President Michel visits La Digue |10 November 2008

Mr Michel was speaking at the end of a visit he made on La Digue on Saturday. This forms part of his routine visits to the districts so as to keep in touch with the communities.

“The visit on La Digue has helped me to keep abreast of the developments taking place there and also has given me the opportunity to talk to a few people and get to know their feelings and how they see the future of their island and their lives in general,” Mr Michel told the media after the almost three-hour visit.

Such a visit, Mr Michel said, allows him to see how best to guide government policies so as to address the problems people are facing and also to see how La Digue can continue to develop and give a better life to its people while retaining its charm, specificity and culture.

On Saturday Mr Michel visited two small tourism related businesses – a small guesthouse business (Kot Babi) at La Passe owned by Robert Labiche, and an art gallery owned by artist Leon Bacco, who specialises in wood carving and sculpture.
 
Earlier he visited two farms – owned by Tony Morel and Pierre Radegonde – where a variety of crops such as cassava, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, tomatoes and a host of local fruit trees are grown.

Mr Michel visiting the Kot Babi guesthouse (above) and Leon Bacco’s art gallery

The President also had the chance to interact with a some parents, teachers and pupils who were involved in a general cleaning exercise of the crèche, as well as with some members of the Jj Spirit Foundation who were also involved in a similar exercise at the Old People’s Home at L’Union Estate, where Mr Michel wrapped up his visit.

Mr Michel was also taken on a site visit at La Passe near the jetty where the setting up of a modern service station, which will also include gas storage facilities, is being proposed. He was briefed on details for this project by Eddie Belle of the Seychelles Petroleum Company.

As is the case on his district visits, Mr Michel also visited a few individual homes on Saturday.

In his interview with the media after the visit, Mr Michel said from what he has observed on La Digue, Seychellois are more and more developing an entrepreneurial spirit.

Welcoming this attitude, Mr Michel explained that as the country develops, changes policies and goes through certain reforms, as is currently the case, many opportunities arise in parallel with the teething difficulties that such reforms inevitable bring about.

“In the case of La Digue, which is highly touristic by nature, I am happy to note that there are many Diguois who are developing their talents and making the most of the opportunities that the tourism industry presents,” Mr Michel said.

Referring to the Kot Babi guesthouse he visited earlier, Mr Michel said the owner seems to be very satisfied with his business and has told him it is running very well.

Noting that more and more Seychellois are pursuing this line of business, Mr Michel said it is important for the government to do all that is necessary to allow as many people as possible to benefit from the tourism industry so that the money that tourists bring remains in the country.

As for craftsmen and artisans, as well as farmers, Mr Michel said they too can tap into the many opportunities this industry offers through the sale of their work and produce.

“All these are integrated developments that we must continue to encourage and whereby Seychellois should make the most of the opportunities that arise,” Mr Michel said,

Mr Michel was accompanied on his visit by the member of the National Assembly for La Digue and the Inner Islands Ansley Constance, and the district’s administrator Julina Antat.