the seychelles community in britain in particular have paid and is paying a price for what was started 40 years ago. the so-called "grand blanc", plantation owners, members of the victoria district council, did not want to entertain the notion at all, for fear of risking their vested economic interest. unlike the chagossians they were educated and articulate. they have had three or four generation of colonial british rule. they knew what had taken place in mauritius, reunion, the chagoss group. they have experienced the exodus they have made from france from 1000ad. it was with those experience they addressed their concern then.