Some 40 people including managers from airport operations, aviation safety experts as well as representatives of key disaster management authorities are following a four-day training to strengthen the Seychelles International Airport’s capacity to handle logistical challenges in the aftermath of natural disasters.

The official opening of the training, which starts today, was held yesterday afternoon at the Eden Bleu Hotel on Eden Island.

An initiative of the Deutshe Post DHL Group, the world’s leading mail logistics group supported and funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the German government, the training aims to prepare airports in disaster-prone areas to handle the surge of incoming relief goods and traffic after disasters.

The training has been conducted at 33 airports around the world since it was developed in 2009.

Seychelles is the 34^th country which is benefiting from the training.

It also enables the various organisations and aid agencies to better understand the processes at the airport in the aftermath of a disaster which will make easier relief efforts and enhance overall coordination.

It is expected that at the end of the training a comprehensive report to follow through leading to an action plan to better deal with the consequences of natural disasters will be drafted.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Transport Joel Morgan launched the training in the presence of the Minister for Environment, Energy and Climate Change Didier Dogley and other guests including airport and Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) staff.

The Get Airports Ready for Disaster (GARD) trainers who will be conducting the training are experienced experts from Deutsche Post DHL Group and are all volunteers. They provide relevant materials and training while the UNDP handles project management and coordinates activities with government agencies on site.

Chris Weeks, DHL director of humanitarian affairs who will be leading the training, shared with everyone present his first experience after the 2004 tsunami aftermath at Colombo International Airport.

“It was my first experience and I saw first-hand how the airport was inundated with relief personnel and goods and since then I have experienced 15 major disasters around the world where every time the airport is severely impacted when handling response from aid workers, search and rescue crews, incoming media, countless aircraft carrying relief freights…, I know what can happen to airports those few days after a natural disaster,” he pointed out, adding why it is  important to know how best to handle these.

In remarks to launch the training, Minister Morgan said: “Our airport is the gateway to the world , above and beyond Africa and the majority of tourists from all over the world come in through that one gateway either for leisure or business. But even in paradise we face the potential threats from nature, some of which are predictable while others occur without any warning,” Minister Morgan pointed out.

He noted that the remarkable increase in frequency of natural disasters around the world are due to climate change. And Seychelles in recent years has not been spared as it has seen an increase in disaster situations like the 2004 tsunami, annual heavy flooding, landslides and rock falls.

“In the face of such adversity, as a country we must provide immediate relief and to do so we must have in place plans to coordinate our efforts and facilitate delivery of relief to our citizens,” Minister Morgan said.

“The possibility of visitors in the country who may want to depart earlier which as a result would generate additional flight traffic, cannot be overlooked as well,” Minister Morgan stressed.

“The training will better prepare you to cope with such a surge by enabling you to come up with a plan of what to do when the time comes,” Minister Morgan added.

Patrick Hoareau, the general manager for airport management, said as a small country which depends heavily on tourism, Seychelles needs to ensure that it is well prepared in the event of a natural disaster.

“Our international airport is comparatively small when it comes to capacity, so it is therefore important that we maximise the use of our resources and facilities so that we can manage the surge and ensure continued acceptable level of service,” Mr Hoareau said.

He stressed that response to disaster requires a large number of stakeholders both within and outside of the airport thus the importance of the training which he said would enable key stakeholders to work together and formulate an appropriate response plan.

Roland Alcindor, the UNDP programme manager, noted that while airports have a quicker role in post disaster response and relief they are often adversely affected by disasters which can delay or prevent transport of badly needed life-saving supplies.

“Although it is difficult to eliminate the risks emanating from natural hazards, appropriate mitigations and preparedness measures and adequate response capacity could lead to minimising the impacts of such hazards,” he stressed.

Source : Seychelles NATION

The Islands Development Company Ltd has donated a computer set to the President’s Village.

The Lenovo brand computer was handed over by Islands Development Company Ltd (IDC) human resources (HR) and administration supervisor Fred Bamboche to the manager of the President’s Village Toussaint Melanie during a short ceremony yesterday at the IDC head office.

This R7,000 donation forms part of IDC’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) project to contribute to the society, therefore the Seychelles Children’s Foundation (SCF) presented a CSR certificate to IDC.

IDC also donated five sets of computers to the village in 2014 so this gesture also strengthens the long existing relationship between the two parties.

Also present during the hand-over ceremony were the IDC HR manager Lindy Mathiot, IDC administration and personal manager Jacqueline Payet, President’s Village administration and purchasing officer Marlene Labiche and SCF project and communications manager Carol Andriamaro.

