Message from Mr. Jean-Paul Adam, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Seychelles on the Occassion of the International Day of the United Nations Peacekeepers

Message from Mr. Jean-Paul Adam, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Seychelles on the Occassion of the International Day of the United Nations Peacekeepers

29.05.2013

On the occasion of this year’s International Day of Peacekeepers, Seychelles joins the international community to pay tribute to all the men and women who are currently serving with devotion in UN peacekeeping operations around the world and honour the memory of those who lost their lives in the line of duty.

Today the United Nations has 15 peacekeeping operations and one special political mission comprising of nearly 111,000 peacekeepers working to create conditions for lasting peace in war-torn countries.

The peacekeepers come from 116 countries, a poignant reminder of the global partnership that the United Nations is founded on and which underpins the unified and collective approach needed to meet today’s new challenges.

The contribution of troops and police, the financial and material resources as well as the leadership shown by many members of the United Nations family to ensure that the peacekeeping operations function efficiently deserve special recognition on this important day.

The contributions that regional organizations like the African Union, which has recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, has also undeniably provided the support needed for the United Nations to better address Africa’s peace and security challenges and should be commended.

On this day, Seychelles would also like to underscore its full support to the United Nations Secretary General, Mr. Ban Ki Moon, for his continued efforts to better calibrate UN peacekeeping for it to meet current and future challenges.

As an engaged member of the United Nations family, Seychelles will continue working with its partners to ensure that the peacekeeping forces receive the support needed. Seychelles will also pursue in its international efforts to promote peacebuilding which is a key addition to all efforts aimed at promoting and securing peace around the world. Special emphasis should be placed on the pivotal role of preventive diplomacy and mediation in peacefully settling disputes and preventing the outbreak, escalation or relapse of conflicts.

On this international day, Seychelles pays tribute to all the blue helmets serving around the world in the name of peace.

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Olympic Games 2012 in London

Olympic Games 2012 in London - 29.05.2013 Seychelles receives commemorative petal The Seychelles Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association (Socga) on Monday celebrated the arrival of its ‘petal’, part of the Olympic cauldron that bore the Olympic flames at the 2012 London Games. This took place in a small ceremony held at the local Olympic body’s office at Roche Caïman. The cauldron – designed by British architect Thomas Heatherwick – was made up 204 copper petals, each of them representing the 204 members of the Olympics. They were all attached to rods and who could forget that breathtaking moment when the petals – each with their separate flame – rose from the ground to create a fully fledged Olympic cauldron. The design of the cauldron has allowed for each of the copper petals to be shipped to all the member nations as a souvenir of the London Olympics 2012. Present at the ceremony on Monday was Socga president Antonio Gopal, secretary general Alain Alcindor, athletes, coaches and other member of the Seychelles delegation who represented the country at the 2012 London Olympics. During the ceremony, Mr Gopal also launched our athletes’ preparation for the 2014 Commonwealth Games to be held in Glasgow, Scotland and for the 2016 Olympic Games to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The delegates had the chance to take photos with the petal, before taking four minutes to watch a video portraying some of the best moments of the 2012 London Olympics. Mr Alcindor told Sports Nation that the Olympic cauldron petal will remain at the Socga headquarters temporarily, where members of the public can view it, before it is later moved to a permanent location in a planned Olympic museum. S. N.

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‘Africa’s time has come’ – Mancham

‘Africa’s time has come’ – Mancham - 29.05.2013 

“There is no doubt that Africa is now able to tell to the world that her time has come and that in unity Africa will move forward a long awaited renaissance in today’s globalised world.”

Seychelles’ founding President James Mancham made this statement after taking part in activities to mark the 50th anniversary of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), now known as the African Union (AU), in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 

In a statement issued yesterday morning to the international press, Mr Mancham said he felt highly privileged to have shared in this great event where the positive atmosphere prevailed at all times.

Mr Mancham was among a selected group of former Presidents who was invited by Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, chairperson of the AU, to join the heads of state who were taking part in a special anniversary of OAU/AU Summit.

Mr Mancham was welcome on his arrival at the Bole international airport in Addis Ababa on Saturday May 25 by Seychelles’ Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Paul Adam and Seychelles’ Ambassador to Ethiopia and the AU Joseph Nourrice, both of whom formed part of the Seychelles delegation to the celebration.

The Seychelles delegation was led by President James Michel who delivered a well-applauded address of congratulation message at the opening of the celebration.

Mr Mancham joined President Michel at a special luncheon hosted by Dr Zuma in the reception hall of the newly completed impressive headquarters of the AU – a gift from the government and people of China to the African continent.  

On Saturday evening, the Ethiopian Prime Minister Ato Hailamariam Desalegn hosted a dinner at the Sheraton Addis Hotel.  In between social reception Mr Mancham met and had discussions with a whole range of former heads of state who included former President Kufuor of Ghana, former president General Rawlings of Ghana, former Nigerian head of state, General Yakubu Gowon, former President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, former president Chissano of Mozambique and serving presidents Zuma of South Africa and Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya and Prime Minister of Mauritius Navin Ramgoolam.

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Speaker Herminie back from working visit in Africa

Speaker Herminie back from working visit in Africa - 29.05.2013 In South Africa, Dr Herminie was the guest of honour at the 2013 International Consultative Seminar in Cape Town which was organised jointly by the South African Legislative Sector and the European Parliament. Dr Herminie attended the seminar, held under the theme ‘The Role of Parliaments in Economic Development and Transformation’, on the invitation of the Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of South Africa, Max Sisulu. The seminar, which was officially opened by the deputy President of South Africa, Kgalema Motlanthe, and addressed by the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, was aimed at enhancing the contribution and oversight of parliaments and legislatures in economic development and transformation regionally, continentally and globally. Following his visit to South Africa, the Speaker attended the Pan-African Parliamentary Conference on Capacity Building in Rabat, Morocco where he delivered a lecture on the Legislative Process and its Challenges in Seychelles. The workshop, under the theme Enhancing the Capacity of Leaders of African Parliaments for more Astute Legislations, was organised by the African Training and Research Centre in Administration for Development (Cafrad). During his visit in Rabat, the Speaker also paid a courtesy call on his Moroccan counterpart, Karim Ghalleb. The two Speakers discussed issues of bilateral importance and agreed to set up a Seychelles-Moroccan parliamentary friendship association with the aim of strengthening the relationship between the two parliaments. The latter was felt necessary in view of the strong partnership that exists between the two countries. Seychelles already enjoys strong partnership with Morocco in the fields of health and education, among others.

