2006 in Review: the top ICT stories of the year (Part One).

January: Cable & Wireless became the new owner of Atlas.

After weeks of speculations Seychelles’ oldest telecommunication company, CWS announced it has reached agreement to purchase the whole of the share capital of Atlas (Seychelles) Limited, the country’s first Internet Service Provider.

The deal worth SR19 million furthered CWS’ ability in offering customers a full range of services including wireless broadband, dial-up access and leased lines. CWS is now not just Seychelles’ leading telecommunications company but also the foremost provider of Internet services in Seychelles.

February: Kokonet launched telephone service over the Internet.

Internet Provider Kokonet introduced its Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service, Kokotalk, to benefit all its wireless broadband customers.

The service permits phone calls via the Internet through standard analogue phones as well as sending fax to any international destination at the rate of R3 per call. Subscribers are also be able to make calls via a soft phone, a programme that they can set up on their PC to speak to other online users.

Subscribers were allocated six-digit numbers beginning with the number 47.

March: Price war.

CWS turned the pressure on its competitor Airtel, by announcing a massive reduction to Internet Dial Up, Mobile (local) and rentals rates for all post-paid and prepaid customers.

Easytalk’ was the new international (mobile/fixed-line) calling discount plan which took a massive 30% off the total cost of all international calls a customer makes every month, provided you pay a monthly subscription fee of R60.

The following month the company introduced new peak and off-peak rates for residential, business and payphone customers making local fixed-line-to-fixed-line calls.

April: Intelvision launches telephone, Internet services.

This made Intelvision the third company to offer telephone and Internet services in Seychelles.

Intelvision said it was high time to make maximum use of infrastructure such as the cable network installed to offer additional viable services.

The three services are being offered independently which means that customers are free to subscribe to either one of the services.

May: Dawn of new mobile era.

Seychelles took another significant step towards the further modernisation and rebuilding of its telecommunication infrastructure.

As part of an International Agreement between Cable & Wireless and Nokia, a brand new GSM/GPRS mobile network was installed.

The R35 million investments initially announced in November 2005 can be modified rapidly to provide 3G services as well.

Cable & Wireless said that nearly 30,000 mobile subscribers are now using the newly installed, latest world-class mobile GSM network and prepaid systems.

June: Intelvision launches own television channel.

Seychelles' premier cable TV company announced the launch of its very own television channel with a host of interesting movies, telenovelas and music.

“Intelvision One” is distributed through its network and is available free to all Cable TV subscribers as an introductory offer. The content includes a compilation of some of the most highly acclaimed and award winning television series such as The Soprano’s, 24 and the X-Files.

New subscribers have to pay a monthly fee of only R75 to receive this channel. The subscription fee is R900.

Committee set up to advise on ICT development.

Seychelles is the latest COMESA member country to receive financial and technical assistance from the organisation in setting up a national ICT committee.

The National Information and Communication Technology Consultative Committee will provide the government with policy direction and advice on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) development in the country.

The committee was launched following a half-day workshop on the terms of reference of the Regional Information and Communication Technologies Support Programme (RICTSP), chaired by Comesa's ICT coordinator Mercedes Marin Nortes.

The committee brings together the most knowledgeable and influential stakeholders in ICT matters from the country’s public and private sectors.

The minister responsible for technology, Jacquelin Dugasse says the Committee, “will act as a forum for the discussion of ideas which will lead to more effective use of ICT across the country and also resolve any issues that are identified as impeding ICT development.”

Critics have in the past questioned the government’s commitment in placing access to ICT at the centre of the country’s development agenda.

Earlier this month in his response to the 2007 budget speech, the leader of the opposition, Wavel Ramkalawan say “Seychelles should not only remain abreast of developments in ICT but also be part of the innovative process in order to optimize its full potential.”

No reports of the committee’s works have been made public yet.

Coming soon: Seychelles’ first online business directory.

iMedia (Seychelles) Limited, has announced plans to launch the country’s first Online Yellow Pages Website in July 2007.

