SBSA and MTC post-secondary winners

Basketball: Grand Final Fiesta - 26.11.2012 Double wins for BSA primary and Mont Fleuri secondary • SBSA and MTC post-secondary winners The Baie Ste Anne (BSA) primary and Mont Fleuri secondary schools were untouchable, winning all the finals they competed in during the grand basketball final fiesta for schools which took place on Saturday at the Victoria Gymnasium. The two schools also won all the individual awards for best players of the tournament in the primary and secondary categories. For the post-secondary institutions, the School of Business Studies and Accounting (SBSA) were the female winners, while Maritime Training Centre (MTC) took home the male title. Organised by the Seychelles Basketball Federation (SBF), the event gathered all finalists of the various age group knockout competitions organised during the year. For the secondary school and post-secondary institutions categories, the competitions started with a league, with the top-two clashing in the finals, while the primary tournament was played on a knockout system. Primary schools from the inner islands had their own tournament with the winners qualifying in the finals. In the girls’ primary school final, Baie Ste Anne defeated Mont Fleuri primary school 20-17. After winning the first half 10-6, Baie Ste Anne narrowly lost the second 10-11, but their first half lead was enough to earn them the title. Compared to their female counterparts, the Baie Ste Anne primary boys completely dominated their opponents as they inflicted a heavy 30-12 defeat on Plaisance primary. They won both halves 20-4 and 10-8. In the girls’ secondary final, Mont Fleuri overcame a slight first half resistance to beat Anse Boileau 36-18. At the end of the first half, Anse Boileau led 11-9. It was during the second period that Mont Fleuri, with Laura Françoise playing a big role for them, switched to a stronger gear to crush their opponents 27-7 to be crowned winners. The boys’ secondary final also featured Anse Boileau against Mont Fleuri, with the latter winning the match 39-27 to finish as champions. Mont Fleuri won both periods 21-11 and 18-16 respectively. The much-awaited post-secondary female final was a one-on-one contest between national women’s league best player of the season Jana Malbrook (SBSA) and runner-up Agnes Bristol of the National Institute of Health and Social Studies (NIHSS). After winning the first half 10-9, the NIHSS slipped during the second which they lost 10-12, allowing the SBSA to be crowned the queens. The final score was 21-20. As expected, both players led their teams’ scoring load, with Malbrook scoring all her team’s 21 points, while Bristol scored 18. The men’s match which featured the School of A’Level studies (Sals) against the Maritime Training Centre (MTC) started on a very high tempo, leaving all spectators on the edge of their seats. Boasting some players who feature in the division one league, MTC were better organised both in offence and defence, and they comfortably led 16-6 after the first half. Sals, however, brought their game together in the second period which they won 15-11. With their first half lead, MTC managed to hold and to win the match 27-21. All winners received trophies presented by representatives of sponsors – National Sports Council, Ministry of Education, Cable & Wireless, Land Marine, Ste Anne Resort and Spa and Seychelles Trading Company. Best Players of the tournament: Primary school Boy – Daryl Etienne (Baie Ste Anne primary) Girl – Naticha Barra (Baie Ste Anne primary) Secondary school Boy – Hendrick Simeon (Mont Fleuri secondary) Girl – Laura Françoise (Mont Fleuri secondary) Post-secondary institutions Male – H. Monthy (MTC) Female – Jana Malbrook (SBSA) R. D.

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A group of investors from Qatar are in Seychelles as a follow-up to Vice-President Danny Faure’s recent visit to that country.

Potential investors here to follow up on VP’s Qatar visit - 22.11.2012 A group of investors from Qatar are in Seychelles as a follow-up to Vice-President Danny Faure’s recent visit to that country. They called on him at State House yesterday and said they are particularly interested to invest in oil and the hospitality industry, health care and housing and hope to make an announcement before the year ends. Mr Faure recently had wide-ranging talks with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani – the heir apparent of the State of Qatar – during his first official visit to Doha. The two leaders have both expressed their desire to take the relations between the two countries to a new level. The six-man delegation’s leader Sheikh Faisal Bin Saoud Al-Thani said the investors will also look at the possibility of investing in the Seychelles’ fisheries sector. “Tomorrow (today) we will have talks with some of the authorities here whom we hope will give us some of the specific opportunities that exist,” he said. “We have chosen Seychelles over other possible countries because we have very good relations with the government here and Seychelles is well connected with other regions,” he said. Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Paul Adam told Nation the investors’ visit is a result of the fruitful talks Mr Faure’s delegation – which included Mr Adam – had with Sheikh Tamim and “is testimony to the desire of both countries taking the relations to another level”. During the Doha talks, Vice-President Faure and Sheikh Tamim discussed potential cooperation in the housing sector, as this is one of great importance for the future development of Seychelles.   They also reviewed opportunity for investments in a number of sectors, including potential joint ventures.

