Vice President Faure to attend African Union Summit

Vice President Faure to attend African Union Summit

Wed, 29 January 2014

Vice President Danny Faure has left the country to represent the Head of State, Mr. James Alix Michel at the 22nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, scheduled to take place from 30 – 31 January 2014 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The Vice President is accompanied by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Jean-Paul Adam, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Barry Faure, the Seychelles Ambassador to Ethiopia and Seychelles Permanent Representative to the African Union, Mr. Joseph Nourrice and the Principal Secretary for the Vice-President's Secretariat, Mrs. Jeanne Siméon.

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Speaker attends high-level Commonwealth conference

Speaker attends high-level Commonwealth conference

28-January-2014

The Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Patrick Herminie, attended the Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC), held in Wellington, New Zealand from January 21 to 25, 2014. 

The conference, which was officially opened by the Governor-General of New Zealand, Lt. Gen. the Right Hon. Sir Jerry Mateparae, saw the participation of over 50 Commonwealth jurisdictions. 

Held every two years, the conference aims to maintain, foster and encourage impartiality and fairness on the part of speakers and presiding officers of parliaments; promote knowledge and understanding of parliamentary democracy in its various forms and develop parliamentary institutions. 

Apart from reiterating the sanctity of the office of the speaker and the supreme political importance of parliaments, the speakers also lengthily deliberated on ways and means to connect parliament with the people through the use of social media and the internet. 

Also discussed was the responsibility of members of parliament in exercising their constitutional parliamentary privileges and immunities and the right of the citizen to reply to any declarations deemed defamatory or offensive. 

The conference further discussed the financial and administrative challenges faced by small parliaments.

Dr Herminie was accompanied by the Clerk of the National Assembly, Azarel Ernesta.

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Indian classical music group to perform tonight

Indian classical music group to perform tonight

28-January-2014

Following their highly acclaimed performance at a charity dinner organised as part of the Indian Republic Day celebrations, an Indian classical music group headed by Revathi Krishna will perform for the general public tonight at the International Conference Centre.

The show will start at 6.30pm and will go on until 9pm. 
  
Tickets for the show cost R200 apiece and can be ordered from Sharath (tel: 2501048), Doris (tel: 2501029) and Katrina (tel: 2725014).

Proceeds from the show will go towards helping the people of La Digue affected by flooding due to recent heavy rains.

The idea for the fundraising show was raised during the charity dinner at the Asian Fusion Restaurant at the weekend by the Minister for Social Affairs, Community Development and Sports Vincent Meriton and the Minister for Tourism and Culture Alain St Ange.

The idea received the backing of Ramu Pillay of Pillay R. Group who has already made the necessary arrangements for the show to take place tonight.

Members of the public are invited to attend and help toward a good cause, that is alleviating the plight of those affected by the flooding on La Digue.

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New courses to help boost security at sea

New courses to help boost security at sea

28-January-2014

Maritime security is expected to get a big boost in the future with the launch of two new short courses run by the University of Seychelles (UniSey).

The courses --  Maritime Crime and Law Enforcement and Maritime Crime and Correctional Administration – have been developed by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in partnership with the Australian government.

The launch of these courses took place last week during a ceremony at the UniSey’s School of Business Management at Ma Joie in the presence of members of the diplomatic corps, the vice-chancellor of the UniSey Dennis Hardy, lecturers,  among other guests.

The lecturers are from the Regional Anti-Piracy Prosecution & Intelligence Coordination Centre (Rappicc) and reputed Australian universities namely  Edith Cowan.
 
Over two dozen in-service students from countries of the region, namely Kenya, Tanzania, Mauritius and Seychelles are among the first batch who have followed the courses which were conducted at the UniSey School of Business Management  from January 20 to 24.

A two-hour written exam followed the week-long intensive programmes.
The second batch of students from the region for the programme are expected here in May, according to the UNODC.

These are the first such courses to be developed and delivered in the region thus making Seychelles a centre of excellence for maritime security studies.

In her speech to officially launch the courses, acting Australian high commissioner to Seychelles Julienne Hince hailed the success of effort to bring over students from the region to learn together.

She also talked about the good relations and continued collaborations between Australia and Seychelles and said her country remains committed to maritime security in the Indian Ocean region and Seychelles. 

Citing proof of that commitment, she mentioned the Australian navy vessels which are combining their effort to counter piracy and ensure the safety of navigation in the region.

She also noted the increasing number of navy vessels which are visiting Seychelles, the latest being HMS Melbourne which was in Port Victoria over the weekend.

“Australia has provided substantial support to counter piracy effort in the region through the office of the UNODC,” said Ms Hince.

She added that Australia’s combined efforts have produced positive outcomes. A decline in piracy in the Indian Ocean is evidence that counter piracy efforts are having an impact, she said. 

