The Seychelles
A narrow miss
Humphry Berkeley
In the middle of the 1976 the Seychelles will attain independence within the Commonwealth. Ten years ago, in 1965, two by-elections very nearly took place, one in Lancaster and the other in Holborn and St Pancras South. The Members of Parliament were Mrs Lena Jeger and myself. We were both visiting the Seychelles at the request of Mr Anthony Greenwood, then Colonial Secretary, and 0L11 , task was to advise him on the constitutiona' future of the colony. I experienced a certain • degree of genial banter from my Conservative colleagues, before our departure, who were amused at the thought of a bachelor visiting a paradise island, unchaperoned, and in the company of 3 not uncomely woman Labour MP. Our journeY was lengthy and uncomfortable. In those daYs, there was no airport in the Seychelles but, through the good offices of the United States Government, we were flown from Mombasa t°, Mahe (the main island) in a wartime Argonad„' seaplane, since the American Government ha° a communications satellite in Mahe. We wer! lent, by the Colonial Office, a male privat` secretary who was given firm instructions hY
me to buy a bottle of whisky at Mombasa to make our nine-hour flight to the Seychelles more tolerable. I was not pleased to discover that he had inquired of the aircraft captain if liquor was permitted on board and, on receiving a negative answer, that he had done nothing to alleviate our discomfort.
On arrival we were taken to the house of the Acting Governor and after an early dinner we went to bed. The house which was not untypical of tropical colonial residences, had a balcony which went all the way around the first floor. Lena and I were given the two main guest rooms which were next to each other, and were so designed that each of us could have entered the other's room through the French windows which led out onto the balcony. At half past two in the morning I was awakened by Lena's indignant voice "Go away. Will you please leave me alone. Get off my bed. Get out of my room". I gingerly oPened my bedroom door and saw across the Passage the ADC peering out of his room. At least I had established my innocence. The ADC and I knocked on Lena's door and shooed away a stray dog, which had wandered into her bedroom. On July 14 we were taken by our hosts to a large reception to commemorate the fall of the Bastile and from there went on to a dinner dance at the Club de Seychelles. The dinner was elaborate and the service was slow. After a considerable delay between the fish course and the main course, I asked the Governor's wife if She would like to dance. Within seconds the entire top table was on the floor dancing. A minute later a bomb exploded under our table, Parts of which were blown up to the ceiling. If we had been sitting there we would undoubtedly have been killed. We all agreed that we had to remain; another table was quickly laid and an hilarious timewas had by all of us until we left in the eaily hours of the morning. Lena and I worked hard. We toured the main island and each day received deputations from the Political parties and the unions. We made a rule that we would see anybody who asked to see as. The weather was, for the most part, glorious and each day we usually managed to sPend an hour on Beauvallon beach, one of the most beautiful in the world. The time came for us to leave. We produced a unanimous report in which we recommended a constitution virtually identical to that which 112w prevails. We also recommended that the ritish Government should build a jet airport: It Was opened several years ago. I was aetermined that our return journey would be more agreeable than the outward flight. We were given a hamper containing cold food Prepared by the Government House chef. We Were also given two bottles each bearing a label el carrying the words 'Government Seychelles. The mixture, to be taken as required before and after meals'. Seldom had whisky tasted better. I was told .4,rterwards by our Colonial Office secretary at the American crew was puzzled at the number of glasses of water which I asked for.
Having fought a strongly-held Conservative
seat as a Labour candidate in the general election of October 1974 I am now looking for something winnable. If it is true that Labour Selection conferences have moved to the left, I have two advantages in my favour. The first is a letter of unequivocal support from Michael Foot, written with a degree of generosity Which would only surprise those who do not know "lin personally. I also have Lena's rrrnission to say "I once rubbed suntan lotion Tit° Lena Jeger's back".
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