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11 coaches complete 11-day tennis course

11 coaches complete 11-day tennis course - 20.11.2012 The 11 coaches who followed the 11-day (November 5-16) Olympic Solidarity-sponsored level one coaching course received their certificates early Friday afternoon at the Seychelles Olympic and Commonwealth games Association (Socga) head office. Socga president Antonio Gopal, Socga secretary general Alain Alcindor, National Sports Council’s marketing and promotion manager Giovanna Rousseau, Seychelles Tennis Association chairman Charlie Ng, course director Prince Madema and French coach Frédéric Canale were present at the ceremony. After thanking the coaches for making the first steps to follow the course, Mr Gopal encouraged them to pass on to others the knowledge they gained. He also reminded them that they can benefit from other higher level courses in the future. Course director Prince Madema told the delegates they should feel more equipped when teaching the kids and that they are important in the country’s sports development. “Although Seychelles is a small country, with perseverance more talents can be produced in schools. The more kids you have playing sports the higher your chances of getting good talents. You are therefore very important in your country’s sports development,” said International Tennis Federation (ITF) development officer Madema who has been coming to Seychelles for the past 10 years on working visits. He added that after finishing marking the exams the delegates wrote on Friday morning, the results and copies will be sent to the Olympic Solidarity in London before level one results are forwarded to the delegates. STA chairman Ng and Clyvie Delpech, one of the course delegates, thanked Socga and the Olympic Solidarity for sponsoring the course. Delpech told Mr Madema that they will not disappoint him in their coaching career. The delegates were firstly involved in the ‘play and stay’ course which is compulsory before following the level one course.  In the ‘play and stay’ course, the coaches worked on how to introduce tennis to beginners while the level one course is for the intermediate and advanced players. G. G.

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Airtel redefines affordability with one network roaming

Airtel redefines affordability with one network roaming - 20.11.2012 

Airtel Seychelles yesterday joined in the exciting roll out of Airtel’s One Network that will see consumers enjoy home rates as they roam in other countries.

This service, which is in line with the marketing concept of ‘Roam as a Local’, will enable Airtel Seychelles customers to make calls and access data services at affordable rates.

This product will be available in all the 17 Airtel Africa countries, as well as in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Postpaid customers will be the first group of clients to benefit immediately, and prepaid customers will benefit from the service in the coming months.

The countries covered by Airtel One Network Services are Kenya, Burkina Faso, Chad, Congo Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

A ceremony to launch the service was held at the Airtel head office at Providence yesterday afternoon and it was attended by Vice-President Danny Faure, the principal secretary for information communication and technology (ICT) Benjamin Choppy, and the country manager of Airtel Seychelles Vikram Sinha.

Mr Faure – who also holds the portfolio for ICT – commended the initiative which should bring down substantially the cost of roaming while in these countries, especially for individuals involved in businesses between countries.

“Many Seychellois who do business or who travel frequently as part of their work and who make use of roaming services have at one time or other had the ‘bill shock’ experience when it comes to roaming charges, especially nowadays with smartphones, where there is a need to be continuously connected to data services such as e-mail,” he said.

“The introduction of Airtel’s One Network service that allows its clients from any country where it has a presence to benefit from local charges, whether voice or data, is indeed good news for the local clients. On the government’s side, we always welcome the introduction of new services in the telecommunications sector that keep us abreast of international trends and especially the ones that allow more affordability and are more customer-friendly,” added VP Faure.

He noted that this initiative was discussed only a week ago at the last SADC ICT ministers’ meeting held in Mauritius, and today he was proud to see Seychelles ready to implement the recommendation.

“The possibility of travelling to another country and benefit from the same connection costs as locals in that country is indeed a positive development for affordability of roaming services,” he said.

Mr Sinha said that with the world as a global village, and Seychellois continuing to travel and do business across Africa, India and south-east Asian countries, Airtel Seychelles is privileged to have Airtel partner companies in all these countries.

“We are always committed to facilitate communication and break barriers for Seychellois to connect with business partners, families and loved ones,” he said.

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Airtel redefines affordability with one network roaming

Airtel redefines affordability with one network roaming - 20.11.2012 

Airtel Seychelles yesterday joined in the exciting roll out of Airtel’s One Network that will see consumers enjoy home rates as they roam in other countries.

This service, which is in line with the marketing concept of ‘Roam as a Local’, will enable Airtel Seychelles customers to make calls and access data services at affordable rates.

This product will be available in all the 17 Airtel Africa countries, as well as in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Postpaid customers will be the first group of clients to benefit immediately, and prepaid customers will benefit from the service in the coming months.

The countries covered by Airtel One Network Services are Kenya, Burkina Faso, Chad, Congo Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

A ceremony to launch the service was held at the Airtel head office at Providence yesterday afternoon and it was attended by Vice-President Danny Faure, the principal secretary for information communication and technology (ICT) Benjamin Choppy, and the country manager of Airtel Seychelles Vikram Sinha.