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2013 Miss Seychelles... Another World pageant

2013 Miss Seychelles... Another World pageant - 29.05.2013 
Winners receive prizes

The contestants of the recent Miss Seychelles... Another World beauty pageant received a variety of prizes in a gala night held at La Plaine St André on Monday night.

The 14 contestants – with crowned Miss Seychelles... Another World 2013 Agnes Gerry – were the guests of honour at the event held to thank the sponsors and all those who had made the event possible.

With an extensive list of prizes, the awards are usually given in a separate event held after the crowning ceremony.

Speaking to Seychelles Nation during the event, Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) chief executive Elsia Grandcourt said without the support of their many sponsors, the event would not have been possible.

“Without our sponsors, we would not have been able to have all these interesting prizes, and this year’s event is much more than special since we have been able to give all 14 contestants a variety of prizes, which include ipad 2 to tablets, bath and body works, and other beauty products,” she said.

“As for how successful the event was, we will leave that to the public to judge, and we are still taking in feedback. With the recent spate of bad weather, we in fact had only one day to get the girls used to the stage at Eden Plaza, although I think they did great despite everything.”

She added that they worked on their weaknesses after last year’s show, and will again identify weak points in this year’s event.

“We also thank Seychelles tourism ambassador Alessandro Pindilli, who donated thre

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AU’s 50th anniversary summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Interview with President James Michel

AU’s 50th anniversary summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Interview with President James Michel - 28.05.2013 
‘Africa must take charge of its own development’

The only way to make progress is by taking control of your current situation, so therefore it is time for Africa to take ownership of its problems, its resources and not to let others look for solutions for its woes.

President James Michel made this declaration to the local media on Sunday afternoon hours before leaving Addis Ababa, Ethiopia after attending the 50th anniversary summit of the African Union (formerly Organisation of African Unity).

In his address on Saturday at the opening of the golden jubilee summit under the theme  ̶  Pan-Africanism and African Renaissance  ̶  Mr Michel said: “Africa is currently benefiting from unprecedented economic growth.  But we need more African ownership of the economy.  We cannot speak of transforming African ownership of the economy, unless we are prepared to seriously look at our oceans. As an oceanic state, it is apparent to Seychelles that we have much to do to claim ownership of our ocean.  The opportunities inherent in our seas belong to us, and we must create frameworks to develop this potential.  We must make our ocean safe.  And we must be able to manage our oceans.  To do this we must be prepared to give more attention to the blue economy.”

The President added that the AU has taken note that the best way for Africa to move forward is by taking ownership of its own development.

“We have during the summit adopted a number of resolutions aimed at getting Africa to take ownership of its policies and principles and to give a major boost to its development in the interest of its people.
“Africa has to take ownership of the exploitation of its resources instead of relying on foreign countries to dictate how these resources should be developed. Africa has to take ownership of its identity as a continent which has an important role to play in the world. It is only then that Africa can develop and have a bright future, and become the Africa we want to see in the next 50 years,” said President Michel.

He described Saturday’s 50th anniversary celebrations of the AU as “a struggle, an experience and the different moments we have gone through in the last 50 years”, adding that these should inspire us for the future.
The President also said it is important for Seychelles to benefit fully from all that is happening within the AU to increase its level of development and at the same time attain its objectives.

“For example, Seychelles has made a bid for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations’ security council for the years 2017-2018 and we need the support of all the African countries. The fact that we are part of the AU and have made our contributions towards this organisation and because Seychelles is seen as a dynamic country, I am sure the African countries will back us for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations’ security council.

“Organisations like the Comesa and the SADC which Seychelles forms part and which are all playing key roles in helping Africa gain its rightful place in the world, will surely continue to help the country in its development and in taking its responsibilities in the communities of nations,” explained Mr Michel.

Talking about AU’s recognition of the Indian Ocean island states, President Michel said the organisation has recognised the value of the ocean that surrounds the continent of Africa.

“It has also recognised the value of the blue economy of the oceans and the roles small islands developing states can play in the development of the African continent. For the first time, the small islands developing states have been recognised in one of the resolutions taken during the AU summit as fully-fledged members of the AU and they can contribute in the growth of the organisation and the continent.

“The AU has also for the first time recognised the specificities of the small island developing states and the important roles they play in developing the blue economy. In the past, most African countries only looked at development on the mainland, but they now understand that the ocean with its natural resources can contribute greatly to the development of the African continent,” said Mr Michel.

In line with this, Mr Michel said there is hope to develop the maritime sector around the continent with more boats connecting big countries and islands as well as other regions via the sea instead of just air and land.

“African countries which border the Atlantic and Indian oceans also have their roles to play in developing resources like oil, fish and renewable energy found in the sea.

“This is a big victory for Seychelles that the AU has recognised the true worth of small island developing states and the development of the blue economy championed by Seychelles and which the country will continue to advocate,” he concluded.

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Football: Airtel Cup

Football: Airtel Cup - 25.05.2013 
St Roch share the spoils with St Michel

Bel Ombre-based St Roch earned a 2-2 draw against St Michel at Stad Linite on Thursday in an Airtel Cup pool A match.

There was a minute silence before the match in memory of a faithful St Michel supporter who passed away last week. The St Michel players sported black armbands in respect of the deceased.

The onus was on St Michel who had lost their last match and had to bounce back to satisfy their fans.

However, St Roch who were on a high after defeating The Lions in their last match, shocked them as early as the fifth minute as Dan Pharce centred to Gerick Vidot who nudged in front of St Michel’s debutant defender Neil Suzette to drill the ball past goalie Gino Melanie for a 1-0 lead.

St Michel, who had reshuffled their defence after their loss to Côte d’Or in the Barclays league division one, should have leveled the score in the eighth minute from Patrick Bonne’s cross to Malagasy Hassan Aly whose shot was charged down by a defender. The loose ball fell to Nelson Laurence but St Roch goalkeeper Randolph Bijoux made a good finger-tip save to deny him.

Three minutes later, Joel Barbé played a glorious pass into the path of Aly but he fired wide from a good scoring position.

St Michel enjoyed plenty of possession as they applied the pressure on St Roch but they were too wayward in front of goal.

In the 14th minute, St Michel produced a good move involving Darwin Rosette who centred to Malagasy Jean Del’Or Tsaralaza but he hurried his header when he had all the time to pick his spot in the net.