The launch will coincide with the delivery of Seychelles’ 2007/08 telephone directory.

iMedia is the local advertising company contracted to publish and supply the new Seychelles telephone directory for the next five years.

“The online directory will be updated on a daily basis so as to include new customers as they are added by the telecommunication operators,” according to iMedia’s General Manager Gilbert Lebon.

A spokesperson of the Chamber of Commerce described the move as “an exciting marketing opportunity for local businesses and organisations to advertise and promote their brands, products and services.”

The service will combine telephone number entries from Airtel, Cable & Wireless, Intelvision and Kokonet.

iMedia’s Project Manager, Elaine Suleman says, “this will be a valuable search engine for customers, but more importantly, it will serve the needs of new businesses that start operating after the directory is printed.”

Local businesses have until 15th January 2007, to forward their existing yellow page facts such as name, address, contact details and website information to info@imedia.sc.

Rumour has it…

Cable & Wireless Seychelles has appointed an interim Chief Executive Officer, following the departure of Usman Saadat.

Charles Hammond, who was the company’s Financial Controller, now heads Seychelles’ largest telecommunication until a permanent replacement is named.

The highlight of Mr Saadat’s two years tenure is the setting up of the Rs65m GPRS system, making Cable & Wireless the first local telecommunication company to offer Mobile Internet.

According to reports in a local paper, Mr Saadat whose work permits expired on November 2nd, wanted to stay in Seychelles until March 2007, but was refused an extension to his work permit by the government.

Regar newspaper labeled the decision not to grant a work permit to the head of a large company as “regrettable,” because: “it shows that Government still acts according to its own whims when it comes to treating foreign investors.”

So far there’s been no denial or confirmation of the story from either Cable & Wireless or the government.

Promoting ICT in education is the key.

African francophone countries have been motioned to integrate information and communication technologies (ICTs) in their educational systems to move the continent forward.

The recent Summit of the Francophone organisation held in Bucharest, warned member states that poor ICT infrastructure will widen the digital divide and aggravate their marginalisation.

The summit held under the theme: information and communication technologies in education, was aimed at looking at how impoverished countries can employ ICTs in tackling factors hindering their progress.

Being one of the eight head of states to address the XI summit, the Seychelles’ President, James Michel said: “Promoting the use of ICTs in education could be a way out of the predicaments facing Africa, by re-enforcing its capacity which is central to its strategic development.”

Mr Michel pondered on the summit’s theme by sharing the experience of Seychelles.

“Being isolated from the rest of the world, with very limited natural resources, 65% of the population being young people and having no universities, Seychelles has to rely heavily on ICTs to handle the pace of globalisation,” said President Michel.

The summit called for the creation of a Francophone society of knowledge, urging member states to employ ICT as a tool of learning in primary and secondary schools, to boost capacity building.

Another resolution called for a pledge to fight digital inequalities, improve basic infrastructures and increase Internet Access.

President Michel summed up that ICT also serve as a vehicle to uphold democracy, by enhancing freedom of expression, human rights, good governance and the rule of law, all of which are ideals promoted by the Francophone organization.

The next summit, scheduled for October 2008, will be held in Quebec City, Canada.

Local paper seeks clarification over the e-government’s project.

Ten months after Vice-President Joseph Belmont’s declaration that “efforts towards the government offering electronic services continue to edge closer to realisation,” questions are being raised about what is happening to the e-government project.

In a rare article on ICT issues, the latest issue of the (Le Nouveau)Seychelles Weekly says the ministry concerned should enlighten the public about the demise of this project.

On its popular page 3 column “As told to Troukler,” the headline screams: What on earth happened to the e-government project? Troukler (the columnist) is the Creole description for a simple man of great wisdom, feared by many because of his uncanny ability to see things as they really are.

The columnist reminds its readers that it was amidst much “fanfare and publicity,” that Seychelles announced its intention to introduce the project. An expert was flown in from Canada to advise the government on the virtues and benefits of e-government.

