President James Alex Michel

James Alex Michel (born August 18, 1944) has been the president of the Seychelles since April 14, 2004. He succeeded France-Albert René, and had previously been his vice-president since 1996. He began as a teacher, but became involved in the archipelago's booming tourism industry and joined Mr René's political party before independence in 1976. Image File history File links http://www. ... Image File history File links http://www. ... August 18 is the 230th day of the year (231st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... April 14 is the 104th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (105th in leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... France-Albert René (often abbreviated to simply Albert René or F. A. René; born November 16, 1935) was the long-time leftist President of Seychelles from 1977 to 2004. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... 1976 (MCMLXXVI) is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ...

In fact, he has followed President René in different political posts through all the different periods of the Seychelles' independent history. He was in the party's central committee when Mr René staged a coup against the country's first President, James Mancham, only one year after independence. During the 1977-93 one-party socialist dictatorship, Mr Michel held key ruling party and ministerial portfolios. Sir James Richard Marie Mancham (born 1939) was the first President of Seychelles from 1976 to 1977. ...

During the rule of President René, James Michel was the head of the Seychellois economy on several occasions. In these 27 years, the Seychelles has experienced an economic boom based on its tourism and fisheries sectors. This, according to the opposition, has however been jeopardised during the last few years due to an accumulated budget deficit. Tourist redirects here; for the album by Athlete, see Tourist (album) Tourism is the act of travel for the purpose of recreation and business, and the provision of services for this act. ... A budget deficit occurs when an entity (often a government) spends more money than it takes in. ...

The new Seychellois leader also played a role in the country's slow democratisation process, which started with multi-party elections in 1993. Seychelles however still suffers from limited press freedom and transparency and, according to the opposition, rigged elections. According to official results, President René and his Seychelles People's Progressive Front party only narrowly won the last presidential (2001) and legislative (2002) elections. Democratization is the transition from authoritarian or semi-authoritarian systems to democratic political systems, where democratic systems are taken to be those approximating to universal suffrage, regular free and fair elections, a civil society, the rule of law, and an independent judiciary. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... Seychelles Peoples Progressive Front (French: Front Progressiste du Peuple Seychellois) is a socialist political party in Seychelles. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... For the Cusco album, see 2002 (album). ...

Seychelles' opposition leader, Wavel Ramkalawan, has expressed increased concern over the negative trends in the national economy and demanded more dialogue with the ruling party. The leader of the centrist Seychelles National Party furthermore said that he would be cooperating with President Michel. Leader of the Seychelles National Party (SNP), formerlly known as the United Opposition (UO). ... The Seychelles National Party is a liberal political party in Seychelles. ...