A minute later, Nelson Laurence shot straight at goalkeeper Bijoux after Del’Or had pounced on a defensive error to set him up.

St Michel were all over St Roch but goalkeeper Bijoux stood defiant to keep their opponents at bay.

St Roch had a great chance to stretch their lead in the 44th minute as Brian Dorby lofted a short corner to Marcus Emilien, who failed to direct a free header on target.

St Michel countered swiftly as Del’Or rode a couple of tackles on the bye-line as he raced clear to cut inside his defender.  Del’Or’s cross was deflected by former St Michel defender and St Roch captain Nestor Benahovy past goalkeeper Bijoux for a 1-1 score at half-time.

St Michel made a double substitution after the break as Henny Dufresne and Alex Nibourette came on for Suzette and Barbé as they reverted to a three-man defence.

St Roch though almost stunned them again in the 50th minute from Malvin Pierre’s cross-cum-shot which crashed onto the crossbar and dropped to Leeroy Gomme whose shot was blocked by goalkeeper Melanie.

St Michel still were the better side as they pushed for a winner and in the 58th minute Malagasy Aly released Laurence who looked odds on to score but he was too casual and goalkeeper Bijoux blocked his shot.

St Michel huffed and puffed but their final ball left a lot to be desired.

The Barclays league division one champions did have a decent chance in the 72nd minute after some good approach work by Del’Or to lay off the ball to substitute Dufresne but he shot wide.

A minute later, St Michel went ahead as Bonne did well on the right to cross to substitute Nibourette who fired with his weaker right foot and the ball was deflected past goalkeeper Bijoux to make it 2-1.

In the 74th minute, St Michel should have added a third as Dufresne created space for Rosette but his shot was stopped by goalkeeper Bijoux’s outstretched legs.

St Roch also went close in the 81st minute as Malvin Pierre bore forward to collect Dan Pharce’s lay-off and his thumping shot forced goalkeeper Melanie to tip over.

The boys of coach Kenny Dubignon leveled matters in the 85th minute with a cracking goal. It all started from Gomme’s free-kick which St Michel’s Julio Denousse cleared as far as substitute Roy Julie whose instinctive drive crashed low into the net for a fantastic strike to make the final score 2-2.

R. J-L.

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‘It’s tough to get drug dealers in court,’ says NDEA

‘It’s tough to get drug dealers in court,’ says NDEA - 25.05.2013 

The majority of people who are involved with drugs are known to the National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDEA), but the agency is powerless to prosecute them in the absence of evidence and testimony which can be used in court. 

This emerged after a question on the arrest rate of drug dealers posed to deputy chief of the NDEA, Liam Quinn, by Anglican Bishop James Wong at a workshop held yesterday to validate the National Drug Control Master Plan.

“It’s one thing to know where the drug dealers are and what they’re doing, but to use a maritime expression, it is quite difficult to ‘land’ them in court,” said Mr Quinn.

“Evidence and information are completely different things. We have the profiles of thousands of people who we believe to be involved with drugs, but we are never going to get everybody before the courts. In order to convict somebody testimony or evidence in terms of an exhibit is needed, so without that there is no value whatsoever in giving evidence which is not sustainable in court.”

Mr Quinn said there were currently 112 drug-related cases pending in the courts, and that drug traffickers tended to be legally well-represented, which tended to make the cases against them drag on in court for longer.

“People who finance drug trafficking invariably never handle drugs, and their accounts are always offshore. Most of the business is conducted outside the country itself, mostly in countries like Kenya, Ethiopia, Dubai, South Africa and Mauritius,” he said.

Participants at the validation workshop, which was also attended by the Minister for Education, Macsuzy Mondon, leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, David Pierre, principal secretary for social affairs Linda William-Melanie, Anglican Bishop James Wong, members of the National Assembly, government agencies, social workers, parents associations, NGOs and teachers, were tasked with coming up with a common vision and strategy for all aspects of clamping down on illegal drug use in Seychelles.

The cost of combating the country’s drug problem in the future could be too high a price to pay if we fail to invest in and act upon a coordinated national plan to tackle the issue now, according to the Minister for Social Affairs, Community Development and Sports, Vincent Meriton.

“In this fight against drug trafficking, we need to ensure that we are more organised, more professional and vastly more committed in our efforts than the traffickers. We need to realise that half-hearted efforts will get us nowhere,” said Mr Meriton.

“I am convinced, at least on paper, we have the measures and policies in place to build on the start that we have made,” he said.

“But just like we cannot afford to keep sending our young men to prison, we also cannot afford to leave this master plan languishing at the bottom of our shelf gathering dust.”

“Today, it is not my hope but my expectation that we deliver with this master plan. If we want to sustain the difference that we are making, then we need, all of us, to intensify our efforts and fully commit ourselves to its implementation.” 

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Vanessa Juliette clinches President’s Cup

STA Graduation - 25.05.2013 Vanessa Juliette clinches President’s Cup  It was a proud moment for Vanessa Juliette as she was named the winner of the President’s Cup at the graduation ceremony of the Seychelles Tourism Academy (STA) yesterday afternoon.  Vanessa was among 198 students who graduated from the institution yesterday, where all of them received two certificates -- one from the STA and another from City & Guilds. The ceremony took place at the International Conference Centre in the presence of Vice-President Danny Faure, cabinet ministers, leader of the opposition in the national assembly David Pierre, and many high government officials. Also present were STA lecturers and parents of the graduates. The students had completed their studies from various courses and levels that the STA offers. These included restaurant and bar services, food production, tourism and tour guiding, reception operations and services, wellness and spa, and accommodation operations and services. The courses were at apprenticeship level certificate, apprenticeship level advanced certificate, and full-time advanced certificate. Addressing the guests, STA principal Flavien Joubert said this year’s results for both local and international examinations have been excellent, with 95% overall success for international tourism diploma course, 100% success rate for front office, 100% for food and beverage at advanced level certificate, 89% rate for food production and culinary arts, 87% rate for accommodation operation and services, and 80% for wellness and spa advanced certificate. “My message to you is be determined to work hard to prove that you can do the job efficiently, be passionate about your career, and whatever you do to work your way up the ladder at promoting everyday activities, be positive, maintain a good self esteem. Always be very presentable, and well groomed. Always provide services with a smile,” he said. Various performances were showcased throughout the ceremony by the talented students who showed their skills in dance, song and other forms of entertainment for the delighted audience. There were also awards for a number of other levels, such as for outstanding apprenticeship award, won by Elsia Renaud. There were also prizes for the best overall students at each level, where Beryl Morgan won for restaurant and bar services, Elmina Savy for apprenticeship advanced certificate, Christelle Moise for full-time advanced certificate. In food production, Bianca Pointe won at apprenticeship certificate, Garell Jean at apprenticeship advanced certificate, and Jamie Sanders at full-time advanced certificate. In the reception operations and services, Laura Germain won at full-time advanced certificate. In the tourism and tour guiding programme, it was Mariel Racombo who took home the prize at full-time advanced certificate. Annie Julienne won the wellness and spa best overall award at full-time advanced certificate, and Jamila Agathine took home the top prize for accommodation operations and services at apprenticeship certificate. Vanessa Juliette received her trophy from Vice-President Faure, after which she performed a song for the audience to end the ceremony. Mr Joubert said that upon completion of the new STA, the institution will be able to operate with 1000 students, and a percentage will be kept for international students whose governments have expressed a desire for them to study in Seychelles. “Such collaborative partnerships will also pave the way for more young Seychellois graduates and lecturers to have access and be exposed to overseas experience, thus helping us in our pursuit for excellence in services,” he said.