Mr Faure – who also holds the portfolio for ICT – commended the initiative which should bring down substantially the cost of roaming while in these countries, especially for individuals involved in businesses between countries.

“Many Seychellois who do business or who travel frequently as part of their work and who make use of roaming services have at one time or other had the ‘bill shock’ experience when it comes to roaming charges, especially nowadays with smartphones, where there is a need to be continuously connected to data services such as e-mail,” he said.

“The introduction of Airtel’s One Network service that allows its clients from any country where it has a presence to benefit from local charges, whether voice or data, is indeed good news for the local clients. On the government’s side, we always welcome the introduction of new services in the telecommunications sector that keep us abreast of international trends and especially the ones that allow more affordability and are more customer-friendly,” added VP Faure.

He noted that this initiative was discussed only a week ago at the last SADC ICT ministers’ meeting held in Mauritius, and today he was proud to see Seychelles ready to implement the recommendation.

“The possibility of travelling to another country and benefit from the same connection costs as locals in that country is indeed a positive development for affordability of roaming services,” he said.

Mr Sinha said that with the world as a global village, and Seychellois continuing to travel and do business across Africa, India and south-east Asian countries, Airtel Seychelles is privileged to have Airtel partner companies in all these countries.

“We are always committed to facilitate communication and break barriers for Seychellois to connect with business partners, families and loved ones,” he said.

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Airtel redefines affordability with one network roaming

Airtel redefines affordability with one network roaming - 20.11.2012 

Airtel Seychelles yesterday joined in the exciting roll out of Airtel’s One Network that will see consumers enjoy home rates as they roam in other countries.

This service, which is in line with the marketing concept of ‘Roam as a Local’, will enable Airtel Seychelles customers to make calls and access data services at affordable rates.

This product will be available in all the 17 Airtel Africa countries, as well as in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Postpaid customers will be the first group of clients to benefit immediately, and prepaid customers will benefit from the service in the coming months.

The countries covered by Airtel One Network Services are Kenya, Burkina Faso, Chad, Congo Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

A ceremony to launch the service was held at the Airtel head office at Providence yesterday afternoon and it was attended by Vice-President Danny Faure, the principal secretary for information communication and technology (ICT) Benjamin Choppy, and the country manager of Airtel Seychelles Vikram Sinha.

Mr Faure – who also holds the portfolio for ICT – commended the initiative which should bring down substantially the cost of roaming while in these countries, especially for individuals involved in businesses between countries.

“Many Seychellois who do business or who travel frequently as part of their work and who make use of roaming services have at one time or other had the ‘bill shock’ experience when it comes to roaming charges, especially nowadays with smartphones, where there is a need to be continuously connected to data services such as e-mail,” he said.

“The introduction of Airtel’s One Network service that allows its clients from any country where it has a presence to benefit from local charges, whether voice or data, is indeed good news for the local clients. On the government’s side, we always welcome the introduction of new services in the telecommunications sector that keep us abreast of international trends and especially the ones that allow more affordability and are more customer-friendly,” added VP Faure.

He noted that this initiative was discussed only a week ago at the last SADC ICT ministers’ meeting held in Mauritius, and today he was proud to see Seychelles ready to implement the recommendation.

“The possibility of travelling to another country and benefit from the same connection costs as locals in that country is indeed a positive development for affordability of roaming services,” he said.

Mr Sinha said that with the world as a global village, and Seychellois continuing to travel and do business across Africa, India and south-east Asian countries, Airtel Seychelles is privileged to have Airtel partner companies in all these countries.

“We are always committed to facilitate communication and break barriers for Seychellois to connect with business partners, families and loved ones,” he said.

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ASFF urges coastguard staff to adopt healthy lifestyle

ASFF urges coastguard staff to adopt healthy lifestyle - 20.11.2012 

L’Alliance de Solidarité pour la Famille (ASFF) has, on the occasion of International Men’s Day, urged personnel of the Seychelles Coast Guard (SCG) to take good care of their health. 

Several nurses from the Ministry of Health, led by Monica Servina of the ASFF, were at the SCG base yesterday to impress on personnel the value of healthy living, at a time when some chronic diseases, such as diabetes, cardiac conditions, cancer and HIV/Aids were steadily on the increase.

Ms Servina said there was unfortunately a tendency among men in Seychelles to neglect their health, noting that while life expectancy for men stands at 68, that of women is 77.
This is unlike a similar comparison in most countries, where the age difference is only about three years.

She noted that a unit of the Seychelles Hospital is open every Saturday morning for men who wish to undergo health tests, without need of an appointment.

The hospital’s urologist, Dr Lorren Reginald, also runs a clinic on Wednesdays, but this is per appointment.