Mr Bamboche said the IDC’s mission statement also includes the aspect of socio-economic development of Seychelles.

“The socio-economic is measured through indicator where literacy is part of it so we would like to contribute with the donation of the computer set to help with literacy for the children for they are our future leaders,” he said.

Mr Melanie thanked the company for contributing towards the village as it shows that people still think and care for less fortunate children.

“This donation will help them in their education and enable them to move forward with the latest technology,” he said.

On behalf of the foundation, Ms Andriamaro thanked IDC for its generosity and kind gesture.

Source : Seychelles NATION

Bernadette Bonnelame has rapidly become recognised as ‘the smiling face’ of The H Resort. Her beaming smile has been used in the property’s adverts appearing in international glossy magazines such as Harper’s Bazaar, National Geographic and Condé Nast Traveller as well as in-flight magazines for Air Seychelles and Etihad.  Bernadette’s image has also been seen in the resort’s recruitment ads locally.

But now her warm, infectious smile is hitting new heights and reaching new territories. It was spotted earlier this year by DER Touristik, the European market leader in travel sales, based in Frankfurt. They so liked her photograph that they have now used it on the front cover of their Meier’s Weltreisen brand brochure. This part of their business specialises in long-haul destination travel.

The brochure is 292 pages of which 45 pages feature the Seychelles and it is distributed throughout Eastern Europe, Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

When asked for her views on the popularity of her smile Bernadette commented: “Last July when I began working at The H Resort I never imagined that this would happen to me, it’s absolutely wonderful.”

She went on to say, “I love smiling, so when I was asked if I would mind having my photo taken, I was happy to say yes and now I have people messaging me or calling me to say they have seen my picture in different places. I have even had guests comment that they recognise me from the magazine on the plane”.

Anthony Perlman, marketing and public relations manager at The H Resort, said: “Anyone who meets Bernadette cannot fail to warm to her smile and friendly personality.  She is a proud Seychellois, so for her image to feature on the front cover of the Meier’s Weltreisen brochure is a wonderful achievement for her and the country, we are all collectively very proud of her.”

Source : Seychelles NATION

Two A-Level graduates will be furthering their studies thanks to funding from the Public Utilities Corporation, in collaboration with the Agency for National Human Resource Development.

The two graduates, who are Public Utilities Corporation (PUC) employees, are expected to start their course next month.

This funding partnership between PUC and Agency for National Human Resource Development (ANHRD) came about through an initiative of PUC to build up the capacity of its workforce by recruiting recent A-Level graduates, providing them with a comprehensive training programme for a set period of time to acquire some work experience and eventually sending them for further studies abroad with the help of the ANHRD.

Shanna Charlette, who is currently a hydrology technician in the water & sewerage division, will be following an MSc Instrumentation and Control Processes Engineering course at the University of Hull, United Kingdom (UK), whereas Malika Romain, who is currently an IT trainee in the information, communications & technology (ICT) department, will be following a BSc Computer Network course at Salford University, UK.

The deputy chief executive of PUC Joel Valmont said PUC firmly believes in the concept of training and professional development and offers its staff opportunities to continuously enhance their knowledge and skills in their respective domains.

“Currently, a number of employees are undertaking Masters programmes via distance learning with UK universities, ranging from MSc Project Management, Water Environment Engineering and MBA, online courses with the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply, ACCA programmes at different levels and other long-term courses provided by local institutions,” he said.

He said employees within the organisation are further encouraged to pursue continuous professional development by attending short-term courses and workshops locally or abroad that are relevant to their fields of work.

Mr Valmont noted that PUC has been fully financing employee training over the past ten years.

“These two are the first scholarships being co-funded by PUC and ANHRD but there will be others in the future,” he said.

Miss Charlette said she has learned a lot over the past year she has been working for PUC but she faced a challenge when deciding which course to undertake.

“Some colleagues and managers helped me on the right path to choose this course and I’m grateful. This course falls under electrical and electronics engineering which is of an interest to me and a plus to have someone with a master in this field,” she said.

Miss Romain, who is leaving for the UK today, said she is very excited.

“I consider myself very fortunate because a lot of people going to study overseas have not been exposed to the field and don’t have work experience but I was privileged to do so and I’ve learned the technical basics that I’m supposed to know,” she said.

She feels that the youth – more specifically girls – should take up more interest in IT as it is the future and as there is a lack of girls in this field.

