myself that a call for public service is a privilege, and that I should always remain true to the people I was being called to serve” he says in the book, as he documents his journey through his time as a candidate for four legislative elections and the 2020 presidential one.
This beautifully crafted landscape-format book features a hard cover and vivid full-colour pages, carefully designed to preserve the visual elements of historical and contemporary Seychellois politics. Black-and-white images from the French and British eras also pay homage to the country’s past.
With ‘Alain St.Ange, My Journey – Life & Times in Politics’, readers will gain an unfiltered perspective on the evolution of Seychelles’ governance, as well as a family legacy that intertwines with the country’s history.