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Africa Should Use OAU/AU 50th Anniversary to Take Ownership of It's Economy and Oceans 25.05.2013 President Michel has attended the opening of the 50th anniversary Summit at the African Union in Addis Ababa today, together with the Heads of State and Government of the African Union. On this historic and auspicious occasion, the President has said that while reflecting on the Union's achievements there must also be a focus on areas that need to be improved. During the opening ceremony, President James Michel commended the Union for its achievements such as promoting unity and improving lives of many people across the continent and the world, adding that Union must intensify its competence to bring stability and putting its people at the centre of development. “We must redouble our efforts to bring more development to benefit our peoples. We must invest in the provision of education and healthcare as we look to strengthen our post 2015 development agenda. And we must become champions and good governance and democracy,” said President. President Michel has also called for more Africans to take ownership of the economy, which is increasing remarkably, and to look at the true potential of the Blue economy. “Africa is currently benefiting from unprecedented economic growth. But we need more African ownership of the economy. We cannot speak of transforming African ownership of the economy, unless we are prepared to seriously look at our oceans. As an oceanic state, it is apparent to Seychelles that we have much to do to claim ownership of our ocean. The opportunities inherent in our seas belong to us, and we must create frameworks to develop this potential. We must make our ocean safe. And we must be able to manage our oceans. To do this we must be prepared to give more attention to the ‘blue economy.” The President said that as guardians and facilitators of this concept, by linking together African islands, it would further increase trade and developments within Africa in the next 50 years as well as improving connection amongst the youths. He further stated that this year’s theme requires empowering the young leaders for now and in future as well as the importance for Africa to lead by example. “The spirit of Pan-Africanism and African Renaissance compels us to empower our young people, not simply to be leaders tomorrow, but to be leaders today. We must aim to provide African examples. And on this 50th anniversary, despite our challenges, I am ever more confident that Africa can be ever more exemplary,” President Michel emphasized. President Michel is accompanied at the African Union Summit by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Jean Paul Adam, the President's Diplomatic Adviser, Ambassador Callixte d'Offay and the Seychelles Ambassador to the African Union, Ambassador Joseph Nourrice. Editor’s Note: · A live stream from the summit is availableonhttp://summits.au.int/en/livestream?q=livestream · The 21st Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the AU is being held in conjunction with the 50th Anniversary of the African Union which is on the 25th May 2013. The Theme for the Summit is “Pan Africanism and African Renaissance." · The African Union, or AU, is a Pan African organization whose goal is to propel a united continent towards peace and prosperity. The AU supports political and economic integration among its 54 member states. It aims to secure Africa’s democracy, human rights, and a sustainable economy, especially by bringing an end to intra-African conflict and creating an effective common market. · Established in 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the amalgamated African Economic Community (AEC) and the Organization of the African Unity (OAU) which was first founded on 25th May 1963. · Seychelles has been a member of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) since independence in 1976, and remained a member after the change to the African Union (AU) (2002-2003). · Seychelles has cooperation with the African Union in line with the Maritime Boundary Delimitation project and also in Reinforcing Veterinary Governance in Africa.

Africa Should Use OAU/AU 50th Anniversary to Take Ownership of It's Economy and Oceans

25.05.2013

President Michel has attended the opening of the 50th anniversary Summit at the African Union in Addis Ababa today, together with the Heads of State and Government of the African Union.

On this historic and auspicious occasion, the President has said that while reflecting on the Union's achievements there must also be a focus on areas that need to be improved.

During the opening ceremony, President James Michel commended the Union for its achievements such as promoting unity and improving lives of many people across the continent and the world, adding that Union must intensify its competence to bring stability and putting its people at the centre of development.

“We must redouble our efforts to bring more development to benefit our peoples. We must invest in the provision of education and healthcare as we look to strengthen our post 2015 development agenda. And we must become champions and good governance and democracy,” said President.

President Michel has also called for more Africans to take ownership of the economy, which is increasing remarkably, and to look at the true potential of the Blue economy.

“Africa is currently benefiting from unprecedented economic growth.  But we need more African ownership of the economy.  We cannot speak of transforming African ownership of the economy, unless we are prepared to seriously look at our oceans. As an oceanic state, it is apparent to Seychelles that we have much to do to claim ownership of our ocean.  The opportunities inherent in our seas belong to us, and we must create frameworks to develop this potential.  We must make our ocean safe.  And we must be able to manage our oceans.  To do this we must be prepared to give more attention to the ‘blue economy.”

The President said that as guardians and facilitators of this concept, by linking together African islands, it would further increase trade and developments within Africa in the next 50 years as well as improving connection amongst the youths.

He further stated that this year’s theme requires empowering the young leaders for now and in future as well as the importance for Africa to lead by example.

“The spirit of Pan-Africanism and African Renaissance compels us to empower our young people, not simply to be leaders tomorrow, but to be leaders today.  We must aim to provide African examples. And on this 50th anniversary, despite our challenges, I am ever more confident that Africa can be ever more exemplary,” President Michel emphasized.

President Michel is accompanied at the African Union Summit by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Jean Paul Adam, the President's Diplomatic Adviser, Ambassador Callixte d'Offay  and the Seychelles Ambassador to the African Union, Ambassador Joseph Nourrice.