The national service provider constantly needs newly trained and talented personnel to undertake its massive operations. For the last three years the organisation has recruited up to 20 graduates in various fields.

If you are a young, talented, energetic and motivated individual who can thrive in a large diverse organisation, look no further than PUC to build your career as there are exciting opportunities available for A-Level graduates and returning degree graduates, especially in the fields of Electrical Engineering and ICT.

For further details about PUC’s graduate programme, please call telephone number 4678114 or 4675019 or e-mail hr@puc.sc

Source : Sey6chelles NATION

The Seychelles Institute of Technology (Sit) is keen to partner with the University of Vocational Technology of Sri Lanka so as to move to the next level of its development.

In line with this, the Sit yesterday welcomed two senior officials from the Sri Lankan university who are on a familiarisation visit here at the invitation of the Ministry of Education.

Dr Don Suraweera, the Dean of the Faculty of Industrial and Vocational Technology, and Pinnawale Jayathilaka, head of the Electrical and Electronics Department at the University Of Vocational Technology of Sri Lanka, met the governing board of Sit, its director Hubert Barbe; Jean Alcindor, coordinator UNEVOC centre and director general Education and Students Support Services and management and staff members of Sit.

The aim of the familiarisation visit is for Sit to seek future areas of cooperation and collaboration with its Sri Lankan counterpart in its bid to bring Sit to the next level. The visit is also within the context of the Education Medium-Term Strategy to establish strategic partnership between national and international institutions of higher learning to further promote the quality of national tertiary education and training system.

After a presentation by Mr Barbe on Sit’s mission and vision, the delegation held discussions with members of the Sit governing board. A meeting with senior officials from the Ministry of Education and also key partners of the Sit is also on the agenda.

Speaking to the press Mr Suraweera said Sit has many similarities with his institution like starting off as a technical training centre, the ongoing struggle to attract and maintain students, among others.

“I am really impressed about the work the students are doing,” he said, referring to the carpentry items being done by the students.

Mr Suraweera said both institutions can have great collaborations in separate areas like exchanging staff, students and broadening their experiences for Sit to develop its future plans.

“We can really work together to achieve a common objective. We are also in the same line. We started as a technical teacher college and became a university. Sit too started as a polytechnic, then became Sit, so it’s the way forward,” said Mr Suraweera.

Mr Barbe also noted that some Sit staff and students have already worked at the University of Vocational Technology of Sri Lanka.

“We are exploring the possibilities with this university how it can help us. We are thinking during their visit we can finally sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU),” he said.

Mr Barbe said he wishes to see a clause included where both institutes can have exchange of experts. Mr Barbe said as Sit is including IT in its strategy he believes that institute, which is quite strong in that area, will create possibilities for Sit to explore so as to move in the right direction.

Representing the Ministry of Education, Mr Alcindor said during Minister Macsuzy Mondon’s visit to Sri Lanka in 2014 where she visited several educational institutions of higher learning, the University of Vocational Technology was identified as a possible partner for cooperation with the Seychelles Institute of Technology to improve the quality and level of training that Sit offers, as well as exchanging expertise and experiences.

“A memorandum of agreement will have to be established defining the details of cooperation. Normally when there’s such an exchange of agreement, it’s the students in the first place who gain the necessary skills and expertise. This university offers many degrees to Bachelor level in either telecommunications, manufacturing, food processing, industrial technology. So there is the opportunity for students to enhance their ability,” said Mr Alcindor.

Sit last week was awarded the UNEVOC plaque recognising the institution as the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) centre in Seychelles from the International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO-UNEVOC). This is the second time the institution receives such a plaque.

Source : Seychelles NATION

D’une ressource supplémentaire à un livre de référence

 Pendant que les élèves sont en vacances, en ce mois d’août, les enseignants du primaire des écoles publiques seychelloises se sont retrouvés sur les bancs de l’école de Mont Fleuri pour partager leurs expériences. Depuis 2015 pour certains, et 2016 pour d’autres, les enseignants travaillent avec le nouveau livre de mathématiques « Cracking maths text book » des éditions Collins. Celui-ci est utilisé comme ressource supplémentaire à tous les niveaux de classes du primaire.

Dans les faits, les enseignants du primaire de P1 et de P2 utilisent ce nouveau support depuis 2015. Pour les classes de P3 à P6, il est utilisé depuis janvier 2016. Selon Ina Félix, en charge de l’élaboration des curriculums au Ministère de l’Education, le choix de ce nouveau support répond à un objectif national, celui de chercher d’autres ressources pour enseigner. Surtout, « Cracking maths text book » permet d’utiliser une ressource progressive et complète pour enseigner les mathématiques d’une façon ludique, afin de démystifier cette matière.

