Minister Cosgrow commends Praslin entrepreneurs |15 December 2017

The Minister for Industry, Entrepreneurship Development and Business Innovation Wallace Cosgrow has commended Praslin entrepreneurs for their “impressive” and “high standard” products and services.

The minister made the remarks after visiting several businesses on Praslin recently as part of a series of door-to-door visits to businesses across the country.

The minister’s first stop was at Mont Plaisir at Yannick Cedras’ craft workshop. Yannick is a young entrepreneur who specialises in locally made souvenirs. He produces wooden items in the form of coco de mer, fish and tortoise using mainly kalisdipap wood.

Minister Cosgrow commended the young entrepreneur for his talent, passion and creativity as well as his will to take this business to greater heights.

He added that such business is important for our tourism industry and should be encouraged.

Minister Cosgrow reaffirmed his ministry’s commitment in supporting the local entrepreneurs to further develop their businesses and to keep bringing innovative products and services on the market.

He added that the ministry will make sure that the right business environment prevails so as to enable the entrepreneurs to make their businesses flourish.

The entrepreneurs had the chance to voice out their concerns and brief the minister on the challenges that their businesses are facing as well as sharing suggestions on how to make the business environment on the island more conducive.

Also accompanying Minister Cosgrow was Micheline Joubert, the monitoring and evaluation officer based at the Small Enterprise Promotion Agency (Senpa) office on Praslin.

Minister Cosgrow’s other stops were at Wolfgang Germain, a young entrepreneur based at Anse Kerlan who has a web development and IT consultancy business.

Mr Germain said his aim is to get Seychelles online as much as possible. He works with mainly tourism establishments but his services are on offer for all types of businesses.

Graham Green is another young entrepreneur whom Minister Cosgrow met during the visit. Mr Green owns a catering business at Baie Ste Anne.

Richard d’Unienville who will soon open his meat processing business at Pointe Cabri, had the chance to show Minister Cosgrow his newly built meat processing plant.

Sonia Dufrene, owner of a hairdressing salon at Baie Ste Anne and who specialises in hair braiding, and Ned Descombe, who has ventured into supplying paper bags to other businesses, were the other two entrepreneurs Minister Cosgrow visited.

The accompanying photos show Minister Cosgrow interacting with the various entrepreneurs he visited.