Editor’s Note:

·         A live stream from the summit is availableonhttp://summits.au.int/en/livestream?q=livestream

·         The 21st Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the AU is being held in conjunction with the 50th   Anniversary of the African Union which is on the 25th May 2013. The Theme for the Summit is                  “Pan Africanism and African Renaissance."

·         The African Union, or AU, is a Pan African organization whose goal is to propel a united continent             towards peace and prosperity. The AU supports political and economic integration among its 54               member states. It aims to secure Africa’s democracy, human rights, and a sustainable economy,             especially by bringing an end to intra-African conflict and creating an effective common market.

·         Established in 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the amalgamated African Economic                 Community (AEC) and the Organization of the African Unity (OAU) which was first founded on                 25th May 1963.

·         Seychelles has been a member of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) since independence in             1976, and remained a member after the change to the African Union (AU) (2002-2003).

·         Seychelles has cooperation with the African Union in line with the Maritime Boundary Delimitation           project and also in Reinforcing Veterinary Governance in Africa.

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Football: Barclays league division one

Football: Barclays league division one - 17.05.2013 Côte d’Or secure last-gasp winner against St Michel Airtel Cup winners Côte d’Or continued their good run against St Michel as they triumphed 1-0 on Wednesday at Stad Linite in the last match of the first round of the Barclays league division one. The win has helped Côte d’Or regain top spot in the standings with 21 points – one more than second-placed La Passe, while defending champions St Michel are third with 18. This six-pointer drew a large crowd as the fans came down to witness a bruising encounter between these top sides. St Michel carried the match to their opponents but found Côte d’Or a hard nut to crack as they tried to avoid a third defeat. In fact, Côte d’Or had the first real chance in the sixth minute as Collin Esther cut inside a defender but he shot over the crossbar. However, St Michel were the better side and in the seventh minute captain Don Anacoura threatened as he linked up with Andy Mougal to set up Wilnes Brutus but his shot was easily saved by Côte d’Or goalkeeper Kitson Cecile. In the 22nd minute, Brutus pounced on a defensive error by Côte d’Or defender Benoit Marie but his shot on the turn sailed agonisingly wide. A minute later, Brutus had a better chance though he looked offside which was not signaled by assistant referee Darrel Monthy, but his shot was blocked by goalkeeper Cecile. The rebound fell to captain Anacoura but once again his shot was saved by Cecile. Côte d’Or struggled to get their act together but in the 29th minute Malagasy Patrick Rasaminana latched onto Yannick Manoo’s mistake to square the ball to Dine Suzette but his pass was too strong and they wasted a good opportunity to punish St Michel. Côte d’Or raised their game in the second half as they tried to match St Michel who for their part pressed their opponents high up the field. In the 66th minute, Côte d’Or had a decent opportunity as Steve Esther played a long ball to Renick Esther who laid it to Bernard St Ange whose shot on the turn flew narrowly wide. Four minutes later, St Michel’s substitute Leeroy Corallie capitalised on a mistake by Steve Esther to combine with Hassan Aly but Esther recovered in time to tackle the former Anse Reunion midfielder in the nick of time to thwart the danger. In the 72nd minute, Côte d’Or’s Steve Esther played a long free-kick to Suzette but in a good scoring position his control let him down. As St Michel pushed forward they were almost punished in the 83rd minute as Renick Esther countered to link up with Suzette but he shot in the side-netting. Three minutes later, Côte d’Or were reduced to 10 men as St Ange was quite rightly shown a second yellow card for a two-footed tackle on Henny Dufresne. Referee Jean-Claude Labrosse, who had a good game, had no choice but to dish out a second yellow card, meaning St Ange had to go for an early shower. A minute later though, Côte d’Or should have taken the lead as Malagasy Jean Tigana twisted and turned his defender to centre to substitute Marcus Labiche who had a great opportunity to score against his former club from five metres out, but he fired over the crossbar. In injury time, Côte d’Or were awarded a contentious penalty as defender Joel Barbé was penalised for a push in the back on Dine Suzette. Referee Labrosse had no hesitation and pointed to the penalty spot much to the disbelief of the St Michel camp. After much argument, footballer of the year Tigana stepped up to send goalkeeper Nelson Sopha the wrong way to make it 1-0 as the Praslin team supporters celebrated in the stands. As St Michel pushed for an equaliser, Côte d’Or should have added a second goal six minutes into injury time as substitute Gerald Basset got the better of St Michel’s substitute Dereck Agathine but his lob sailed agonisingly wide. Côte d’Or coach Ahmed Abdou was very pleased his team had avoided a third defeat and win to move to the top of the league table. “It was a difficult match where we had to take risks to avoid a third defeat and therefore we had to attack. This is a good result for us as we bid to defend our Airtel Cup title as well as prepare for the l’UFFOI final. “We are happy to be on top of the league after the first round with this young squad and we want to thank our supporters who have helped us win this difficult encounter,” coach Abdou said. As for St Michel manager Andrew Jean-Louis he said the match was there for his team to win but they did not make the most of the opportunities that came their way. “We should have won this match in the first half where we were dominant. But this defeat may be a wake-up call for us as we need to get back on track though the league race is still wide open,” manager Jean-Louis said. The following is the league table at the end of the first round of the league TEAMS  P   W  D  L  GF  GA Points Côte d’Or 9 7 0 2 18 6 21 La Passe 9 6 2 1 20 7 20 St Michel 9 5 3 1 21 8 18 Northern Dynamo 9 4 3 2 25 12 15 The Lions 9 4 2 3 10 12 14 St Louis Suns 9 3 4 2 10 8 13 Anse Reunion 9 2 2 5 10 16 8 St Roch  9 2 0 7 6 24 6 St Francis 9 1 2 6 11 24 5 LightStars 9 1 2 6 20 34 5   R. J-L.

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The Seychelles Delegation to the INDABA 2013 Tourism

The Seychelles Delegation to the INDABA 2013 Tourism Trade Fair in Durban South Africa is back in Seychelles after another successful tourism promotional operation for the islands.

With representatives from the island’s Destination Management Companies (DMCs) Creole Travel Services, Mason’s Travel, 7 Degrees South and Select Seychelles, the National Airline, Air Seychelles and the hotels, inclusive of Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay Resort & Casino and Hilton Seychelles who wanted to work with the Tourism Board to consolidate the South African market for Seychelles were joined by the Seychelles Minister responsible of Tourism and Culture, Mr Alain St.Ange, the CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board Elsia Grandcourt, the Seychelles Director for Africa and the Americas David Germain and Marsha Parcou the island’s Manager for Africa based in Pretoria.

