Mariam Kanté SADCAS’ most improved NAFP for 2019 |04 January 2021

Mrs Kanté

Long-serving public servant Mariam Cissoko Kanté is the National Accreditation Focal Point of Seychelles awardee for the most improved NAFP for the year 2019.

Mrs Kanté, who was employed as a research officer (chemist) within the department of technology for development under the Ministry of National Development of Seychelles, and later at the Seychelles Bureau of Standards, was selected to receive the prestigious 2020 Certificate of Recognition at the 63rd meeting of the board of directors of the Southern African Development Community Accreditation Services (SADCAS) held on February 18, 2020.

Appointed by their respective governments, National Accreditation Focal Points (NAFPs) are mainly responsible for the promotion of accreditation and marketing of the SADCAS services within their respective countries. They are a channel of information from and to SADCAS and are tasked with preparing yearly national action plans in support of SADCAS annual implementation plan in order to achieve SADCAS objectives. NAFPs focus their activities into the strategic area of increasing awareness on the benefits of accreditation in all domains of life and at all levels.

NAFPs are evaluated against five criteria set by SADCAS, and these constitute the basis of the nominations.

Mrs Kanté is grateful to have been chosen for the award and says she feels blessed to have had worked under the supervision of all SBS directors and chief executives since its establishment: Selwyn Gendron, Radley Weber, Joel Morgan, Irene Joseph, Terence Coopoosamy, Amy Quatre and Andy Ally.

“To colleagues at SBS and Mr Kanté my husband, and our children – they are all part of my achievements. I thank them all,” she added.

Mrs Kanté is the longest serving SBS employee, having dedicated 35 years to the organisation.

As head of the chemical analysis laboratory, during her 35 years of working at SBS, Mrs Kanté was promoted to the posts of senior research officer (senior chemist) between 1996 and 2000, and later to principal research officer (principal chemist) ‒ a position she held from 2000 onwards.

Mrs Kanté has been the National Accreditation Focal Point (NAFP) person for Seychelles for the SADCAS from 2011 to 2020. Her Laboratory (CAL) where she worked has been selected by the SADC Regional Laboratory Association (SRLA) for support for accreditation to ISO 17025:2017 through the SADC Sustainable Quality Infrastructure System (SQIS) before the end of year 2020.

Her major accomplishments are the setting up of the first specialised library within the department of technology for development/technological support services division (TSSD) which then became the centre for industrial, scientific technological information and documentation (Cistid).

At the SBS, Mrs Kanté is praised and recognised for her role in the implementation of various successful bio-chemical research projects including the preparation of vinegar from sweet coconut sap, hydroponic production of grass, extraction of cinnamon (bark and leaf) oil and fish silage, to name but a few.

The list goes on as Mrs Kanté also actively took part in the Regional ‘PLARM’ Project of study of medicinal and aromatic plants of the region of Indian Ocean as a chemist, during which project on the “extraction and the chemical screening” of around 400 aromatic and medicinal plants of Seychelles were carried out.

Over the years, Mrs Kanté has trained numerous Seychellois laboratory technicians and assisted various local enterprises (micro, small and medium enterprises ‒ MSMEs) in the setting up of their manufacturing industries. She also voluntarily assisted many schools in the realisation of their yearly science fair projects. As a chemist by profession, she has formed part of various national advisory/technical committees which have helped in various decision making based on scientific basis/evidence.

SBS colleagues are proud of Mrs Kanté’s achievements, with chief executive Andy Ally describing Mrs Kanté as a devoted employee “who fulfilled all her responsibilities as principal chemist and she did an excellent job in her position, and was an asset to SBS during her tenure. She contributed tremendously as a member of the SBS management team”.

Compiled by Laura Pillay