 Contextualisation et intégration à la vie réelle

« Nous n’avons pas de centre de production de livres aux Seychelles, donc les livres en provenance de l’extérieur, qui sont de bonnes références, ont besoin d’être contextualisés par rapport aux besoins de nos élèves seychellois. Ceci est valable pour chaque section du primaire. Et, réunir les enseignants pour y travailler et intégrer ces nouveaux supports à la vie réelle, ici, est un vrai challenge », a partagé Mme Ina Félix.

Avoir le socle de connaissances fondamental

Selon ses propos, c’est un pas en avant pour le Ministère de l’Education, les enseignants et les élèves. « Nous savons que nos enseignants ont un curriculum très chargé de la classe de P1 à P4. Mais, ce nouveau support permet d’explorer et d’approfondir les thématiques de base essentielles à l’apprentissage des mathématiques. Il aborde vraiment sous tous les angles chaque aspect important de la matière. C’est ce dont nous avons besoin pour couvrir le contenu du curriculum et ce travail est déjà fait dans ce livre. Ce document d’apprentissage passe d’un concept à l’autre. Les parents n’ont aucune crainte à avoir, les élèves ne vont rien perdre en apprentissage parce que cela ira un peu plus vite. En tout cas, ils auront le socle de connaissances fondamental. Il ne faut pas oublier qu’à ces âges, les enfants aiment jouer, explorer, observer, manipuler, communiquer, parler et écrire. Et le contenu de « Cracking maths text book » émane de recherches qui ont pris en compte l’évolution de la société et l’approche est plus adaptée au développement de l’apprentissage de l’enfant », a-t-elle insisté.

Oui à la nouveauté et aux moyens d’y parvenir

Introduire la nouveauté en soi est une bonne chose. Pour autant, des défis coexistent pour l’intégrer complètement au système d’éducation actuel. Tout d’abord, d’un point de vue financier, au travers de la reproduction du support ou d’achats de plus de livres, que ce soit pour le travail des élèves que celui des enseignants. Ensuite, en prenant en compte, le fait que ce support soit en anglais. Aux Seychelles, au primaire, la première langue d’apprentissage est le créole et apprendre les mathématiques en anglais reste un exercice de plus pour ces jeunes apprenants. Parfois même, dans les consignes pour les exercices, le mot en créole n’existe pas et l’enseignant est confronté à une difficulté de traduction. Dans cette situation, il utilise une combinaison de termes anglais et créole simples pour la compréhension de l’élève. D’après Ina Félix, l’apprentissage multilingue est un point fort, mais la langue internationale des mathématiques restent l’anglais. Les termes techniques qui n’existent pas en créole restent en anglais. Les enseignants font du code switching, d’une langue à l’autre, ou du code mixing, c’est-à-dire une combinaison des langues.  Cela reste un bon moyen pour les élèves d’enrichir leur vocabulaire, a-t-elle dit.

A sa place, prêt à devenir un support de référence

En prenant en considération ces défis, Mme Félix estime que ce support a toute sa place. Il est envisagé qu’il devienne un support de référence en 2016. Il permet d’utiliser une approche d’ensemble et non pas des apprentissages mis bout à bout. Elle a constaté qu’il a été difficile de regrouper tous les enseignants en ce début de vacances. « Pour ceux qui sont là, nous travaillons sur un plan et des leçons pour la prochaine rentrée. Ensuite, ceux-ci seront diffusés dans toutes les écoles seychelloises avec des plans communs. Ils seront modifiables, en partie, par les écoles, en fonction du contexte, du groupe d’enfants et de l’environnement », a-t-elle ajouté. A son avis, pour progresser au troisième trimestre, chaque école devra développer sa propre stratégie et les enseignants ne devront pas hésiter à être innovants et source de nouvelles idées.

Bonne initiative à consolider

Pour Marie-Josée, enseignante à l’école d’Au Cap à Mahé, il y a dans ce nouveau livre de mathématiques beaucoup d’objectifs et pour les enfants cela représente un travail considérable. « Pour nous, enseignants, déjà, cela n’a pas été simple d’appréhender ce nouveau format. En tout cas, c’est une bonne initiative, nous allons travailler avec ce nouveau support. Maintenant, avec cette nouvelle ressource et ce nouveau programme, c’est un défi ! Il est important de penser aux moyens qui nous permettront d’utiliser pleinement ce support, comme un accès Internet pour les enseignants, par exemple. Si nous devons trouver des manières de travailler avec ce support de façon optimale, l’accès à de nouvelles informations est tout aussi important. Nous comptons, aussi, sur les idées des parents pour nous aider. Nous sommes contents de travailler à améliorer les méthodes et le contenu de l’apprentissage de nos élèves », a-t-elle indiqué.