Ms Servina stressed the need of early screening to detect various types of cancer common in men, notably those of the prostate and testis.  She added that regular testing of blood can also reveal early indications of diabetes, as well as HIV/Aids, adding that these diseases are particularly prevalent among men over 40.

Ms Servina said that due to improper living habits and unbalanced diet, diabetes is also becoming a killer disease in Seychelles.

Personnel of the SCG base were given the opportunity yesterday to undergo blood sugar level testing;  blood pressure testing as well as ascertain their BMIs (Body Mass Index) to check whether their weight is normal.

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UN office hopes to ease our piracy load

UN office hopes to ease our piracy load - 20.11.2012 
. Agency to support substance abuse reduction programme

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is trying to help other countries to shoulder some of the responsibilities borne by Seychelles in arresting, prosecuting and jailing Somali pirates.

UNODC’s executive director Yury Fedotov said this on Sunday at the end of his visit to Seychelles when he also announced his organisation is working with local bodies to launch a new programme to educate young people to stay away from harmful substances.

Seychelles spends up to 4% of its gross domestic product on anti-piracy efforts, and Mr Fedotov said given our small population, the amount of work we do in the global effort against the scourge is quite much.

Mr Fedotov on Friday visited the Montagne Posée prison and said the jail’s conditions are ideal and pirates held there told him they are comfortable.

He described his mission to Seychelles as very productive and fruitful and pledged to boost cooperation between Seychelles and the UNODC.

“I am very pleased with the outcome of this mission because now it sets new objectives of what more the UNODC can do for Seychelles to support the government in the fight against piracy,” he said.

The meetings he had with President James Michel, Vice-President Danny Faure, Home Affairs and Transport Minister Joel Morgan and Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Paul Adam and other senior officials showed him this country is politically committed to continue working closely with the international community to meet the challenges of piracy,” he said.

He said piracy is one of the major threats in the Indian Ocean, undermining its security, sustainable development as well as threatening the stability of many countries including Seychelles.

He said the UNODC will work to encourage other countries – especially Somalia – to take convicted pirates being held in Seychelles especially those serving long sentences.

He noted he was headed to Puntland, Somalia where he is due to lay the foundation stone for a new prison as well as have further discussions with the authorities from both Puntland and Somaliland to encourage them to do more towards the transfer of the convicted pirates.

During talks with President Michel, Mr Morgan and government officials, they discussed how the UNODC can help Seychelles through a drug prevention programmes which ought to involve other ministries.

“The UNODC has the skills, tools and experience. The programme of drug prevention will be discussed at a more expert level with Seychellois officials and at some stage we will deploy some programmes specifically targeted and designed to meet this challenge of drugs and to prevent drug addiction in Seychelles,” he said.

Mr Morgan, who was at the airport on Sunday to see off Mr Fedotov, described the UNODC chief’s visit as an important one for Seychelles as he got the chance to recognise the work the Seychelles government is doing with UNODC help, adding the visit was timely since the government is working on plans for new rehabilitative prison facilities for the future.

He said the UNODC has agreed to finance a new prison on Praslin for convicted minors which the UNODC will help to build by supplying materials while the government of Seychelles will meet the labour costs.

“Another project which is still under discussion is a prison on Coetivy for first time offenders who have been involved in one way or another in drug activities. Such an environment is expected to give the offenders a chance to follow a rehabilitation process so that they can re-adjust their ways and come back in the society as better people,” he said.

“I am very happy Mr Fedotov has agreed to support us and to look at ways in which we can develop this collaboration so as to take preventive action and help the government and the whole Seychelles nation in the fight against drugs, for our future, for the future of our youths and for the benefit of our country,” said Mr Morgan.

Mr Fedotov was accompanied during his visit to Montagne Posée by Mr Morgan, the regional representative for UNODC Loide Lungameni, the regional coordinator for UNODC Alan Cole and the UNODC programme manager Sergey Peresada.

Deputy superintendent of prison Will Thurbin briefed them about its strategic plans.
They saw an area where paintings, handmade crafts and other products are made by the prisoners and told about improvement projects being done by the government with UNODC support and Mr Fedotov spoke with Somali convicts there.

“We are deeply appreciative for the assistance given by the UNODC to improve the Montagne Posée prison and for their continued support to Seychelles in its fight against piracy,” said Mr Morgan.

With UNODC constructing new prisons in Somalia, we will be able to transfer more convicted pirates and this will ease the burden on our prison resources," he said.

In 2009 President Michel called on international allies to rely on Seychelles as an anti-piracy hub.  Today Seychelles is a recognised anti-piracy coordination centre of the Indian Ocean, with European Union, US, India, China, Russia and Nato forces taking part in the surveillance operations in the region.

There are 105 Somalis at the prison, 25 of whom are awaiting trial. Some were captured by the Seychelles Coast Guard, during three successful hostage rescue missions in 2010-2011 and others are captured by international forces in attacks on Seychelles-flagged ships, or inside the country’s economic zone.

