Former NYS students and staff unveil commemorative plaque at past Port Launay village |09 October 2017
The first group of students and staff who attended and worked at the former National Youth Service (NYS) in 1981 have unveiled a commemorative plaque at the entrance of the North gate of the Constance Ephelia Resorts & Spa at Port Launay, where the old NYS village used to be.
The plaque, representing all NYS villages from 1981-1988, was unveiled by the then coordinator of the village, Florence Benstrong, who was earlier honoured with a bouquet of flowers, in the presence of the NYS’81 Association members and former students of the service.
Also present were Egbert Aglae, the member of the National Assembly for Port Glaud, association members including its chairman Fred Nalletamby.
The event was to mark the history of the NYS and held at the place which 36 years ago welcomed quite a number of students to live, share, play, learn and interact together.
“As we ‘fall in’ this time, it is with a smile and fond memories,” described Rachel Joseph, one of the executive members.
The association’s treasurer Vincent Luther also took the audience down memory lane by going through what he described as fond memories of the NYS era while commending the founder of such a service, former President France Albert Rene, for setting up an institution which he said instilled good values and discipline in the young people.
“We are gathered here today to unveil a plaque which will depict and mark the exact spot where the National Youth Service was officially launched on March 1, 1981 by the former President France Albert Rene. Since then we have seen different groups of adolescents of 15 years also converging together in one place and living together under one roof. For two years in the beginning, later one year. They lived, studied, played and interacted together regardless of their family background, religion, race, social status or otherwise,” said Mr Luther.
But he also acknowledged as youths of that era it was hard to leave their parents and close relatives but the time spent there was equally adventurous and fun to discover the new lifestyle and make new friends with youths of the same age coming from all the districts.
“It was indeed the biggest challenge of our lives. We learned to cook for ourselves, grow our own vegetables, discovered what was animal husbandry, making our own beds, having our own radio station and journalists among other things. All in all we learned, we lived the good values of life. A place where discipline was inculcated in us,” he said.
“And as we stand here today, October 7, 2017, with our heads held high on our shoulders, with great pride in whatever occupation we now hold, we consider ourselves fortunate to having been part of this great experience,” he added.
And referring to the social and other types of challenges being faced by the youths of today, Mr Luther believes there is a need for such an institution like the NYS.
Thanking Constance Ephelia for accepting such a commemoration to be held there and commending the landscaping done by the hotel where he said all those trees he remembered were there during the NYS era, have been preserved, past coordinator Bernard Sham Laye said the NYS was an education programme launched at a moment where Seychelles as a young independent country was searching for a way to give the youths an education to develop all their potentials; to give values and take care of all it youths and to form them for a society of more social justice where everybody participates and everybody benefits.
“The education programme of the NYS comprised various aspects – academic studies in disciplines like languages, mathematics, science, social science, French, English etc, linked with practical ones like agriculture, fishing, construction, artisanal, health…. This was also linked to another principle: the importance to develop self-reliance where emphasis was laid not only on consuming but to produce also,” he said.
He said the commemorative plaque being laid at the entrance where the NYS Port Launay village used to be is a recognition of that programme which has marked many people and a pride to all past students and workers of the NYS.
Mrs Benstrong described the plaque as a very good idea as it symbolises a great importance to them, both former coordinators and students of the NYS.
She had special words of thanks for Ephelia Resort for assisting them in making this event happen. As it was her birthday that day, Mrs Benstrong was also given a birthday cake by the association.
