CONFIDENTIAL
second channel goes on the air. The longer tender period for the third channel may be reduced, but will enable tenderers to consider the provision of special public service programmes against the programming schedules of channels one and two.
SEYCHELLES
BOMB TRIALS
6. Guy Pool, the accused in' the first bomb trial case, was convicted on 4 January of planting a bomb at the Reef Hotel in February 1972. He was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment. The Governor has said that he is confident of his ability to contain with the police resources available to him any demonstrations against the sentence that may be mounted by the opposition Seychelles Peoples United Party.
THE SEYCHELLES IMMIGRATION ORDINANCE
7.
Unlike similar legislation in other dependencies, the Seychelles Immigration Ordinance does not give automatic right of residence to persons born outside the colony, even if they are of Seychelles descent. We are under some pressure to get Seychelles to bring their legislation into line. The immediate difficulty, in the wake of the bomb trials, is that Mr Mascarenhau who had been declared a prohibited immigrant, would be able to return to Seychelles in triumph if the law is amended. We have asked the Governor for his proposals.
BRITISH TELEVISION AND SEYCHELLES TOURISM
8.
The Governor has complained that the programme about holidays in Seychelles included in a BBC production "Holiday 73" last month was not only critical of the tourist attraction of Seychelles but was biased and inaccurate. The Chief Minister has also referred publicly to the programme and said that he has arranged for enquiries to be made about whether the Seychellen Government should complain officially to the BBC.
9. A programme in support of tourism in Seychelles is to be shown by ATV at 8 pm on Monday, 8 January. Both the Governor and the Chief Minister contributed to the programme which was filmed last summer. It may help to redress the balance.
5 January 1973.
CONFIDENTIAL
ACSL
A O Stuart
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