Speakin about the project in January, the principal Secretary for technology, Benjamin Choppy said: “At the moment, the MITC is working with different government ministries and departments, assisting them with their computerisation processes.”

The column says it is incomprehensible why the government did not embark on this project at all.

As Seychelles is an archipelago, one of the many benefits of the project is that people from all the inhabited islands will eventually be able to apply for driving licences, planning permission, passports, a plot of land and file Pension Fund returns, etc, online from their own premises and without having to come to the main island Mahé at great expense.

Editor’s note: Seychelles Digital has reported on the e-government’s initiative. I’ve also approached various local ICT specialists about this project and there are indications that there are problems in its implementation.

Protests over freedom of expression.

The normally peaceful islands of the Seychelles have witnessed a rare eclipse of political unrests over the rights to operate private radio.

The violence between protestors and riot police took place on Tuesday (03rd October)during the sitting of the National Assembly to vote on the Amendment of
the Broadcasting and telecommunication Bill 2006.

A group of opposition supporters had gathered to protest against the move accusing the ruling SPPF party of robbing their constitutional right of freedom of expression.

They insisted on signing a petition calling on the President not to sign the Amendments into law.

The police said the protest was illegal and responded by using rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the crowd.

A move condemned by the international media rights body Reporters Without Borders (RSF)as “excessive.”

The Opposition Leader Wavel Ramkalawan was assaulted and wounded during the unrest and was hostipalised together with four others.

The health authorities reported that 25 people reported for medical treatments, whilst police detained SNP's Secretary General Roger Mancienne.

The amendments seek to prohibit all political parties; religious organisations or person(s) affiliated to a political group to own a license to operate a private radio station.

The government argued that allowing the opposite might incite future unrest, giving the cause of the Rwandan genocide as an example.

In his address before the assembly the minister for technology Jacquelin Dugasse says the move was to stop the Seychelles National Party (SNP)'s attempt to launch it's own radio station.

“Seychelles is not inventing an undemocratic rule. South Africa, Mauritius and the United Kingdom have similar laws and they are all democratic models,” say Dugasse.

But Mr Ramkalawan characterised the move as unconstitutional and said the debate is much larger than banning particular interest groups. He objected to the R800, 000 ($149, 000) annual radio license fee and labeled the national broadcaster, SBC the “government mouthpiece.”

“If the SBC was fulfilling its mandate objectively, Seychelles would not need
another radio station. Above all through its signatory of the various international conventions, the government should safeguard the people's right to freedom of expression.”

The amendment was approved unanimously in the absence of the opposition members, who walked out in protest over the police handling of the demonstration.

Only electronic visa application forms are now valid.

Since October 2006, only electronic visa application forms are accepted for US visa requests, following a decision taken US State Department.

The policy is being applied worldwide.

In a press communiqué the State Department says the move will permit a rapid process of nonimmigrant visa applications and provide more efficient service.

Individuals who do not have access to the Internet at home or in offices may access the forms at any one of the multiple Internet cafes located in Seychelles.

Information must be entered into the system and the application, with its barcode, must be printed out and sent to the consular section for application.

The on-line visa forms can be downloaded from the US State Department website at http://evisaforms.state.gov.

Further information on the visa application procedures, can be obtained on the embassy’s website at http://mauritius.usembassy.gov.

Winning at GEM Awards 2006.

Journalists from 13 Southern African countries were honoured this year at the second annual Gender and Media Awards. The ceremony was held at the Indaba Hotel in Fourways, north of Johannesburg.

Gervais Henrie, an SBC radio producer, won the Radio Talk Show category. Other winners were from Zimbabwe, Swaziland and South Africa.

The panel of judges – who named Henrie as their choice in this category – described the programme as “concise and taking into accounts all key issues related to the debate."

The awards recognise and acknowledge good gender and media practice and were introduced in 2004, as part of the Gender and Media Southern Africa (GEMSA) summit, which takes place every two years in South Africa.

