Christmas party for orphans from business group |30 December 2004

Fourteen of the children were boys from the Anse Etoile Foyer de Nazareth and 34 were the usual residents of the home, while three arrived in police hands just before the party began.

The police said they were on patrol when they discovered the three children at home alone, after their father had been arrested and the mother's whereabouts became unknown.

Changing hands from the uniformed policemen to nuns and eventually to the masked Father Christmas amid media attention initially did little to bring smiles on the three children's faces, but they eventually settled in their new home.

Spokesperson Phillip Arissol of the Pillay-R group said it was the second time the company was hosting a Christmas party for the children, and they were hoping to get the chance to do so over the coming years.

"We want them to know that there are people out there who care for them," said Arissol, who doubled up as Father Christmas.

He said the group of companies had flown in gifts, which he distributed among the children, from Singapore.

The Pillay-R Group comprises Sales Point, RKS Trading, Mahe Industrial Company, ITEC Computer Services, Visali Beauty Parlour, Victoria Hospital shop, Royal Quality Snacks and Maison des Palm Hotel.