She reaffirmed her country’s commitment to continuing collaborations in these fields and wished all the students success.

Two students from the programme, namely Joseph Bibi, a police officer working with Rappicc from Seychelles who was following the Maritime Crime and Law enforcement course and Lovena Aungnoo, a prison officer from Mauritius who followed the Maritime Crime and Correctional Administration course expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to attend the training.

“On behalf of my fellow colleagues I would like to express my sincere thanks to the UNODC, the Australian government, the government of Seychelles through the UniSey, for providing this tremendous opportunity to bring colleagues involved in tackling serious organised crimes such as maritime piracy to work and learn together,” said Mr Bibi.

He added that the opportunity to engage in such activity is not solely focused on learning although of course the skills they have gained will give them an essential edge in tackling serious crimes.

For her part Ms Aungnoo said it has been very fruitful and beneficial. 

“We have acquired great knowledge on prison management and how to tackle maritime crimes and handle correctional administration,” she said. 

She also expressed her gratitude to the organisers and lecturers.

UNODC representative and programme coordinator Shamus Mangan noted that until now the main forum for delivering training to regional police, lawyers and prison staff has been through regional learning exchanges.

“Although these have been successful, participants have expressed the need for training and support of more sophisticated policy investigations and prosecutions. With this programme we have significantly raised the bar in the level of academic tuition provided. In collaboration with the UniSey courses have been specifically designed to build the capacity of national criminal justice officials to investigate, prosecute and detain suspects of piracy and wider maritime crimes,” he said.

He noted that in addition to the educational component the courses have given the students from the different countries taking part the opportunity to meet and to learn from each other’s experiences.

“Most importantly the training programme provides the students with a recognised accredited award from a respected tertiary education institution - the University of Seychelles,” added Mr Mangan.

He expressed confidence that the knowledge and skills the students acquire and take home with them will greatly help the criminal justice institutions of their respective states to effectively deal with the threats of piracy and wider maritime crimes which affect this region.

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KENYA AIRWAYS RESPONDS TO COMPETITORS SALES FLURRY WITH OWN MARKET BLITZ

KENYA AIRWAYS RESPONDS TO COMPETITORS SALES FLURRY WITH OWN MARKET BLITZ

(Posted 21st January 2014)

When some of the Gulf’s leading airlines launched their early new year sales campaigns, promoting festivals and generally flooding the market with special fares, the usual suspects were swift in lambasting Kenya Airways – any reason apparently will do for them – for ‘sitting pretty and doing nitty’ as one put it following a post yesterday on my blog. Well, KQ was swift to respond when they themselves launched their own ‘The Big KQ Annual Sale’ action which will see their fares to a number of destinations drop by 25 percent for tickets purchased during the first week of February and with travel to be completed by 31st of May this year.

Connecting Africa with much of Europe, the Gulf, India and the South and Far East, Kenya Airways is one of the continent’s leading carriers and presently set for sustained expansion with the delivery this year of several of the long awaited B787 Dreamliners – the first is due to join the fleet in March – at least two more B777-300ER and several B787-800NG’s while at the same time set to retire their aged fleet of B767’s.

The first Dreamliner is presently on the production line in Everett and the team in Embakasi, according to feedback received over the past few days, is rightly excited with the prospect to becoming Africa’s second airline to fly the world’s most advanced plane from April onwards.

Meanwhile though will the present sales initiative help to fill seats, helping no doubt to put Kenya as a destination back on the map and boost arrival numbers after a decline in tourism arrivals last year. For more information visit www.kenya-airways.com or go to www.magicalkenya.com to learn more about the destination, the safari parks and the sun drenched beaches along the Kenyan coast.

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GEOLODGES CELEBRATE 20 YEARS OF SUPERB HOSPITALITY WITH SPECIAL OFFERS

GEOLODGES CELEBRATE 20 YEARS OF SUPERB HOSPITALITY WITH SPECIAL OFFERS

(Posted 21st January 2014)

20 years and counting it is for what is today known as GeoLodges Uganda, a boutique lodge operation which took off – and it seems like yesterday really – in 1994 with their first property on the River Nile just outside the Murchisons Falls National Park, the Nile Safari Camp.

Early in my writing career, back then I provided regular material from Uganda for what was then East Africa’s leading travel magazine, Travel News by Tony Clegg Butt, I visited the camp and wrote ‘if it were any closer to the river it would be in the river’ as the terrace of my tent protruded beyond the bank and allowed for unrestricted views right down into the fast flowing waters of the world’s longest river. The company eventually added the Jacana Safari Lodge on Lake Nyamusingire in Queen Elizabeth National Park, became ‘Inns of Uganda’ before, after the RainForest Lodge had come on line rebranding as ‘GeoLodges Uganda’. The latest addition to their stable was the Equator Snow Lodge in the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains, set just at the edge of the national park and in close range to the newly established visitor centre, from where guests can take hikes and walks or just enjoy the fresh mountain air and sights of the ice covered mountain peaks when the clouds lift.

