Rehabilitation work at disaster hit districts following cyclone Felleng |06 December 2013
President happy with progress and work quality
Less than a year after many families were affected as a result of tropical cyclone Felleng which barreled along Mahé’s east coast, President James Michel has expressed satisfaction with the progress made in the rehabilitation projects.
He was talking to the media yesterday after visiting the districts of Pointe Larue, Anse Aux Pins and Au Cap to see some of the rehabilitation works that have completed and those that are still in progress.
Mr Michel’s first stop was at Zilbert Serret’s residence at Matata Estate, Pointe Larue before viewing a retaining wall built behind Marcel Berlouis’ house in the same district.
President Michel and his delegation, who included Designated Minister Vincent Meriton, who is also the Minister for Social Affairs, Community Development and Sports; Land Use and Housing Minister Christian Lionnet; secretary general in the Office of the President Lise Bastienne; community development and sports principal secretary Denis Rose; principal secretary for project planning and implementation Yves Choppy; director general for presidential affairs Doreen Arnephy; and project manager in the Ministry of Land Use and Housing Keith Arnephy and other officials from the same ministry, then drove to Anse Aux Pins.
There they visited the residences of Julita Soomery, Tanine Magloire and Ken Pierre where new retaining walls have been built. Mr Pierre and family who lost their house at Cayole to a suspected arson fire, now has a new house built by Fuiri Construction.
From Anse Aux Pins, the presidential delegation went to Au Cap and visited the rehabilitation works being done at the residences of Patrick Hoareau, Jason Rangasamy and Michel Charles.
The projects include repair and reconstruction of retaining walls, drainage systems and roads funded under the National Disaster Relief Fund in coordination with the taskforce committee.
Speaking to the media, President Michel said he has seen improvements in the affected areas and that families affected have been given help to rehabilitate their homes.
He commended all ministries and agencies involved in coordinating the different rehabilitation projects, noting that although those projects are very costly, the government has managed to tackle the priority areas and confirmed that other families affected and homes that were damaged will be attended to in the coming months.
“Altogether, I think it shows the determination of the government and the people of Seychelles in general in ensuring that families badly affected are helped so that they can continue with their normal lives,” said President Michel.
“The families I have been able to visit today (yesterday) have shown satisfaction with the works done although it has taken some time to complete them. The rehabilitation works will provide these families with some security in the future,” added the President.
The President has called for more mitigating efforts in the future so that flooding can be prevented in those areas. He has also asked ministries and agencies concerned to ensure that all the outstanding infrastructure problems are resolved and to make thorough inspections in surrounding areas where there was flooding.
President Michel has also commended the planning authority for being stricter when considering planning permission for construction work and in educating the public on the best practice when undertaking construction works.
All the rehabilitation projects visited have cost a little more than R4.4 million.
Yesterday’s visit also included two stops at Baie Lazare and Grand Anse Mahé.
At Baie Lazare, the delegation toured the new sewage treatment plant for the Anse Gaulette housing estate as well as for individual houses in that vicinity including those of the ex-Pool.
The 200 cubic metre sewage system which will be in operation starting January 2014 will connect 124 houses and has cost R9.5 million. The sewage system has been built to mitigate the sewage issues in that area.
Mr Michel then visited the ex-Indian Ocean Nursery at Barbarons which will be redeveloped into a housing estate that will benefit people living in the Grand Anse Mahé, Anse Boileau and Port Glaud areas.
This regional project will comprise 84 housing units – 44 three-bedrooms and 40 two-bedrooms – and forms part of larger housing projects being funded by the Abu Dhabi government.
The ex-Indian Ocean Nursery redevelopment project is expected to be tendered by January 2014 and if all goes according to plan construction work may start in May 2014 and the housing estate could welcome its first occupants in 2015.
“I believe these two projects show the government’s determination to improve the lives of its people and providing them with decent housing. The ex-Indian Ocean Nursery housing estate project forms part of a larger project whereby two more housing estates will be built at Bel Ombre and Takamaka. We will continue to build homes in the different districts so that those who are used to living in their districts can continue to stay in their communities. I wish to thank the Abu Dhabi government for the grant given to Seychelles for the construction of the 180 units in these three districts,” said President Michel.
Members of the National Assembly and district administrators from all the districts visited were also present.
The accompanying photos, taken by our photographer Joena Bonnelame, show President Michel and his delegation on their visit to the various districts yesterday.