The Seychelles delegation at INDABA 2013 saw the confirmation of a code share agreement between Air Seychelles and South African Airlines (SAA) announced to the world at a joint press conference between the two airlines and the Seychelles Tourism board which was chaired by the island’s Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture, Alain St.Ange.

The Island’s delegation had an unprecedented level of press coverage at this INDABA with a series of television coverage and press interviews. Seychelles has seen 7% increase in visitor arrival numbers from South Africa and today this market ranks 5th for Seychelles

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Port Victoria captures top award

Port Victoria captures top award - 16.05.2013 

Seychelles Port Victoria was once again in the limelight, this time on the evening of May 12 as it captured a second Indian Ocean Leading Cruise Port Award.

The ceremony – which took place in the Maldives – was aimed at acknowledging and recognising excellence in the global travel and tourism industry during 2012.
High Commissioner of Seychelles to India, Waven William, accepted the prize on behalf of the Seychelles Ports Authority.

The World Travel Awards (WTA) – also known as the Oscars of the Travel Industry is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year and is regarded as the highest achievement that a travel product could hope to achieve.

Recipient of the same award in 2010, Port Victoria has proved once again that it has the willingness and capacity to compete with larger ports in the Indian Ocean region such as Port Louis in Mauritius, ‘Le Grand Port Maritime’ of Reunion as well as ports in Madagascar, Comoros and the Maldives.

This award – which has recompensed the high quality of services offered to cruise ships and their passengers while they are in Port Victoria – is the fruition of a very strong collaboration between the Seychelles Ports Authority (SPA) and its partners who are involved in welcoming cruise visitors in Seychelles.

It showcases the concerted efforts of key partners such as the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, the Seychelles Tourism Board, destination management companies, shipping agents, taxi and car hire operators, local tour guides, ship chandlers, craft vendors and the Seychelles Public Transport Corporation have invested in this very important industry.

The Seychelles Ports Authority (SPA) being the leading body in Port Victoria has over the years carved clear marketing and promotional strategies to entice major cruise lines to call at Port Victoria. In partnership with the other key stakeholders in the cruise tourism industry, it has devoted and mobilised a wide range of resources to bring Seychelles back into the global cruise spectrum. In direct collaborations with the destination management companies and within the framework of the Association of Ports of the Indian Ocean (APIO), Port Victoria has since been present in major cruise and yacht fairs in Europe and the United States.

Striving for a better service and more discipline in the ways that cruise ships and their passengers are handled and entertained in Port Victoria, the staff of SPA are emphasising on attention to details in order that visitors feel at home and have value added during their séjour in Seychelles.

The SPA is continually developing new strategies to improve its services to facilitate and prolong the stay of our visitors in Port Victoria.  Under its current sister ship agreement with the Port of Marseille, it is hoped that during this year, the SPA will have the visits of two cruise experts from this region to further analyse the services that are being provided to cruise ships and their passengers in Port Victoria, with the intention of taking such to greater heights.

The SPA said in a statement it has dedicated the award to the people of Seychelles for giving our cruise visitors warm hospitality as well as an exclusive and unforgettable reception.

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Seychelles and South Africa renew air services arrangements

Seychelles and South Africa renew air services arrangements - 16.05.2013 In a meeting which took place in Pretoria last week, representatives of the Seychelles government, led by the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) chief executive Gilbert Faure and the South African government, led by the department of transport's director Vuwani Ndwamato met and concluded a liberal and flexible air services arrangement which will improve connectivity in the region and beyond. The signing of this new agreement comes at an opportune time, when Seychelles and South Africa are strengthening ties in the air traffic domain, with the coming into place of a code share arrangement between Air Seychelles and South African Airways, announced recently. Air Seychelles also recently increased the number of flights in operation to this ninth largest African country. The economic benefit cannot be overemphasised as more than 18,000 passengers travel on the South African- Seychelles route yearly for the past two years, with cargo transportation growing by 19% in 2012, compared to the previous year. “It has been a very fruitful conciliation, and we are happy of the outcome. It is a model for the region," said Mr Faure. “South Africa is an important hub in Africa and a gateway not only to the rest of Africa but also to southern America. This new agreement has established the framework necessary to facilitate such operations calling for further growth in people and cargo traffic. My ministry will continue to encourage the airlines to pursue partnership arrangements which will promote the implementation of the twin centre tourism concept as well as other business avenues which could be pursued by the community. In the end this is all part and parcel of our regional integration initiative as a member of the Southern African Development Community,” said the Minister for Home Affairs and Transport Joel Morgan, following the signing of the agreement. The SCAA is working closely with the Ministry of Home Affairs and Transport, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Air Seychelles and relevant foreign carriers in order to fast track many more similar agreements  underway. The negotiations in South Africa came only days after a regional air transport conference which was held in Mauritius, whereby Seychelles strongly called for enhanced liberalisation to improve connectivity in the region.

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Review law to help Seychellois attorneys return’