The 20th anniversary celebrations, extending according to a well placed source across the entire year with the main event likely to coincide with the opening back then of the first camp, will kick off with a special Valentine’s Night at one of my all time favourite lodges, the RainForest Lodge in Mabira where at a cost of a mere 70 US Dollars romance can be fostered under the stars – weather permitting – dinner served with candle light. With only 12 wooden cabins available at the RainForest Lodge it is almost mandatory to book immediately or else the place will be sold out and lovers will have to settle for another weekend visit to enjoy the flair of one of Uganda’s most unique lodges, set in the deep of an ancient rainforest, just 65 kilometres from the capital city of Kampala.

Several past articles published here describe in detail the attractions of Mabira Forest, and the challenges this green lung for the pollution spewing Kampala is faced with, and also narrates the experiences of past visits to the RainForest Lodge, including a spot of star gazing when owner and CEO Zahid Alam was on site one night with his huge telescope, holding fort and launching into an impromptu lecture about the star systems and the Milky Way above us. That night the stars were indeed as close to give one the feeling of being able to touch them and hopefully will the love birds on Valentine’s Night have a similar experience as there is nothing quite like romancing under a star studded African sky.

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African arrivals in 2014 grow by 3 million to 56 overall

African arrivals in 2014 grow by 3 million to 56 overall by Aviation, Tourism and Conservation news - DAILY from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands

AFRICA’S SHARE IN GLOBAL TOURISM MOVEMENTS RISES TO 56 MILLION ARRIVALS

(Posted 21st January 2014)

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Arrivals to Africa in 2013 have grown by an average of 6 percent to 56 million overall an increase in real numbers by 3 million, largely aided by a gradual recovery in North Africa, where political unrest had depressed tourist numbers in 2012, and a sustained 5 percent growth for destinations in sub Saharan Africa.

UNWTO’s data for last year, just released, show an overall global travel increase to 1.087 billion tourists traversing the globe and forecasts for 2014 are held at a conservative 4 percent, likely to be exceeded but for unexpected troubles or natural disasters which could impact on the trend.

Africa is expected to once again perform above average in the coming year as the UNWTO Secretary General commented: ‘2013 was an excellent year for international tourism. The tourism sector has shown a remarkable capacity to adjust to the changing market conditions, fuelling growth and job creation around the world, despite the lingering economic and geopolitical challenges. Indeed, tourism has been among the few sectors generating positive news for many economies’.

UNWTO forecasts international arrivals to increase by 4% to 4.5% in 2014, again above its long-term forecast of +3.8% per year between 2010 and 2020. The UNWTO Confidence Index, based on the feedback from over 300 experts worldwide, confirms this outlook with prospects for 2014 higher than in previous years. Mr. Rifai then went on to say: ‘The positive results of 2013, and the expected global economic improvement in 2014, set the scene for another positive year for international tourism. Against this backdrop, UNWTO calls upon national governments to increasingly set up national strategies that support the sector and to deliver on their commitment to fair and sustainable growth’.

The 2014 regional prospects are strongest for Asia and the Pacific (+5% to +6%) and Africa (+4% to +6%), followed by Europe and the Americas (both +3% to +4%).

Good news for Africa which remains the focus of sustainable tourism development for UNWTO and the appointment last year of Elsia Grandcourt, formerly CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board, as the organization’s Director for Africa will only add to keep the continent in the spotlight through a range of activities and initiatives by UNWTO. Watch this space.

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Jane Goodall ranks Uganda’s Ngamba Island as THE BEST

Jane Goodall ranks Uganda’s Ngamba Island as THE BEST by Aviation, Tourism and Conservation news - DAILY from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands

JANE GOODALL CALLS NGAMBA ISLAND AFRICA’S BEST SANCTUARY

(Posted 21st January 2014)

Jane Goodall, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Peace Ambassador, on her 80th birthday, while visiting Ngamba, pronounced Uganda’s sole chimpanzee refuge as the best there is, not a mean feat considering that there are another 28 such primate sanctuaries on the continent of Africa, located in Kenya, Tanzania, DR Congo, Sudan and Rwanda among others.

Lilly Ajarova, the Executive Director of Ngamba Island, was quoted as having expressed her delight for the unexpected honours, but those who have visited the island, just half an hour by boat off the Entebbe Jetty, which is near the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre, cannot but agree with the rating and ranking Ngamba has now received from the world’s foremost expert in chimpanzee conservation.