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UniSey boosts effort to attract quality students

UniSey boosts effort to attract quality students - 09.11.2012 

Efforts are being stepped up to attract potential students to study at the University of Seychelles (UniSey).

  
Delegates at the careers’ workshop listening to a presentation

This came out at a career’s workshop for teachers initiated by the UniSey in an attempt to encourage “quality students” to join UniSey.

The exercise is in close collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Human Resource Development as well as the Ministry of Education.

The workshop was launched by the university’s Dean of the Faculty of Sciences Sherley Marie in the presence of the director for Students Affairs and Careers Guidance Section Marina Jacques, UniSey lecturers, careers teachers and invited speakers.

“UniSey aims to provide these students with quality teaching and learning experience in order for them to exit our institution as effective and innovative workers,” Ms Marie said, adding that the workshop is the first step for strengthening the collaboration between the ministries involved and the university.

The first presentation was by Juliet Gerry from the National Human Resources Council who spoke about employment needs and the rising trend of expatriates in the country.

She also put emphasis on the importance of education and proper training for a skilled workforce.
Other presentations included courses on offer by the faculties of Humanities and Sciences, a visual tour of the UniSey campus as well as a presentation by a quality assurance officer.

The workshop also had group sessions and reporting followed by a presentation of UniSey marketing tools to the delegates. 

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Seychelles cements ties with State of Qatar

Seychelles cements ties with State of Qatar - 09.11.2012 

Vice-President Danny Faure has had wide-ranging talks with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the heir apparent of the State of Qatar, during his first official visit to Doha this week. 

The two leaders have both expressed their desire to take the relations between the two countries to a new level.

“The strong investment ties that already exist as well as the good connectivity between our two countries are the perfect platform for taking our exchanges and cooperation to a whole new level.
  Both states, while small, share an ambition to nurture and expand these mutually beneficial ties,” the vice-president has said.

During their discussions, Vice-President Faure and Sheikh Tamim discussed potential cooperation in the housing sector, as this is one of great importance for the future development of Seychelles.  They also reviewed opportunity for investments in a number of sectors, including potential joint ventures.

The two delegations also exchanged views on how best to combat the threat of piracy which continues to pose a great challenge for the strengthening of trade in the region. The two nations agreed that it is only through more systematic and sustained surveillance of the Indian Ocean, that the security of this shared space will be improved, and they have agreed to support each other’s efforts to this end.

During his visit, Vice-President Faure, has also paid a visit to Education City, the initiative of the State of Qatar to maximise the enabling environment to enhance access to high quality higher education.  The two sides have discussed ways in which Seychelles and Qatar can partner in the education sector.

The vice-president has also met with the Qatar Foundation, which aims to transform Qatar from a ‘Carbon Economy to a knowledge economy’ by ‘unlocking human potential’. 

The ambitions of the Foundation are of great interest in terms of Seychelles’ policies of people centred development, and the delegation has undertaken discussions around potential partnerships, particularly focused in the education sector. 

“As two small states, but with big ambitions, we hope to learn from each other’s experiences to enrich our cooperation and further cement our excellent ties of friendship and cooperation,” the vice-president added.

The delegations also exchanged views on the efforts led by Qatar to try and improve stability of the region, as well as Seychelles’ ongoing contributions in its capacity as President of the Indian Ocean Commission.

The vice-president is accompanied on his visit by Jean-Paul Adam, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Dick Esparon, Seychelles’ ambassador designate to Doha.

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Ministry of Environment and Energy

Ministry of Environment and Energy

Press Release: Ministry urges complete Coco de Mer registration

Thursday 8^th November 2012

Poachers, intent on destroying the Vallée de Mai, hacked down 41 Coco de Mer nuts in a single night recently.

In the largest single attack on the UNESCO World Heritage Site, 41 green nuts were cut down and removed from the Fond Peper area of the site.

Seychelles Islands Foundation (SIF) – which manages the Vallée de Mai and Seychelles’ other World Heritage Site, Aldabra – believes the theft to have been the work of an organised group.

With the approximate weight of a green Coco de Mer nut being between 9kg to 14 kg, the raid, which took place on Sunday, October 28^th, would have taken a number of people several hours to carry out.

The financial value of the stolen nuts is believed to be in excess of SR600,000. Of far greater importance is the ecological impact of the theft, which has deprived the forest of many decades of Coco de Mer nut growth and significantly dented forest rejuvenation in the area targeted.

A Coco de Mer nut can take up to seven years from pollination to be ready to fall to the forest floor and an average 25 years to reach reproductive maturity, making the loss of 41 nuts a significant blow to the survival of the species.

Amongst the nuts stolen were several specimens which formed part of an ongoing project to research the little-understood of the Coco de Mer biology, the results of which are now in jeopardy.

