Foundation stone laid for new standards building |01 July 2004

The US$2.4 million cost for the project is being financed by a grant from the People’s Republic of China, with the building to be erected by China State Construction.

Chinese ambassador to Seychelles Chen Meifen, who assisted the then Minister of Industries and International Business Jacquelin Dugasse in laying the building’s foundation stone, spoke of the importance of mutual support between developing countries, while addressing invited guests at the ceremony.

“As third-world countries China and Seychelles need to work together to better their economies,” she said.

Minister Dugasse, whose portfolio included the SBS in his ministry, told guests that China was one of Seychelles’ most faithful bilateral partners “who for the last 28 years has walked hand in hand with us on our path of nation building and has played an important role in our socio-economic development.”
The minister said that with many countries devoting much of their foreign aid elsewhere around the world, China’s aid should be especially appreciated.

“At a time when because of our progress, as reflected by high per capita income, development grants or soft loans to our country are becoming the exception rather than the rule,” he said, “We have every reason to applaud and be thankful whenever we benefit from economic grants similar to the one made available to us by the People’s Republic of China.”

SBS director general Irenée Joseph said after the ceremony that talk of a new SBS building first surfaced in 1995, but difficulties in finding a suitable location as well as financing concerns hampered the project.
In 2000, he said, the current site was approved and the new building was originally to be funded by the SBS through the government before the Chinese government stepped in with the grant.
After some time spent modifying the building plans, the two governments finally inked the agreement last year.
The building currently used by the SBS has been a limiting factor in some of its operations, Mr Joseph said, as technicians not only lacked necessary space but were also working in a building that was not originally designed to be a laboratory.
Although much of the equipment currently in use at the SBS will be shifted to the new building eventually, the SBS is looking to secure financing for additional, more sophisticated equipment to pair with the new building.
According to Mr Joseph, once completed and outfitted the new facility will allow for more testing required by the European Union for fish and fish products – a key component in the national economy – as well as better service for construction and engineering work.
The building will initially cater to a ground floor and a first story, but Mr Joseph said the building’s structure was such that an additional floor could be added on.

A new building to house the Seychelles Bureau of Standards (SBS) is expected to be completed in 12 months after officials laid its foundation stone in a ceremony at Providence on Monday June 28.

The US$2.4 million cost for the project is being financed by a grant from the People’s Republic of China, with the building to be erected by China State Construction.

Chinese ambassador to Seychelles Chen Meifen, who assisted the then Minister of Industries and International Business Jacquelin Dugasse in laying the building’s foundation stone, spoke of the importance of mutual support between developing countries, while addressing invited guests at the ceremony.

“As third-world countries China and Seychelles need to work together to better their economies,” she said.

Minister Dugasse, whose portfolio included the SBS in his ministry, told guests that China was one of Seychelles’ most faithful bilateral partners “who for the last 28 years has walked hand in hand with us on our path of nation building and has played an important role in our socio-economic development.”
The minister said that with many countries devoting much of their foreign aid elsewhere around the world, China’s aid should be especially appreciated.

“At a time when because of our progress, as reflected by high per capita income, development grants or soft loans to our country are becoming the exception rather than the rule,” he said, “We have every reason to applaud and be thankful whenever we benefit from economic grants similar to the one made available to us by the People’s Republic of China.”

SBS director general Irenée Joseph said after the ceremony that talk of a new SBS building first surfaced in 1995, but difficulties in finding a suitable location as well as financing concerns hampered the project.
In 2000, he said, the current site was approved and the new building was originally to be funded by the SBS through the government before the Chinese government stepped in with the grant.

After some time spent modifying the building plans, the two governments finally inked the agreement last year.

The building currently used by the SBS has been a limiting factor in some of its operations, Mr Joseph said, as technicians not only lacked necessary space but were also working in a building that was not originally designed to be a laboratory.

Although much of the equipment currently in use at the SBS will be shifted to the new building eventually, the SBS is looking to secure financing for additional, more sophisticated equipment to pair with the new building.
According to Mr Joseph, once completed and outfitted the new facility will allow for more testing required by the European Union for fish and fish products – a key component in the national economy – as well as better service for construction and engineering work.
The building will initially cater to a ground floor and a first story, but Mr Joseph said the building’s structure was such that an additional floor could be added on.