Good news for Ngamba and good news for Uganda’s tourism industry which is presently showing signs of an uncertain future vis a vis growth prospects, attributed by some to a ‘low season’ while others claim the country does not invest enough money in marketing The Pearl of Africa abroad.

There are some indications that the forthcoming 2014/15 budget may finally allocate greater resources to the tourism marketing and the sector overall, but these are mere rumours at present and only when the annual budget is being read in a few weeks time can one be certain that this will indeed be so.

Meanwhile congratulations to Lilly and her team on Ngamba for a sterling job in looking after ‘homeless chimps’.

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JKIA’s Terminal Four set to feature big name in global fast food

JKIA’s Terminal Four set to feature big name in global fast food by Aviation, Tourism and Conservation news - DAILY from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands

BIG FAST FOOD NAME MAY BE HEADING TO JKIA AS KAA INVITES TENDERS FROM GLOBAL BRANDS

(Posted 21st January 2014)

The Kenya Airport Authority has invited tenders from international fast food brands to submit bids ahead of the opening of the new Terminal 4 which is expected to open in a few months time. According to information received from Nairobi does KAA expect some of the world’s big names like Burger King, KFC, Pizza Hut and McDonalds to compete over the opportunity to establish a presence at East Africa’s largest aviation hub, which is presently undergoing expansion and modernization at an accelerated pace, following the fire in August last year which destroyed the international arrivals hall and triggered some serious fast tracking. The time frame though appears tight, one source saying it almost appears to be an afterthought, considering the logistics involved in not just evaluating tenders and deciding on a winning bid but also the time then needed for a successful bidder to plan, equip, recruit staff for and then open such a restaurant.

When Terminal 4 opens, with a projected added capacity of at least 2.5 million passengers, the present concourse with units 1, 2 and 3 will be progressively refurbished and modernized to improve the passenger experience which has dragged down the perception of Nairobi being East Africa’s number on hub.

Also under construction are a new temporary unit to bridge the gap between now and the expected opening by 2017 of the Project Greenfield under which not only a second runway and additional parking and apron facilities will be constructed but also a mega terminal which will more than triple capacity and cater for increased traffic into the middle of the 21st century.

Watch this space for breaking and regular aviation news from across Eastern Africa.

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Precision Air signs codeshare with Air Uganda for DAR – JRO – EBB

Precision Air signs codeshare with Air Uganda for DAR – JRO – EBB by Aviation, Tourism and Conservation news - DAILY from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands

PRECISION AIR AND AIR UGANDA SIGN CODESHARE FOR ENTEBBE – DAR ROUTE

(Posted 21st January 2014)

Information was received yesterday that Precision Air and Air Uganda have signed a code share deal, which will see the two airlines book and sell each others’ tickets and widen the choice of departures and destinations for both carriers. Passengers can now expect to fly on one ticket to and from Dar es Salaam, or Kilimanjaro, irrespective of which airline will actually operate the respective flight, effectively offering both airlines a double daily connection between Tanzania’s commercial capital of Dar es Salaam and Uganda’s gateway Entebbe.

No comments were available from Precision Air following the departure of Linda Chizi who until the end of last year served in a senior capacity at Precision taking care of branding and to a good part PR too. Linda moved on to Smile Communications Tanzania it is understood, a company providing at present the fastest 4GLTE internet broad band connections anywhere in Tanzania and Uganda.

It could also not be established in time for filing this report if the code share has been extended to other Precision Air destinations like Zanzibar, Mtwara, Mwanza and Mbuya among others and if Precision in turn will have access to Air Uganda flights beyond Entebbe such as Kigali or Juba.

Watch this space for breaking and regular aviation news from the Eastern African region.

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81 tusks seized and two arrested at Dar es Salaam port

81 tusks seized and two arrested at Dar es Salaam port by Aviation, Tourism and Conservation news - DAILY from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands

OVER 80 TUSKS CONFISCATED AT DAR ES SALAAM PORT

(Posted 04th January 2014)

Information already referred to yesterday about a seizure of blood ivory at the port of Dar es Salaam was confirmed overnight. Sources in the Tanzanian port city gave the number of tusks confiscated as 81, indicative of the slaughter of at least another 41 elephant, perhaps even more. Questions are being asked and investigations have been launched already how the two suspects who were arrested with the loot, managed to get into the harbour and suspicions have been voiced already that they had accomplices in position of power giving them access without being subjected to gate controls. This latest find of blood ivory comes hot on the heels of President Kikwete announcing in his New Year’s address to the nation that operation Tokomeza will resume soon again, but with different rules of engagement and a focus mainly on bringing the commercial style poaching gangs to justice while leaving pastoralists and herders largely alone.