Source : Seychelles NATION

A group of 12 graduates will at the end of this week fly to Ireland to pursue their fourth year studies for a Bachelor of Business Studies Degree in International Hotel Management at Shannon College of Hotel Management.

In a short ceremony yesterday at the Agency for National Human Resource Development (ANHRD) at Le Chantier Mall, the graduates accompanied by a parent received their travel documents.

This was in the presence of Shannon College representative and head of Advanced Diploma in Hospitality Management (ADHM) at the Seychelles Tourism Academy (STA) Dr Sean Ruane, the general manager of the STA Peter Moncherry and ANHRD staff.

The students, all young ladies, will spend 10 months at Shannon and an additional nine-month attachment either there or back in Seychelles depending on their choice.

They will be accompanied on their journey to Shannon by lecturer Brigitte Joubert and Mr Moncherry.

Nadine Maillet from La Digue noted after receiving her ticket that the challenging years of studies and sacrifices are finally coming to an end and full of expectations she says she is very proud to have completed this long journey.

“I feel really proud and very happy knowing that all the sacrifices I made are bearing fruits. Coming from La Digue I had to leave family and other loved ones to come and study on Mahé. Now I am looking forward to coming back and work so I can contribute to the development of my country especially my native La Digue,” Nadine said.

A young mother, Nadine expresses the keen desire to come back to take a position so she can replace an expatriate in the tourism industry and to urge and motivate other young people to take up a career in the sector.

As for Stephanie Medor, a mature student with experience working in the tourism sector, her dream is to come back and work for a few years, gain experience before considering to set up her own business in the hospitality sector.

“I am really looking forward to experiencing studies and life at Shannon,” she said.

As a student Stephanie said it was not easy during the four years but the important thing is to remain focused on your set goals, work with perseverance to succeed.

“I know it has not been easy but I want to encourage other young people to do the same because qualification and knowledge open many doors and they (the youths) should seize the opportunity to fulfill their dreams,” she said.

Source : Seychelles NATION

President Michel sends message of condolence

 On behalf of the government and people of the Republic of Seychelles, President James Michel has extended his deepest condolences to the government and people of the Republic of Singapore following the passing of former President of Singapore, S.R Nathan.

In his message of condolence President Michel said: “President Nathan’s lengthy career in the public service, which proceeded from humble beginnings and culminated in his occupation of the highest office in the land, was indeed a testament to the faith, commitment and love with which he served his nation.”

President Michel further stated that President Nathan’s devotion is reflected by the feelings of deep respect and admiration which has served to underscore the bonds of kinship between the peoples of Seychelles and Singapore and also served to strengthen the foundations of the excellent bilateral relationship shared between the two countries.

Source : Seychelles NATION

The Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island is scheduled to open its door in late 2017 and last week Anne Lafortune, the PS for Tourism in the Ministry of Tourism and Culture accompanied the Four Seasons Team on a visit to the island to see the progress of the construction.

Earlier this year it was announced that Four Seasons will manage the only resort offering on the remote tropical island of Desroches in the Seychelles. After undergoing extensive renovations, the existing property is scheduled to re-open in 2017 as Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island.

‘End it now’ (‘Aret li konmela menm) i tenm ki ti ganny servi par en group fidel Legliz Advantis (Seventh Day Adventist Church) ek lezot partener pour en lamars pour denons vyolans domestik kont bann madanm, msye osi byen ki zanfan.

Sa lamars, ki ti deroul Mardi apremidi, ti konmans lo karpark Stad Popiler, desann ver lorloz, pas lo Laveni Lendepandans, Laveni 5 Zen, Laveni de Palm (Palm Street) e al fini lo karpark deryer lakonpannyen lasirans SACOS kot konpleks Orion Mall. Dan sa lamars ti osi annan partisipasyon bann zanfan.

Dapre enn bann organizater, Christie Changty-Young, bi sa lamars ti an solidarite avek bann ki’n ganny afekte par vyolans domestik e bann ki pe kontinyen sibir vyolans domestik.