| ‘Review law to help Seychellois attorneys return’ - 16.05.2013 . Chief justice says during court complex handover This country badly needs Seychellois lawyers, many of whom are working abroad but are shy to return because they would first have to be pupils under colleagues for two years when they would earn nothing. It is therefore necessary for the law to be changed to allow the Seychellois to return and either follow a crush programme to familiarise themselves with the country’s system or be pupils for a shorter period. Chief justice Fredrick Egonda-Ntende said this yesterday in an interview after he received the keys for the new China-funded US $6 million Palais de Justice court complex from chief builder Bing Qihong during a ceremony attended by President of the Court of Appeal Francis MacGregor and all judges on site at Ile du Port. Also present was Han Qingchem of the Chinese Embassy. Mr Egonda-Ntende said the new complex – due to be officially opened on June 17 as part of this year’s National Day celebrations – should help speed up court cases as it can take more judges, but for more cases to be heard there need to be more lawyers in private practice, yet there are only 33 now. Mr Egonda-Ntende said the building is most suitable with facilities as good as you can find anywhere, but the human resources aspect needs to match the structure for there to be faster clearance of the long-standing backlog of cases. “If a Seychellois lawyer has a successful practice say in London, he does not want to lose two years of his life by coming here to become a pupil earning nothing for two years. “We need to open the way for Seychellois lawyers to come and practice in their country. The two-year period can be reduced to maybe six months. “If a person is proved to be a competent lawyer abroad there should be a way of that person being introduced to the laws of Seychelles in the same way it is done with the foreign judges who come and start hearing cases immediately,” he said, calling the possible return of Seychellois lawyers a short term solution. As a long-term measure, Mr Egonda-Ntende urged more Seychellois to take up law, noting the new building has 10 courtrooms: eight for the Supreme Court, one for appeals and one for the master of the Supreme Court, “but lawyers are also needed for the magistrates’ court,” he said. The building was designed by Qingdao Architectural Design & Research Institute Co Ltd who are architectural and engineering consultants, and built by contractor Qingjian Group Co Ltd who started work in August 2011. He thanked the contractors and China “for the wonderful gift” saying: “I am sure I speak not only for my colleagues and staff who will work in this building but for the legal profession and the court users who will now be able to work and litigate in a dignified and adequate environment. “The cooperation extended to us by the current and previous Chinese ambassadors to Seychelles and their staff has been phenomenal.” He also thanked the Minister for Foreign Affairs Jean-Paul Adam and people in his ministry for their contribution, offering special thanks for judges MacGregor and Bernard Renaud, “who prior to my assumption of office played a key role in the conceptual stages of this project”. “I need not remind my colleagues and staff that the hard work starts now,” he said, urging court staff to take seriously the training they are getting to be able to use the equipment at the new courts. Mr Bing said the work took one year and nine months to finish and they faced many difficulties but also got a lot of support from the Chinese and the Seychelles governments, especially the Supreme Court. He expressed confidence that the new complex will help improve the judiciary’s environment and bring benefit to the people of Seychelles.

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President Michel Extends Condolences to Turkey Following Terror Attac

President Michel Extends Condolences to Turkey Following Terror Attack

14.05.2013

President James Michel has extended his condolences to President Abdullah Gül of the Republic of Turkey following the devastating car bomb attack near the town on Reyhanli:

“In the wake of this tragedy, the Government and People of Seychelles, join me in strongly condemning these acts of terrorism and we would like to express our heartfelt sympathies and deepest condolences to you, the people of Turkey and the families of the victims.”

President Michel concluded by reiterating his support as the perpetrators are identified and brought to justice.

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Seychelles Shares Experiences at World Economic Forum and Engages in Further Discussions on Madagascar process

Seychelles Shares Experiences at World Economic Forum and Engages in Further Discussions on Madagascar process

10.05.2013

Leading Seychelles' delegation to the World Economic Forum, Foreign Minister Jean-Paul Adam, has highlighted a number of Seychelles' experiences as a basis for sustainable development at the even being held in Cape Town, under the patronage of President Jacob Zuma of South Africa.

Minister Adam, and the Minister for Finance, Trade and Investment, Pierre Laporte, are representing President Michel at the event which is being attended by a number of heads of state from Africa and around the world.

The Forum traditionally provides a platform for innovative ideas to be shared among world leaders with a view to improving the state of the world economy, and with a view to improving the global framework for development.

President Zuma opened the forum by noting that having the forum in Africa, was the 'the right place, and the right time'.

Minister Pierre Laporte, the Minister for Finance, Trade and Investment, has taken the opportunity of the forum of leaders to illustrate the bold moves that Seychelles has taken, and is continuing to make, to make Seychelles more competitive and also to ensure that economic progress is sustainable.

In sessions on Green Growth, the Seychelles delegation has emphasized that investment in renewable energy in Africa is essential for its development.  In the context of Seychelles, the purchase of fossil fuels are the biggest drain on foreign exchange in the country, and renewable energy allows Seychelles to further maximize the impact of foreign exchange earnings form the pillars of the economy- tourism, fisheries and financial services.

Seychelles has also called for innovations in policies and the international framework to foster green growth.  The initiative of Seychelles within the Global Island Partnership (GLISPA) to propose debt reduction through debt for adaptation swaps has been tabled in the forum as an innovative mechanism that can transform the development options of islands, but which can also eventually be very relevant for all countries with significant debt in the African region.

Within the context of innovative mechanisms, the Seychelles delegation has also spoken of its experiences in securing grant components as part of major infrastructure projects on a public private partnership basis (PPP) that would not otherwise get off the ground- the example of the Undersea fibre optic cable was cited.

Seychelles has also insisted on the importance of 'the blue economy' for sustainable development, and that more attention needs to be given to the development of oceanic resources and management of these resources.  Within this context, Minister Adam remarked that more African ownership was required of the oceanic space:

"We need to be more engaged with our seas. We need to have better laws governing oceanic management.  And we need more African owned companies involved in oceanic development- whether it is fisheries, maritime trade or tapping into resources on the ocean floor."

Governance also featured prominently in the discussions of the WEF as a key element of sustained economic development. Notably the Mo Ibrahim Index on Governance has hailed Seychelles’ strong record on governance in the continent.

"We must all start by recognizing that there are many areas that we must improve.  And we must also recognize, that good governance reforms have no end date- as we should always be seeking ways to better engage with our citizens.  This is the core of our governance compact in Seychelles- to put the citizen at the centre of development," Minister Adam has stated.

In terms of gender equality, the need to ensure that women are not marginalized in political and economic decision making has been highlighted as a cross cutting issue across themes, and Seychelles experiences also provided a positive reference point.

In the margins of the forum Minister Adam has also engaged in discussions with the SADC leadership with a view to ensuring that the elections planned for Madagascar go ahead as smoothly as possible.  Seychelles has stated it's regret at the decision of the President of the Transition to renege on his previous commitment not to stand in forthcoming elections, however the Seychelles delegation has stressed that the most important element remained to ensure free, fair and credible elections were held in Madagascar.