In a related development it was also learned that the Tanzania Ports Authority will be introducing additional screening equipment during the course of 2014 to check the contents of containers before they are loaded on ships, though no one was able to confirm if TPA would in conjunction with TANAPA and other security organs deploy sniffer dogs – a measure which is hugely successful in Kenya where the dogs have found much concealed contraband, not just at the sea ports but also airports where transit baggage as well as checked in bags are now routinely checked out. For now, a good result of increased vigilance and intelligence gathering as reportedly a tip off led to the seizure and arrests. Watch this space.

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Le Président élu de Madagascar reçoit les félicitations du Président Michel

Le Président élu de Madagascar reçoit les félicitations du Président Michel

04.01.2014

Le Président James Michel a adressé ses félicitations au Président élu de Madagascar, Monsieur Hery Rajaonarimampianina.

L’ancien ministre des Finances du gouvernement de Transition soutenu par le gouvernement sortant, a remporté l'élection présidentielle, selon le décompte définitif rendu public vendredi par la Commission  électorale nationale de transition (Cenit).

Agé de 55 ans, il a obtenu 53,50% des voix, contre 46,50% à Robinson Jean Louis, qui avait été adoubé par l'ancien chef de l'Etat Marc Ravalomanana, mais la confirmation de cette victoire dépend encore  de la décision de la Cour Electorale Spéciale chargée d'examiner les recours en annulation déposés par son adversaire.

Dans son message, le Président Michel présente ses chaleureuses et sincères félicitations au Président Hery pour sa "brillante élection."

"Votre expérience à la suite d’un parcours exceptionnel vous confère déjà la dimension d’homme d’Etat et confirme le peuple malgache dans le choix qu’il a fait de votre personne pour tenir le gouvernail de la conduite des affaires de l’Etat en ces circonstances chargées de défis multiples aussi importants les uns que les autres" écrit le Président Michel.

"Les Seychelles s'honorent d'avoir participé, surtout aux moments les plus difficiles, à cette victoire des décideurs politiques malgaches sur eux-mêmes, en balisant la voie au dialogue, à la tolérance, seules valeurs qui devaient prévaloir en ces circonstances. Elles s'honorent d'avoir pris également une part très active aux initiatives de la SADC, la COI et d’autres initiatives de portée régionale et internationale," indique aussi le Président seychellois dans son message.

Rappelant les affinités que les deux pays ont en partage, le Président Michel exprime sa ferme conviction que sous la direction du nouvel élu, "Madagascar renforcera son unité, s’attellera à l’œuvre de reconstruction nationale dans la réconciliation."

"Notre vision commune d’un océan indien prospère, stable et démocratique, mais aussi l’implication active de nos deux iles dans la gestion des affaires de la COI, de la SADC,  de l’Union Africaine et de la Francophonie, sont autant de sujets qui nous rapprochent », rappelle aussi le Président seychellois dans son message, dans lequel il estime que les deux iles, « fondues dans le creuset d’une même mer, d’une histoire et d’une identité culturelle apparentées, ne ménageront aucun effort pour promouvoir l’amitié et l’estime réciproque" que se vouent les deux peuples.

"Dans cette nouvelle étape qui commence, essentielle pour la construction d’un pays démocratique, prospère et stable, vous pouvez croire en mon soutien le plus sincère," assure le Président Michel.

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Interview with Ras Ricky

Interview with Ras Ricky

04-January-2014

‘I am also a jack of all trades’

Ricky Jules Sultan, AKA Ras Ricky and of Diego Garcia ethnicity, was born and grew up in Seychelles loving the creole culture and being inspired by the likes of Joseph Louise, Patrick Victor and Hudson Dorothe.
 
From crèche he took part in school plays and that was the beginning of his life under the spotlight. He is currently in Seychelles after taking a short break from his work in Mauritius and lets us in on his life there.

What’s the title of your latest album?

I recently released my album called Mascareigne, which is what our group of island states in the Indian Ocean is called. The album is a reflection of the livity (a word used by Rastafarians which refers to the energy or life-force that flows through all living things) of our island people. I have collaborated with other artists from the region including Pix-L – a new artist from Reunion about to release his first album, Tikkenzo from the OSB Crew in Mauritius and Estella. She features in ‘Welcome to My World’, a track which compares island life from the rest of the world.


What do you do in Mauritius?

I am a radio presenter with the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation. I host a show called Nou Konekte which airs for two hours every night playing dancehall, reggae, local and regional music. In fact, I had to record three months worth of my show so that I could come here to Seychelles. I started recording in the morning on Monday December 23 and only completed at 9am on Friday December 27, 2013. 

How are you enjoying working in Mauritius?

Well with my job at MBC Radio I gain a lot of experience and skills with new media and telecommunication tools, which are vital in the digital era we are living in. But radio presenter is only what I do as my evening job. I am also a jack of all trades and do other things during the day. If someone has a piece of land to sell, for example, I am happy to find a buyer and I get a commission.
 Growing where I did (Les Mamelles) has equipped me with lots of skills that I use today.