I ti osi dir ki sa lamars ti pour sansibiliz bann dimoun lo sa size vyolans domestik ki “deplizanpli pe ogmante isi Sesel e dan lemonn osi akoz konmela dimoun pe servi plis lalkol ek drog”.

Avan ki lamars ti konmanse, Madanm Changty-Young ti remersye bann ki ti’n vini e i ti fer en pti entervansyon lo sitiasyon vyolans domestik kot la i ti dir ki dapre Lorganizasyon Mondyal pour Lasante (WHO), enn dan trwa madanm dan lemonn in eksperyans labi fizik oubyen seksyel par en partener entim e ki 38% bann ka mert kont bann madanm i ganny fer par en partener entim.

“I pa normal pour en nenport dimoun, kiswa zonm oubyen en fanm, i dir ou i kontan ou pour li bat ou, pour li abiz ou seksyelman, pour li zour ou, pour li priv ou frekant ou fanmir ek ou bann zanmi e pour li maltret ou. Ozordi nou pe dir in ler pou “end it now” – aret li konmela menm,” i ti dir.

Madanm Changty-Young ti osi dir avek bann ki pe pas dan sa kalite sitiasyon pour pa per pour vin devan e al rod led avek lapolis, servis sosyal, en lider relizye oubyen en dimoun ki zot annan konfyans avek.

Dan lamars sa bann aktivis kont vyolans domestik ti lev bann plakar ek bann diferan slogan kont vyolans ekrir lo zot e zot ti kriy bann slogan a ot vwa tou dilon tel ki, ‘Tou kalite vyolans i move’, ‘Labi fizik i move’, ‘Labi seksyel i move’, ‘Pa tir ou fristrasyon lo ou prosen’, ‘Lalkol avek drog i paran vyolans domestik’, ‘Si ou en abizer rod led’, parmi lezot ankor.

En partisipan, Madanm Marie-Antoinette Lucas, ti dir ki in zwenn sa lamars an solidarite avek bann madanm ek bann fiy ki pe soufer an silans.

“Mon anvi dir zot i’n ler pour sa arete. Mon konnen i annan bokou ki pe soufer an silans e zot pa pe vin devan akoz plizyer rezon me mwan mon ankouraz zot pour vin devan e denons zot bann abizer pour nou kapab ‘end it now’ parey pe ganny dir,” i ti dir.

Priscille Vidot, en zenn fiy, ti dir ki bann zenn pa devret krwar ki ler zot ganny abize tou i fini lanmenm.

“Nou kapab zwenn ansanm e fer li arête,” i ti dir.

En lot zenn garson, Michel Seraphine, i kwar ki “i pou arete li. Fodre ki nou priy bokou”.

Sa lamars ti fini kot Orion Mall avek lapriyer par bann zenn e osi bann pli aze kot zot ti priy pour tou bann ki pe soufer atraver vyolans domestik kot zot ava ganny lafors ek kouraz pour sorti dan sa soufrans.

Zot ti osi demann lagras pour ki bann abizer ava rod led e aret fer soufer bann ki zot sipoze kontan.

Source : Seychelles NATION

Another weekend and it’s another superstar on our shores as we have become accustomed to over the past months. This time, it will be Nigerian singer Skales who will be performing in Seychelles.

After seeing popular artists such as Charly Black, Konshens, Radio & Weasel all perform in Seychelles, Skales will be the latest to bring his brand of music to our shores although his performance will be more low-key than his predecessors.

Local artist Stephen Eliza, better known as Elijah, leads the Ti Kim Productions who is responsible for bringing these stars to Seychelles. “Skales will not be performing at the mini-stadium as we had little time to prepare, but he will instead be performing in discotheques on La Digue and Praslin tomorrow night and on Mahé on Saturday.”

Skales is expected to perform as from 9.30pm on La Digue tomorrow, before heading to Praslin where, according to Elijah, he will perform in the Oxygen nightclub from around 12.30am.

On Mahé, Skales will be performing at the popular Tequila Boom discotheque at Bel Ombre.

“He will be accompanied by a number of local artists during the shows, although I cannot confirm who will be there at the moment,” added Elijah.

While Skales may not be as big a name as Konshens and others, you may know him by his popular party tune, ‘Shake Body’, which can be heard on the radio and in parties quite often.

Skales, whose real name is Raoul John Njeng-Njeng, is a Nigerian rapper, singer-songwriter and performer born on April 1, 1991.

