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First social renaissance evaluation report validated |20 September 2013

‘Social change won’t happen overnight’


“Social change won’t happen overnight,” Social Affairs, Community Development and Sports Minister Vincent Meriton has said.

Minister Meriton, who also chairs the National Social Renaissance Committee, said this yesterday during the committee’s second meeting at the social affairs’ Unity House boardroom.
During the meeting, the first evaluation report was validated before it is presented to the Cabinet of Ministers.

The social renaissance initiative has been characterised by a dynamic participatory process sought to engage the population at every opportunity, as well as seek the involvement of all national

actors in creating the New Seychelles.

The initiative was launched by President James Michel in July 2011 to address the social ills threatening the fabric of our society.

“It took a considerable amount of time for us to sink in this hole. It will take an equally long time for us to dig ourselves out of it. So we have to manage expectations on what we can achieve

with this initiative,” said Minister Meriton.

He pointed out that “we need to be frank and accept that today we are living in the year 2013. The world has changed from that of our parents and grandparents. Today there is globalisation, the

internet, Cable TV and Facebook. Today children have rights. Women have rights. Today, there are certain universal principles and values that govern the global world system: democracy and human

rights are at the forefront of this.”

Minister Meriton added that “our challenge is to explain to our people, to our partners in government and in civil society that we need to find our place in this modern world. We need to balance

what was good in our past and integrate it where we can within today’s reality. But we can never go back.”

“This is the challenge. We need to be realistic. Improve on what we can. Change what we can. Manage what we can never control or eradicate. And tolerate what we have to live with.
 It is about adapting to modernity. This may be a difficult, uncomfortable and painful process but if we look closely to what is happening around the world today, there seems to be one sort of

crisis after another. If it is not an economic meltdown then it is a social upheaval. What we need to realise is that our distance and isolation no longer affords us the protection or security we

once had from the perils and negativity of the world. Somali pirates have proven this directly by invading our waters and threatening our fishermen and economy.
 
“But indirectly, we are not insulated from the negative aspects of globalisation and a modern world. Our people today have access to information and news
. People are more educated. They want to make their own decisions. The basic point is that technology has changed the world. And our challenge with the social renaissance initiative is to find

our own space and way of living within our own social and economic challenges we are faced with. We are doing it on an economic level and we need to do so at a societal level and this is what is

happening with this initiative,” said the Designated Minister.

The first evaluation report presents a picture of what has been realised so far in terms of implementation of the National Plan of Action, notable achievements, newly introduced measures,

education and sensitisation activities, reviewed plans and programmes, and persisting challenges and constraints.

Among the notable achievements so far is marked improvement in the fight against drugs and crime over the past two years. This has come about through stiffer sentences against criminals, an end

to concurrent sentencing, increase in drug seizures, reduction in reported crime, streamlining of court cases to clear backlog, recruitment of new judges and magistrates, putting in place an

ICT-based case management system, and continuous capacity-building at all levels.

A very close and effective partnership has been established between the Social Renaissance secretariat and the Ministry of Education, which is one of the leading organisations easing the

implementation of the Plan of Action.

This has ensured the successful co-ordination of a number of activities, namely presentations, meetings, discussions with primary/secondary teachers of all secondary schools, Parents Teachers

Associations, and with parents in all districts
.
Among the notable achievements in education are the launch of ECCE (early childhood care and education) framework, launch of civic education, reintroduction of the teacher training programme,

reintroduction of special needs education, and the employment of counselors.

As for the Ministry of Employment and Human Resource Development, it has registered a decrease in the number of unemployed in the country.

This has come about by placing employment officers in districts, educating people during productivity and job fairs, introducing flexible employment working hours, reforming the welfare systems

as there is too much abuse, giving more help to first-time job seekers, harmonising the country’s manpower needs with education/training provided, reviewing retention policy, improving

productivity/work ethic, bringing more transparency in the labour market, and reviewing work attachment guidelines for students.

Other areas touched during yesterday’s meeting include health, family and community relationship, and the involvement of civil society and the private sector.
The national pan of action on social renaissance was developed and approved by the Cabinet in September 2012 an the five-year plan was launched in October 2012.
The objectives are:

•    To uphold the family as the central unit of society;
•    To empower our communities to be participants in development;
•    To promote positive living values and the adoption of a healthy lifestyle;
•    To encourage higher levels of personal, professional, civic and corporate responsibility;
•    To safeguard our homes and communities, and
•    To protect the health, safety and quality of life of all Seychellois
.
For these six goals to be realised it demands the commitment and involvement of every organisation (government, private, non-governmental organisations/civil society) in Seychelles. The plan

comprises six areas of which co-ordination and implementation are mandated to six sectoral committees. The areas are: drugs and criminality, education, employment and human resource development,

health and risky behaviour, family and community relationships, and personal responsibility.










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