Why Mauritius? 

I was in the UK for three years and even though I enjoyed my time there (I had lots of performances at clubs and at music festivals), however, I felt I needed to move to something new. 

I chose Mauritius because of the mutual sharing with Seychelles in terms of our language and our music. Also, Mauritius provides a bigger platform for an artist to grow and be known; the population is much more and my music can reach other Mauritians scattered around the globe much easier. But I won’t stay there forever; at the right time I will go to the next level and move somewhere else.

How is the music industry different in Mauritius?

There is an advantage for artists because the copy rights policies are more structured and well defined which means, as an artist, you get better paid.  You get royalties from your song being played on the radio, among others. Your product is well-protected. Apart from that there is not that much difference. When I go to perform I still need to be well organised and get others on board to ensure the success of whatever show I am doing.

What advice/help can you give to local artists who would like to penetrate the Mauritian market?

Many artists reach out to me such as Jakim, Jahrimba, Chicco and Mercenary, when they want to come over and do a show because I have good networks there to make things happen. And they need me as much as I need them, because they give me support at shows. It’s better when at a show I also have a crew from back home, who are my own people and I’m not just surrounded by Reunionnais and Mauritians. It builds up my morale when performing.

What else have you been able to achieve in Mauritius?

I have been there for three years and each year I have released an album and have also given support to other artists who want to make it. I have been heavily promoting the Creole culture and have done so with other artists who have the same vision. I helped some of them with the release of a compilation album called Island Burning and, more recently, Island Burning II.  

Have you met any popular Reggae artists?

Yes, I have met lots of popular artists like Morgan Heritage, the late Lucky Dube, Pierpoljak, Tiken Jah Fakoly and Steel Pulse. If I had not come down for a break I could have met Jimmy Cliff who’s going to have a show in Mauritius soon.

What are your plans while in Seychelles?

Hosting shows in the districts and continuing to support artists wherever I can especially in areas like production. I have a studio, which I left in the good care of some friends, so I will make use of that when I need to.

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Air Seychelles a four-star airline!

Air Seychelles a four-star airline!

04-January-2014

After being ranked 133rd in the world and eighth in Africa only two years ago, Air Seychelles is now a four-star airline among only 36 others worldwide, and the continent’s second best!

The good news was announced by the company’s chief executive Cramer Ball in a colourful ceremony at the Seychelles International Airport yesterday, after the airline was promoted to four-star status by the international airline ranking company Skytrax. 

The Skytrax airline rankings are decided each year by the votes of 18 million passengers from 100 different countries based on an extensive audit programme which examines more than 800 different areas of product and service delivery, using rigourous quality criteria. 

The grading system is recognised as the key benchmarking tool for customer satisfaction by the global airline industry.

It was no normal scene at the arrival area of the Seychelles International Airport yesterday morning as all the Air Seychelles’ big happy family had proudly gathered to jovially celebrate the event around a huge commemorative cake.
 
It was really a perfect way to start the New Year for one of the world’s smallest commercial aviation companies, but now officially one of the best! 

Also present were the Minister for Home Affairs and Transport Joël Morgan who is also the chairman of Air Seychelles, Tourism and Culture Minister Alain St Ange, the tourism principal secretary Anne Lafortune, Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) chief executive Sherin Naiken, Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) board chairman David Savy, among other invitees.

Mr Ball described the occasion as a “tremendous achievement” and took the opportunity to recall the continued progress recorded during the last two years and which has contributed to the airline’s overall success. This includes acquiring new aircrafts, extending regional and international routes, upgrading part of the Seychelles Airport’s VIP services to become the best FBOs (Fixed Base Operation) facilities in the region and access to Etihad Airways’ state-of-the-art training academy in Abu Dhabi blended with excellent ground and air service.

“We knew we were becoming a great airline and we wanted to make that official. So we invited Skytrax to audit us, to give us an independent, unbiased reading of where we stood on a global basis. [...] We had achieved our ambitious profit vision, so what about our vision to become a high quality airline? Today, I can proudly confirm that Skytrax has awarded Air Seychelles the prestigious four-star ranking, placing us firmly among the world’s airline elite,” Mr Ball said.

“We are absolutely delighted to receive this recognition. We have been working very hard to enhance our product and service offering. Our new ranking places us among the very best airlines in the world and confirms the significant progress we have made during the last two years. 

“The award is also indicative of the enormous commitment and effort by our staff, who with our equity partner, Etihad Airways, have worked to reshape our offering while retaining the very unique Creole warmth and hospitality for which we are renowned,” added Mr Ball.

On his part, Minister Morgan spoke of the event as one of the greatest moments in Air Seychelles’ 35-year history and a day of pride not only for Air Seychelles and its 630 hard working staff, but for the whole country.