Skales has recorded over 200 songs and collaborated with numerous artists, including eLDee, Jeremiah Gyang, Banky W. and Knighthouse. Some of his well-known songs include ‘Shake Body’, ‘Mukulu’, ‘Keresimesi’, ‘Komole’, ‘My Baby’, ‘Take Care of Me’ and ‘Denge Pose’. Skales established his record label, OHK Music, after departing from Empire Mates Entertainment in May 2014. Skales’ debut album, ‘Man of the Year’, was released in 2015.

The Nigerian will not be in Seychelles for long though, as Elijah explained he will arrive on Friday morning and leave on Sunday as he continues on his tour.

Fans will not have to wait too long to see another star perform though as Jamaican dance-hall and reggae artist Demarco will be performing live at the mini-stadium next weekend.

Source : Seychelles NATION

SADC team on pre-election goodwill mission

A team from the SADC Electoral Advisory Council (SEAC) is in Seychelles in relation to the National Assembly election which will take place on September 8, 9 and 10, 2016.

Yesterday, the SEAC mission had a meeting with representatives of the media in Seychelles – print, television and radio.

The meeting, which was attended by journalists from the Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), Today in Seychelles and Seychelles NATION newspapers, took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Transport’s head office at the Maison Quéau de Quinssy.

The SEAC team comprise Judge John Billy Tendwa, Professor Gerhard Tötemeyer, Dr Mavis N. Matenge and M. Elijah Munyuki.

Professor Tötemeyer noted that they were here for the presidential election last December and that they now have a bit of background from last time so that they can compare.

“Your election will be very interesting. You constitution promotes democracy. I read carefully the court judgment on the objections by the opposition candidate with regard to last year’s presidential election. Democracy is alive in your country,” he said.

He said while here they will operate within the framework ‘SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections’, approved by all the 15 member countries.

“We are consultants not observers. We are one big family. We are ready for advice. We are here to have a constructive discussion with all electoral stakeholders, also the press and media,” said Professor Tötemeyer.

The SEAC mission had several questions for the media such as : What kind of contributions radio, television and newspapers make towards voters education? What about the objectivity of reporting? Are the people ready to exercise their democratic right to vote and did you (the media) urge them to go to the voting station? Do public media respect the times allocated to political parties? How much time do they have? What about the code of conduct for election media communication? Place given for voters’ education and civic duties in the media? What about the voice of the people? Certain media are polarised for certain groups or candidates? Do you have freedom of speech and are you free by your rights? Are you free, all of you?

Each media representative answered for his/her house and the discussions that followed turned out to be a fruitful debate and exchanges.

The team were told that the media in Seychelles have different ways of working, are different organisations and have different financing plans.

Each of them is aware of its role and responsibilities with regard to informing the population.

It was agreed that Seychelles, as a small island with specific socio-economic issues, needs to have more voters’ education.

Source : Seychelles NATION

Seychelles is definitely a dream place to visit for many. Among the thousands of visitors yearly, there are many who are backpackers and pass through Seychelles in the quest of travelling the world. By chance, Seychelles NATION had an encounter with a young lady, Yeshua Risgalla, at the airport looking for direction to her guest house for a couple of days. After a few chats, we discovered she had a far better story to tell.

Seychelles NATION (SN): Please tell us about yourself?

 Yeshua Risgalla (YR): I am an only child from Sydney Australia. My mother is Filipino/Spanish and my father is Egyptian/Italian. I had lived in the Philippines a few times during my younger years and was sent there to study when I was 11 years old. That is where my independence started. My passions are music, fashion and entertainment. Crazy enough I love the celebrities and the magical world of Hollywood. I tried to work in the industry when I was living in Vancouver, Canada, and NYC.

SN: How many countries have you visited so far?

YR: Travelling? Well I’ve been travelling since I was 21… I started on a world trip around solo and that was where I got my first taste of exploring the world and got the travel bug. I went from America to Europe and ended in Thailand within six months. Since then I have made it my mission to go overseas on a yearly basis which I have done for the past 10 years.

I have been to 200 cities in the world in 35 countries… I have reached my goal in hitting 200 cities in the past 11 years of travelling. This trip I went to Africa and Seychelles. I wanted to explore new places and not always visit America like I normally do. I have a link of the countries on Facebook :

https://apps.facebook.com/tripadvisor/?open_graph&story_type=badge_feed_dialog

SN: Why Seychelles?

