A good leader needs to have a vision and strategy for the future of his country, President James Michel has said.

"One cannot plan today for tomorrow; one needs to look further ahead, develop a strategy to move the country forward," said Mr Michel.

He was speaking during his monthly En Moman Avek Prezidan  interview aired on SBC TV yesterday evening.

The interview was based on the vision to transform our country by 2020 as portrayed in the ongoing Seychelles2020 Expo at the International Conference Centre (ICCS) under the theme Touching the Future.

Mr Michel said the technicians have done an excellent job to illustrate the vision in a more tangible manner in order to show the people how the vision can become reality.

Mr Michel said the important thing now is for all the people to "take ownership of the vision" because it is together, with all partners and sectors of society taking part and working in unison, that it will become a reality.

As for me, I am ready and will be there to guide the people to realise this vision," said Mr Michel. 

Asked how he came up with the vision, the President said his consultative approach has allowed him to meet and talk to people from all sectors of society - entrepreneurs, businessmen, ordinary people, especially the youth -- and he has listened to what they aspire for the future. 

"I felt it was important that I translate all these aspirations into a vision and put it in a strategy which can move our country forward," Mr Michel said.

But how do the Aspiration 2013 -- which focused on the young people, the Strategy 2017 -- which focused on developing our economy and now the Vision 2020, relate together?

Mr Michel said they are all relevant and inter-related.

"But we need to be realistic. I can confirm that we have attained the majority of objectives as defined in the Aspiration 2013, except for some specific projects like the youth village and regional youth centres. But these have been put on hold because of the economic reforms the country has been going through," said Mr Michel.

He said the Strategy 2017 allowed the country to realise a lot of projects and many even before the due time.

He said there is almost three years left before the end of 2013 and over six years before the end of 2017 and therefore ample time to realise all projects in both strategies.

"I believe we all have the necessary capacity to realise all the objectives of these strategies and even more," he said.

Highlighting the fact that the country has already achieved almost all the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as projected and is aiming towards MDG+ in line with United Nations recommendations, Mr Michel said all this illustrates success and a victory for Seychelles.

Mr Michel said with the new environment and new developments taking place in the financial sector in the world and in Seychelles, more Seychellois are being empowered to be responsible for their own destiny.

He said it is important that he looks further ahead, and together with the people develop a vision that will take us to 2020 and beyond.

"So I can say that Aspiration 2013 and 2017 are still relevant in the 2020 Vision which foresees a better planned future for Seychelles," said Mr Michel.

But the President agrees though that not everything should remain as planned.

"With evolution and changes, we should be able to make adjustments and possibly do even more than planned and this is because we are living in a dynamic world and in a Seychelles which is more dynamic than we expected. This is why we should move fast to plan for the future," he said.

Asked about access to funding for proposed developments on Ile Soleil, Eve and Aurore as well as the La Promenade development, in view of the level of interest by both Seychellois individuals and investors, Mr Michel said these are projects for the Seychellois people.

"These are projects which represent the visions and aspirations of the Seychellois people. They have been conceived, designed and put together for the people of Seychelles. Houses, business, small enterprises all for Seychellois and this is why the people should take ownership of these projects and see themselves in them. Our people should see how they can contribute their share in the projects which are for their own benefit," Mr Michel said.

He said although the government will be there to lead, guide, help plan and advise on infrastructure which will be needed on the islands for these projects, all sectors of society have a role to play in these developments.

There again he stressed the need for financial institutions to make available credit through cheaper loans.

Mr Michel noted that work has already started to put in place the necessary structures to give advice, guide and lead these developments. 

The first Smart Partnership National Dialogue held last week under the theme Seychelles2020 -Making it Happen was an example of such structures. Foreign partners and stakeholders came together with local investors and people from all sectors of society including our young Seychellois professionals to discuss and give their input on the kind of roadmap that we need to realise these projects as soon as possible.

He noted that the investment forum which opens tomorrow at the ICCS will be another opportunity for investors to come together and give ideas on how best they think those projects should be carried out, the various constraints and challenges they foresee so that adjustments can be made to ensure that everything goes well.

"I believe that these are things we are doing and will continue to do to ensure that all Seychellois is part of this national project which will be wonderful for Seychelles," Mr Michel said.

The President said come 2020, if all goes well and everybody works hard together, he is confident that we will be able to realise these projects.