Following the theft a number of police operations have been conducted on Mahé, Praslin and La Digue, in which Coco de Mer were seized. Among those arrested as a result are three businessmen, who have been released on bail pending formal legal charges. The theft has also prompted the Ministry of Environment and Energy to issue an ultimatum for the registration of Coco de Mer trees and nuts.

Every person who has a Coco de Mer tree growing on their property is requested to declare this to the Ministry of Environment and Energy at Fond B’Offay, Praslin or Botanical Gardens, Mahe. Those having up to 25 trees must make the declaration by 30^thNovember 2012 and those having more than 25 trees must make the declaration by 31^st December 2012. The declaration should include the number of female trees, male trees, juvenile trees, seedlings and geminated seeds. It should also include the number of mature nuts in their possession. Members of the public are also informed that it is an offence to make a false declaration to an environment officer.

The Ministry is also reminding all licensed Coco de Mer dealers to ensure that they have a valid Coco de Mer dealer license on display where they are selling Coco de Mer nuts and that failure to do so will result in prosecution. The Ministry is informing all people who own a Coco de Mer, but do not have a tag for it, that they must declare it to the Ministry of Environment and Energy at Fond B’Offay, Praslin or Botanical Gardens, Mahé, by November 30^th. Upon declaration, that person will have to provide the Ministry with details as to where and how the nut was obtained and pay SR350 for a tag and permit.

The Ministry would like to inform members of the public that it is an offence to be in possession of Coco de Mer nuts without an original tag and permit or to sell Coco de Mer nuts without a valid Coco de Mer license. It is also an offence to be in possession of or trade in Coco de Mer kernel without authorization from the Ministry.

The ban on the trade in Coco de Mer kernel which was introduced in response to a series of poaching incidents earlier this year remains in force.

For more information please contact:

Juliana Legaie- Ministry of Environment and Energy

Tel: 2723506

Marc Jean Baptiste- Seychelles Island Foundation

Tel: 2535255

With Thanks,

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UniSey strikes partnership with Indian university

UniSey strikes partnership with Indian university - 07.11.2012 Students from the University of Seychelles (UniSey) are expected to benefit from more academic programmes, research and curriculum development from India. This follows the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the UniSey and the University of Amity. The accord is hoped to bring forth mutual understanding, the promotion of scholarly cooperation and friendly relations between the two Institutions. Through this partnership, students from the two universities will benefit from exchange of academic information and faculty members, exchange of students and programmes, training and visits by faculty members, internship and faculty development programmes as well as joint workshops. As research is crucial area for both parties, the UniSey and Amity will team up on joint research projects. The MoU was signed by Dr B. Shukla, acting vice-chancellor of Amity University, Uttar Pradesh and Professor Rolph Payet, Minister for Energy and Environment and pro-chancellor of the UniSey in the presence of Seychelles’ high commissioner to India Waven William and First Secretary Jean-Claude Adrienne. It is to be noted that the signing of this accord has become possible through negotiations with Amity University initiated during the mission of President James Michel to India earlier this year. Noting his gratitude and admiration for the partnership, Professor Payet expressed his hope that the link between the Unisey and Amity University will be meaningful and provide a forum for building mutual relationship and friendship between both the countries. Prof. Payet also shared to those present the various programmes offered by the UniSey along with its ambitious future plans. The Seychelles delegation were taken on a tour of the campus and Prof. Payet also gave a lecture on “Adaptation Science and the Sustainability Paradigm - lessons from Seychelles”, highlighting how the ecosystem of small islands can have trickling effect on the bigger nations. On her part, Dr Shukla said that the collaboration is going to be rewarding for both universities and for both countries. She outlined various innovative areas where both institutes could work together including environment related areas, marine science, solar and renewable energy. Amity University is the leading, private, non-profit education group in India with some 95,000 students. Courses offered by the institution on a full-time basis includes anthropology, applied sciences, commerce, fashion, biotech, communications, IT, language, food technology, forensic sciences, hotel management hospitality, nursing as well as performing arts, among others.

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Seychellois fishers were liberated, not just freed