“For Air Seychelles to attain this ranking... with a workforce that is 97% Seychellois, from a nation of only 87,000 people, well, words cannot quite capture how amazing an accomplishment that is, especially when you consider how uncertain our future looked two years ago,” an obviously emotional Minister Morgan said.

With the standing, Air Seychelles becomes the only four-star airline in the Indian Ocean and the second in Africa alongside South African Airways. With the new and upgraded status, the local carrier has joined some of the best airlines in the world like British Airways, Air France, Lufthansa and Emirates in the high ranking club of four-star airlines. 

As a matter of comparison, companies such as Alitalia, American Airlines, Condor, Air Berlin, Air Austral and Air Mauritius are three-star rated airlines.  While Air Italy, China United Airlines and Iran Air are only ranked as two-star airlines.

Only seven international airlines – Malaysia Airlines, All Nippon Airlines, Asiana Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Hainan Airlines, Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines – form the elite group of five-star airlines. 

Air Seychelles has announced that its next goal is to achieve five-star status and be part of them. 

The official Skytrax Airlines Star ranking is universally recognised as an independent and creditable measure of the service quality of an airline and the evaluation given is considered by the industry as both dependable and authoritative.

Air Seychelles was awarded its four-star rating after a rigorous auditing exercise by Skytrax in recent months. In June 2013, the airline leapt from 133 to 56 worldwide to join the ranks of the most improved airlines. It also achieved the position as second best airline in Africa.

Edward Plaisted, chief executive of Skytrax, said: "Air Seychelles has introduced new aircraft offering extensive product improvements, and this combined with a strong service quality ethos from their front-line staff has resulted in Air Seychelles now meeting a four-star airline rating. We congratulate Air Seychelles on this fantastic achievement, which is particularly important when one considers that the four-star airline classification includes some of the world's largest and best known airlines."

Skytrax ranks an airline’s frontline product and service standards based on an internationally recognised quality analysis system and professional evaluations. The performance analysis is completed annually and rankings are categorised by region and across the world. 

The national carrier of Seychelles is now ranked as the number two airline in Africa, up eight places from its previous ranking of 10 last year, and now holds the number three spot for Best Airline Staff in Africa, a category in which the airline held no ranking last year. In addition, Air Seychelles is now ranked fourth in the Most Improved category. 

Air Seychelles was established in 1978 and began long-haul service in 1983. The airline currently offers international flights to Abu Dhabi, Johannesburg, Hong Kong and Mauritius.
 
Air Seychelles also offers more than 200 domestic scheduled flights a week throughout the archipelago, as well as domestic charter services. As the national airline of Seychelles, Air Seychelles is a pillar of tourism, the island nation’s strongest and growing economic sector. 

The airline maintains a strategic partnership with Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates and 40 per cent stakeholder. 

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MARASA AFRICA HOLDS 2013 RATES FOR CHOBE SAFARI LODGE

Marasa holds 2013 rates as VAT decision reversed by Aviation, Tourism and Conservation news - DAILY from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands MARASA AFRICA HOLDS 2013 RATES FOR CHOBE SAFARI LODGE (Posted 04th January 2014) Marasa Africa, owners and operators of 4 safari lodges in Uganda and 3 safari properties in Kenya, has taken the opportunity, when wishing their clientele a Happy New Year, to also announce that their rack rates for the Chobe Safari Lodge will remain for 2014 as they were set in 2013, after the Ugandan government yielded to pressure and rescinded a decision to levy an 18 percent VAT on tourist lodges and hotels in upcountry locations. Marasa also pledged to continue their generous discounting policy for local tourists, which includes visitors from the other 4 East African Community member states, in their effort to promote domestic tourism. The lodge, in a related development, also broke news that an 80 kilogram Nile Perch was caught recently by one of their guests’ who was out fishing on the River Nile. After weighing and tagging the giant was the fish then released back into the river to live another day. Chobe Safari Lodge has for long maintained a reputation as one of Uganda’s finest fishing locations along the River Nile, which rushes towards the Murchisons Falls and forms a never ending sound background as well as provides spectacular sights for visitors as seen in the picture above. For more information on Uganda’s attractions check out www.visituganda.com orwww.ugandawildlife.org

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81 tusks seized and two arrested at Dar es Salaam port