YR: The reason I visited Seychelles is because I was already in Africa and I extremely love white sandy beaches and beautiful places that are not hit by tourists extensively and that are still unique and kept hidden. I saw pictures of your country and I simply had to make it a goal to go over there right after Zanzibar. I could not do Africa without passing through Seychelles… Once landed, I could not believe how friendly people are on the island. They will do anything to help you out and it is amazing. I even hitch hiked on the island and I have never done it so much as I did in Seychelles… People are so loving and so diverse. So many different backgrounds and it is amazing! The country is somewhere I would love to return to over and over again. The beaches are amazing and it is easy and safe to travel. I would recommend Seychelles to anyone but at the same time it is my secret place that I do not want people to go because it’s a paradise!! I have never seen a jungle on a beautiful tropical island like that before and I’ve been to many.

SN: Where did you go next?

YR: After Seychelles I went back to my number one love, NYC… I’m here till September then I am heading home. I had to cancel my trip to Cuba because its hurricane season and I am very devastated about it. My next big trip is going to Patagonia and returning back to the Congo in Africa to complete a Volcano Trek that I had to cancel due to an injury I had with my knee the day before when I was visiting Gorillas in the DRC. I will also be going to Cuba and Seychelles (again) all in 2017 – HOPEFULLY.

Source : Seychelles NATION

The Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa has operated tirelessly to monitor sea turtle numbers and protect the island’s beaches which are nesting grounds for Hawksbill and Green Turtles

Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa, along with the Island Conservation Society (ICS), have been awarded a certificate of recognition from the Seychelles Sea Turtle Committee, in appreciation of the outstanding efforts and hard work in conservation that the resort has undertaken.

Alongside ICS, Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa, which is located on Silhouette, has operated tirelessly to monitor sea turtle numbers and protect the island’s beaches which are nesting grounds for Hawksbill and Green Turtles – species which are respectively critically endangered and endangered.

Over 93% of Silhouette Island has been designated as a National Park, while the waters adjacent to the island are part of a Marine Park.

Each week, the ICS team patrol the different beaches to record nesting turtle numbers, follow their movements using tags, and rescue weak turtles if necessary.

The staff also help hatchlings to reach the ocean safely when seen during patrols. Unfortunately, Silhouette’s beaches see hundreds of kilos of garbage washed up every year. This waste is a threat for turtles as they can confuse it with food or get entangled in the refuse. In order to avoid this, the beaches are cleaned weekly by ICS and Hilton Seychelles Labriz teams.

In order to highlight the importance and precarious nature of the natural environment, the ICS conservation centre on Silhouette aims to educate guests about the flora and fauna of the island. The Eco Center at Labriz encourages guests to explore the diverse Marine National Park that surrounds the island, and the Hilton Eco-guides allow guests on hikes to explore the island itself.

During their stay at Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa guests also have the chance to witness the work of the ICS, based on Silhouette Island, next to the Grann Kaz Restaurant. This non-governmental organisation, founded in 2001, aims to promote the ‘conservation and restoration of island ecosystems, sustainable development of islands, and awareness of their vulnerability and vital importance to the planet’s biodiversity’.

Andre Borg, the general manager of Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa stated: “We are truly honoured to be recognised by the Sea Turtle Committee. At Hilton Labriz Resort and Spa we offer our guests a direct experience with turtles and at the same time we work determinedly to protect and conserve this wonderful yet endangered species. We will continue on our mission to enrich our environment and our guests’ experience through such action.”

Source : Seychelles NATION

After the metamorphosis of its illustrious Constance Belle Mare Plage, Constance Hotels and Resorts is now starting the renovation of another emblematic hotel: Constance Lémuria Seychelles.

Crafted into the rocks amid the dense greenery overlooking the beaches of Anse Kerlan, Constance Lémuria Seychelles is a destination in itself. As one of the first five-star properties in Seychelles, the luxury hotel of Praslin needed a pause to better embrace the future.

Constance Lémuria Seychelles closes from August 22, 2016 to October 31, 2016 during the renovation which implies the complete renewal of two restaurants, upgraded services and new amenities.

Jean-Jacques Vallet, chief executive of Constance Hotels and Resorts explains the renewed hotel will show rejuvenated features while keeping the key points that made its reputation.

“Constance Lémuria Seychelles deserved this mutation to meet guests’ desires, as it has been successfully done for Constance Le Prince Maurice four years ago,” he says.

“The new hotel will reveal a succession of contemporary ambiences, creating a poetic and sensory journey to rediscovering the lost paradise. This second project in one year confirms Constance Hotels and Resorts’ efforts to remain the reference of luxury beach hotel brand in the Indian Ocean,” he adds.

Source : Seychelles NATION