Seychelles

| ‘Seychellois fishers were liberated, not just freed’ - 07.11.2012 Seychellois fishermen Rolly Tambara and Marc Songoire who were held in Somalia by pirates were liberated – not just freed – and no ransom was paid despite the captors’ demand for over US $20 million. Home Affairs and Transport Minister Joel Morgan confirmed this with Nation yesterday when we asked him why he and President James Michel kept using the words “liberated” and “operation” in their interviews on Monday rather than saying as usual they were “freed” or “released” by their captors. “Yes, they were rescued through an operation with the help of other governments who provided necessary support,” he told Nation. Speaking on Monday when the two former hostages arrived, Mr Michel said no details would be given “for security reasons and because the operation involved other agencies and international partners” but added: “It is another victory for our small country. We invested tremendous efforts and resources in securing the release of our compatriots. They have paid off.” A statement from State House on the same day said the President “– who is also the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces – congratulated the Seychelles ‘Negotiation Team’ (single quote marks ours) for successfully ensuring the release of Mr Tambara and Mr Songoire in a high-risk security operation that was effected without incident”. Speaking at the airport, Mr Morgan described the captors this time as irrational people who seemed to be high on substances of abuse all the time and kept changing their demands and also kept changing their “negotiators”. On Monday the Supreme Court convicted 15 pirates and sentenced them to up to 18-year jail terms. He said the pirates know and hate Seychelles because of our being in the forefront in the fight against their crimes. “The captors were very difficult making it not possible to reach a speedy conclusion to the process.” “They wanted a crazy amount of money – over US $20 million – and there was no way the government of Seychelles could afford this kind of money but also as a matter of principle we would not pay to these bandits, these criminals.” He said the pirates asked for a swop of the two men with some of the pirates held here for trial but said such an exchange will never happen. “The fact that they have so mistreated Marc and Rolly doubles my personal resolve and of all the Seychellois nation to continue combating these people and to bring them to justice because they deserve no less. They have lost all reason and they are purely focused on trading human lives,” Mr Morgan said. He said his greatest sense of fulfillment in the entire process was on Sunday evening when he met the two Seychellois fishermen at Kenya’s Wilson airport from where the Islands Development Company’s Beecraft flew the minister and the two men to Seychelles. “I’m still very emotional. It is very hard to describe. When you see somebody you’ve been talking to over the phone for one year and you’ve been hearing their plight and suffering then you meet them face to face and you see the way they are as you’ve seen them – so affected by this whole traumatic experience – the feeling is one of happiness as they are with you but also of intense emotion.” He said he invested a lot of his time in the liberation process and said he hopes he can now focus on other official commitments, but urged all fishermen to listen to maritime authorities’ advice regarding where they can go fishing and where they should avoid, reminding all Seychellois seafarers to always ensure their VMS radios are in working order and switched on.

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Somali pirates free Seychelles fishermen after year's captivity

Somali pirates free Seychelles fishermen after year's captivity

Nov 4 (Reuters) - Somali pirates have released two Seychellois hostages they had in captivity for a year, officials from both countries said.

The two fishermen were hijacked last November in their boat, the Aride, some 65 miles west of Mahe in Seychelles and taken to the Somali port of Hobyo, a base for many pirates, before being moved inland to the central town of Adado, where they were held.

"The Office of the President has confirmed that - following extensive efforts by President James Michel - Rolly Tambara and Marc Songoire have been freed in Somalia, where they had been held hostage for the past year," the Seychelles president's office said in a statement.

"The two Seychellois fishermen are now in a safe area and arrangements are being made to convey them to Seychelles by the speediest means."

A pirate known as Mohamed from Adado said late on Saturday the captors had been given a $3 million ransom, but this could not be independently verified.

Somalia, which is only now getting a functioning government after two decades of chaos and civil war, is next to the Gulf of Aden's busy shipping lanes. Poverty and lawlessness have in recent years lured many young men into piracy, where ransom payments for crew and ships can yield millions of dollars.

An international naval flotilla in the region has stepped up pre-emptive action against the pirates, including strikes on bases on the Somali coast. Shipping firms are increasingly deploying armed guards and other measures such as heightened watches and razor wire to improve security on vessels.

"The two men ... have now been flown out after negotiation with the Somali and Seychelles government," Ahmed Salad, commissioner of Adado District in central Somalia, told Reuters on Sunday. (Writing by George Obulutsa; Editing by Peter Graff)

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Somali pirates free Seychelles fishermen after year's captivity

Somali pirates free Seychelles fishermen after year's captivity

Nov 4 (Reuters) - Somali pirates have released two Seychellois hostages they had in captivity for a year, officials from both countries said.

The two fishermen were hijacked last November in their boat, the Aride, some 65 miles west of Mahe in Seychelles and taken to the Somali port of Hobyo, a base for many pirates, before being moved inland to the central town of Adado, where they were held.

"The Office of the President has confirmed that - following extensive efforts by President James Michel - Rolly Tambara and Marc Songoire have been freed in Somalia, where they had been held hostage for the past year," the Seychelles president's office said in a statement.

"The two Seychellois fishermen are now in a safe area and arrangements are being made to convey them to Seychelles by the speediest means."

A pirate known as Mohamed from Adado said late on Saturday the captors had been given a $3 million ransom, but this could not be independently verified.

Somalia, which is only now getting a functioning government after two decades of chaos and civil war, is next to the Gulf of Aden's busy shipping lanes. Poverty and lawlessness have in recent years lured many young men into piracy, where ransom payments for crew and ships can yield millions of dollars.