Photo: Minister Adam with former President of Mozambique, Joaquim Chissano, SADC mediator on the Madagascar crisis

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Berjaya hotel hosts children’s party as pizzeria reopens

Berjaya hotel hosts children’s party as pizzeria reopens - 08.05.2013 Children from four orphanages on Mahe were treated to a party at the Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay resort yesterday as part of the hotel’s celebrations to mark the reopening of its pizzeria.  The event kicked off at 10am with games and animation, with music that saw the young “hyper” guests tapping their feet with shyness at first, but soon bouncing around the place. With a guest list of around 80 children from the President’s Village, Foyer de Nazareth, Foyer de la Providence, Foyer de la Solitude, the party soon even had curious hotel guests coming to watch the fun. The hotel’s general manager Ken Choo said renovation work had started on the pizzeria in October last year and it can now cater for around 150 people. He added that a good way to reopen it was by inviting orphans for some hours of enjoyment and be among the first to sample their pizza as opposed to having an official event. “Our pizzeria is a fun place to be and we kept the reopening that way with no official guests and speeches, rather we preferred to have a children’s party,” he said. “We have completely redone the entire pizzeria, including the kitchen, put in new equipment, and then for the benefits and enjoyment of our guests, we have upgraded our menu as well as given an area where they can have a family event should they wish to. We also cater for private events, such as birthday parties and our new pizzeria can comfortably cater for all that and more.” The young guests then enjoyed a variety of delicious just-baked pizza, and other snacks before dancing for a bit afterwards with DJ Jude Bellard. Speaking to some of the young guests, they declared themselves satisfied, and said it was certainly a fun way of spending one of the last few days left of the holidays before they have to get back to school next week.

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eychelles inflation has been rising steadily since January and had reached 6.5% in March, but it has suddenly dropped to 5.3% according to figures released Monday.

eychelles inflation has been rising steadily since January and had reached 6.5% in March, but it has suddenly dropped to 5.3% according to figures released Monday.

During the last six months of 2012 the figures had dropped to 5.8% from 6.2% representing an overall drop of only 0.4% making the current 1.2% decline announced Monday by the National Bureau of Statistics much more significant.

During the month of April fish prices fell 0.5% on a month-on-month basis owing to better supply in the market due to calmer seas, while transport costs decreased 0.9% as a result of lower prices of petroleum products at the pump.

The cost of the US dollar which yesterday stood at around R12 is also seen as having contributed to the drop in inflation.
Most other costs went up during April though. Vegetables rose 1.9% and fruits increased 1.5%. The cost of non-food items inched up by 0.1%.

During his Budget Address 2013 Finance, Trade and Investment Minister Pierre Laporte said Seychelles’ biggest economic challenge today is inflation which is largely impacted by development in international markets, talking of world prices of basic commodities and petroleum products.

“This was exacerbated by the temporary depreciation of the Seychelles rupee in the first seven months of 2012 which caused inflation to rise to over 9%.

However, owing to a tighter monetary policy by the Central Bank of Seychelles it has since gradually declined to 7.6% by end-October,” he said in December.

“Other economic indicators affirm that our economy remains strong and resilient. The Seychelles rupee has stabilised against major world currencies following the earlier depreciation. Our primary fiscal surplus is projected to exceed the targeted level while public debt has fallen to 80% of gross domestic product compared to over 150% of GDP in 2008.

He said in 2012 the Seychelles economy realised positive growth despite the effects of the financial meltdown that were being felt in many parts of the world.

“The impact of rising food and fuel prices internationally were felt by us all as domestic inflation soared to its highest level in four years. However, through it all we have been resilient as the fundamentals of our economy remains robust.”

He said a stable macro-economy supported by strong monetary and fiscal discipline have been supporting the positive growth.

“Nevertheless, we have ensured that people remain at the heart of our growth strategy through continued investment in their socio-economic needs.
       
“Our private sector must remain dynamic because it is the engine of growth. This is why our government is constantly exploring avenues to make the investment climate more conducive for the private sector to thrive. In 2012, we invested significant time and resources to ensure that it is easier, less costly, and less bureaucratic for anyone aspiring to do business in Seychelles.

“When I took office in March 2012 I made a firm commitment to build on the work started by my predecessor, Vice President Danny Faure, to revamp and modernise the business environment in Seychelles.

“We both agreed that Seychelles did not belong in the ‘above 100’ club of the World Bank’s Ease of Doing business ranking and that we could do better. With this shared vision we established an action plan, which we have implemented with vigour and determination, with the support of key stakeholders including our international partners and the private sector. Those efforts paid off as Seychelles climbed 29 places in the World Bank ranking – a significant improvement in one year by any standard,” he said.

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Ministers visit Seychelles Tourism Academy

Ministers visit Seychelles Tourism Academy - 06.05.2013 ‘New hotel school needs to deliver what the industry needs’ Tourism and Culture Minister Alain St Ange has declared himself satisfied that the project to re-build the Seychelles Tourism Academy (STA) will cater for the needs of the tourism industry. The minister was speaking to a group of people after the visit done on Friday at the construction site, where the old school is based. Minister St Ange was accompanied by the Minister for Education Macsuzy Mondon, and at the site met Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) chief executive Elsia Grandcourt, representatives of destination management companies, members of the STA board of directors, and the project’s business consultants. The delegation got to see the commercial kitchen, which once completed will be able to cater for 1,000 people, library, bar, store, classes, restaurant that can cater for up to 250 people, and the management faculty. They also got to see other facilities such as the Hotel D’Application – a 3-star training hotel with 60 bedrooms which will cater for 30 foreign students and 30 clients. It will have two 5-star villas with swimming pools and an international conference centre. After touring the site, all gathered at a provisional meeting room, where they got an overview of the project from lecturer Diana Quatre. She explained that they are aiming to be recognised as a leading hospitality and tourism training institute in the region, reputed for its programmes on offer and the quality of its graduates. “Our key objectives are to increase student output in order to better fulfil industry needs, diversify, expand and upgrade training programmes to be more aligned to industry needs – locally and globally – establish secure affiliations with local and international reputed hotels and tourism training schools and institutions; and give students the practical and industry experiences through its hotel and other facilities,” she said. The new structure of the STA will see it operate from two main entities. The first is the business entity which will comprise the 30-bedroom hotel, 30-bedroom hostel for international students, business centre, public restaurant and bar, public lounge, banqueting centre, and a wellness and spa centre. The other unit is the academic entity, which will have all the current seven courses on offer, development of new courses, introduction of tailor-made in-service training courses for the industry, online courses, and international qualifications from the City & Guilds International of London Institute. Minister St Ange spoke of the importance of having the population aware of the importance of the tourism industry as well as their roles in contributing to it. “We cannot afford to have a population who only hears of tourism on the television, radio or read about it in the newspaper and do not understand how important it is to the country’s economic development,” he said. “We need to now have a school that depicts this pillar of our economy, and a school that works in tandem with the Ministry of Education. We also need to start thinking of other aspects of tourism that we need to have training for, such as catering for the growing number of swimming pools, landscaping of hotel gardens and so on.” The construction of the new STA is being done by the Yangtze Construction Company and the project is expected to be completed in November 2014.

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