81 tusks seized and two arrested at Dar es Salaam port by Aviation, Tourism and Conservation news - DAILY from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands OVER 80 TUSKS CONFISCATED AT DAR ES SALAAM PORT (Posted 04th January 2014) Information already referred to yesterday about a seizure of blood ivory at the port of Dar es Salaam was confirmed overnight. Sources in the Tanzanian port city gave the number of tusks confiscated as 81, indicative of the slaughter of at least another 41 elephant, perhaps even more. Questions are being asked and investigations have been launched already how the two suspects who were arrested with the loot, managed to get into the harbour and suspicions have been voiced already that they had accomplices in position of power giving them access without being subjected to gate controls. This latest find of blood ivory comes hot on the heels of President Kikwete announcing in his New Year’s address to the nation that operation Tokomeza will resume soon again, but with different rules of engagement and a focus mainly on bringing the commercial style poaching gangs to justice while leaving pastoralists and herders largely alone. In a related development it was also learned that the Tanzania Ports Authority will be introducing additional screening equipment during the course of 2014 to check the contents of containers before they are loaded on ships, though no one was able to confirm if TPA would in conjunction with TANAPA and other security organs deploy sniffer dogs – a measure which is hugely successful in Kenya where the dogs have found much concealed contraband, not just at the sea ports but also airports where transit baggage as well as checked in bags are now routinely checked out. For now, a good result of increased vigilance and intelligence gathering as reportedly a tip off led to the seizure and arrests. Watch this space.

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Air Seychelles gets Skytrax’s 4 star rating

Air Seychelles gets Skytrax’s 4 star rating by Aviation, Tourism and Conservation news - DAILY from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands AIR SEYCHELLES ATTAINS SKYTRAX 4 STAR RATING (Posted 04th January 2014) In one of aviation history’s most remarkable recent turnarounds has Air Seychelles just been anointed by Skytrax with the coveted 4 Star rating, after working relentlessly for over a year in upgrading and improving service levels, in the air and on the ground. Three years ago, Air Seychelles struggled to survive and course was set for a doubtful future, if any considering the financial losses HM incurred at the time, before the strategic partnership with Etihad, the national airline of Abu Dhabi, brought about fundamental change. Since then has Air Seychelles undergone an astonishing transformation, accomplished a complete long haul fleet exchange, now using modern Airbus A330 aircraft after returning 5 aged B767’s to the lessors, has created a second hub in Abu Dhabi which now serves as stop over point for long haul flights to Hong Kong and soon to be Paris again, and has placed orders for an Airbus A320 and three Twin Otter DHC 6-400 for their domestic services to Praslin and other islands. The airline’s premium lounge got a facelift, a new VIP Terminal was launched in October last year where the airline’s ground handling arm now processed passengers of private jets and, most important, has the airline indicated that for the second year running they will be making a profit again. The result of all these improvements was an upped ranking from 3 to 4 Star by Skytrax, the world’s leading independent airline rating company, which at the same time confirmed that Air Seychelles is now Africa’s second highest ranked airline, up 8 places from 2012/13. Globally has Air Seychelles been named as the fourth most improved airline when it jumped from place 133 to place 56, outpacing many larger and perhaps better known airlines. CEO Cramer Ball was naturally beaming when he made the announcement in the presence of the airline’s chairman of the board, who is also the Minister for Home Affairs and Transport, Joel Morgan, and the Minister for Tourism and Culture Alain St. Ange, with a giant cake waiting to be cut after the official speeches were delivered. Said Cramer: ‘We are absolutely delighted to receive this recognition. We have been working very hard to enhance our product and service offering. Our new ranking places us among the very best airlines in the world and confirms the significant progress we have made during the last two years. The award is also indicative of the enormous commitment and effort by our staff, who with our equity partner, Etihad Airways, have worked to reshape our offering while retaining the very unique Creole warmth and hospitality for which we are renowned’. Airline chairman Joel Morgan added:’ I am immensely proud of this achievement and what it represents for our national carrier. The turnaround program we put in place two years ago is clearly bearing fruit in many areas.Financially we met our target, achieving profitability in 2012, and we’re on track to build on that success as 2013 draws to a close. This has been a remarkable 35th anniversary for Air Seychelles: we welcomed our second Airbus A330-200, launched flights to Hong Kong and expanded our international schedule, and signed four new codeshare partnerships. We renewed our domestic fleet with the purchase of three new DHC6-400 twin otter aircraft and entered the luxury private air market with the launch of Air Seychelles VIP, Seychelles first Fixed Base Operation’. Skytrax also offered their comments, made by CEO Edward Plaisted, who was quoted in media release received yesterday: ‘Air Seychelles has introduced new aircraft offering extensive product improvements, and this combined with a strong service quality ethos from their front-line staff has resulted in Air Seychelles now meeting a 4-Star Airline rating. We congratulate Air Seychelles on this fantastic achievement, which is particularly important when one considers that the 4-Star Airline classification includes some of the world's largest and best known airlines’. (Air Seychelles CEO Cramer Ball making the official announcement yesterday at the international airport on Mahe) (Air Seychelles’ CEO Cramer Ball, management and staff with Ministers Morgan and St. Ange in celebratory mood)

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