An international naval flotilla in the region has stepped up pre-emptive action against the pirates, including strikes on bases on the Somali coast. Shipping firms are increasingly deploying armed guards and other measures such as heightened watches and razor wire to improve security on vessels.

"The two men ... have now been flown out after negotiation with the Somali and Seychelles government," Ahmed Salad, commissioner of Adado District in central Somalia, told Reuters on Sunday. (Writing by George Obulutsa; Editing by Peter Graff)

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Air Seychelles has announced that it will introduce services to Hong Kong in February 2013, subject to regulatory approvals.

Air Seychelles to fly to Hong Kong - 02.11.2012 

Air Seychelles has announced that it will introduce services to Hong Kong in February 2013, subject to regulatory approvals.

This will follow the delivery of its second Airbus A330-200 aircraft in January 2013.
The airline will operate three return services per week from Seychelles to Hong Kong via Abu Dhabi.

Cramer Ball, Air Seychelles’ chief executive officer, said: “The Seychelles needs a national carrier which can support the growing number of travellers into the archipelago, not just from our historical markets in Europe, but also the powerful emerging ones.

“Hong Kong’s economy is among the fastest growing in the world, supporting a booming middle class with a high disposable income per capita by global standards.

“These factors have brought a remarkable increase in the number of travellers coming out of the region in recent years. In fact, since 2010, the number of travellers coming to Seychelles from Hong Kong has more than doubled.

“We see Hong Kong as a significant driver for future tourism growth in Seychelles, so we are positioning Air Seychelles to seize the opportunity and support this vital market.”

Seychelles is a visa-free destination, meaning all visitors can receive visas on arrival. Seychellois citizens are also not required to have visas for travel to Hong Kong.

Further, Hong Kong is a potential gateway to expand the airline’s reach within the region, with convenient connections to more than 30 destinations across mainland China, Japan and Australasia.

Guests travelling between Seychelles and Hong Kong will remain on the same aircraft and keep the same seat for both legs of the journey, allowing a seamless journey over Abu Dhabi.

By operating the flights over Abu Dhabi, Air Seychelles can also codeshare with Etihad Airways to support further traffic to and from China. This dual approach will enable the airline to capture a significant market share.

The airline has also confirmed an increase in services to Abu Dhabi, from four to seven return services per week, a key part of a larger business plan approved by the airline’s board of directors.

Mr Ball said: “Through our partnership with Etihad Airways, we have been able to serve a much larger network and make improvements to the business that we could not have achieved independently. We are on track to break even this year, ensuring that Air Seychelles will continue to grow and thrive for many years to come.”

Seychelles-Abu Dhabi-Hong Kong schedule:

Flight # Departs Dept. Time Arrives                ArrTime   Frequency              Duration
HM86  Seychelles (SEZ) 15:30 Abu Dhabi (AUH) 20:00 Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday 4.5hrs
HM86 Abu Dhabi (AUH) 21:20 Hong Kong (HKG) 08:40 +1 Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday 7.3hrs
HM87 Hong Kong (HKG) 18:00 Abu Dhabi (AUH) 23:30 Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9.5hrs
HM87 Abu Dhabi (AUH) 02:00 Seychelles (SEZ) 06:40 Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday 4.5hrs

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A new draft for sustainable agriculture is expected to be ready by mid-December, after which stakeholders, particularly farmers, will validate it for implementation early next year.

A new draft for sustainable agriculture is expected to be ready by mid-December, after which stakeholders, particularly farmers, will validate it for implementation early next year.

The principal secretary for natural resources and industry Michael Nalletamby said this on Wednesday at the Seychelles Fishing Authority where he met New Partnership for Africa’s Development (Nepad) representatives during a debriefing session on the work they have been doing here over seven days.

He said to develop the country’s agricultural investment plan, Seychelles has approached several partners including Nepad.

“They were here to help us review and redevelop the policies and strategies of the agricultural sector,” said Mr Nalletamby.

He said while the team seeks to help, the policy position will have to come from Seychelles stakeholders.

They have been talking to stakeholders discussing issue to do with manpower, water and land among others  in the same way as officials from the ministry have been doing, he said.

Nepad is a development framework adopted by the African Union in Lusaka, Zambia in 2001. It is a radically new intervention spearheaded by African leaders to pursue new priorities and approaches to the political and socio-economic transformation of Africa and to enhance Africa’s growth, development and help the continent play a bigger role in the global economy.

The Nepad’s four-man mission, who arrived in Seychelles on October 24, was made up of  Martin Bwalya, Nicholas Sabwa, Serge Rwamasirabo and Professor Tom Hecht.

They have been working with a team of local experts in reviewing key policies and strategies which are expected to drive the agricultural and fisheries sectors with a view to improve and update them to become more effective for further development, modernisation and growth as well as to create a more credible, dynamic and sustainable level of food security and food sovereignty.

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