Henrie is the first Seychellois media practioner to win the award.

“I believe the media has an important role in promoting issues that’s relevant to the Information Society. Hopefully, my work helps in a small way to that end,” said Henrie.

The awards are given in four categories: radio, television, print and photojournalism categories.

Each winner took home a 2000 rand cheque as well as a handmade dish.

C&W adds Internet to mobiles.

Cable & Wireless Seychelles has announced plans to enable users of its mobile phone services to access the Internet with the launch its new MMS & GPRS services.

The company said they wanted to encourage more mobile users to access the Internet using their phones.

Cable & Wireless chief executive Usman Saadat said “We're proud to be the first to offer the people of Seychelles what they've been wanting and anxiously waiting for - latest GSM services that are comparable to that which are offered abroad.”

The Nokia’s representative (C&W’s GSM partner), Petteri Paasila said: “With the latest Nokia Networks technology C&W’s customers will be able to enjoy state-of-the-art network quality and advanced mobile services such as Web browsing for the first time in the Seychelles.”

Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) is a technology that allows you to create, send, and receive text messages that also include an image, audio, and/or video clip. MMS messages can be sent from one mobile phone to another or to an e-mail address.

General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) and is a technology that allows your phone to transfer data at moderate speeds over the GSM network. A useful benefit of GPRS technology is WAP, short for Wireless Application Protocol, which gives you the ability to browse the Internet from your mobile phone or PDA whilst on the move. Using GPRS you can also use your phone as a modem to connect your laptop/PC to the Internet.

MMS message is temporarily available to any e-mail address and to any local C&W prepaid or post-paid mobile phone that has also been set up for MMS. C&W intends to introduce international MMS in the near future.

Kokozone: Making Seychelles wireless.

Kokonet has moved into the provision of wireless Internet access for residents all over Seychelles’ main island, Mahé.

The local Internet Service Provider has made the service available in specific locations marked as hotzones and is offered using the WiFi technology.

Mobility has become an increasingly important part of the Internet services as the battle for users moves from the home PC to mobile devices such as laptops and mobile phones.

The Marketing Executive for Kokonet, Romano Lawrence says “our objective is to give the Seychellois customers, as well as our visitors, the ability to use the Internet whilst on the move at an affordable rate.”

The service allows WiFi-enabled laptop, smart phone and PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) users to access the Internet, their e-mails, company intranet and download files, all wirelessly.

Kokonet has installed equipment in selected areas that will eventually provide a countrywide WiFi coverage. Among the spots receiving coverage at present are the centre of Victoria, the International Airport at Pointe Larue, Victoria Port and a number of high profile hotels.

The hotzones providing the Kokozone service is identified by the distinctive orange coloured logo with black and red writings with the company's official
Coco-de-Mer symbol displayed.

To use the Kokozone service, customers have to purchase a prepaid scratch card at R100 providing two hours of access. To log on the service, customers have to configure their settings, launch their browser in any Kokozone area, insert a web address and they will automatically be directed to the Kokozone web page. Then you have to enter the pin number obtained from the scratch card in the login box and get connected.

Kokozone hotspots are expected to come up in most areas on Mahé, Praslin and La Digue by the end of the year.

Seychelles’ new age election campaign.

The recent presidential election held in Seychelles during the last weekend of July has introduced new ways for candidates to reach the voters.

The traditional use of posters, banner and music still make campaigning a colourful affair in the islands archipelago of the Indian Ocean.

But recently the political parties have increasingly used new technology to make their pitch.

The growing number of mobile phone users and increasing use of the Internet provided the three candidates a new campaign platform. They were busy sending catchy text messages to voters through mobile phones.

The ruling SPPF party and the main opposition party, the SNP both launched their own interactive websites to communicate with their voters.

The sites list the candidates’ political, educational and family background as well as their achievements and that of their parties. Surfers can send their feedback as well as questions, which were answered by them.

Party officials said by using Short Messaging Service (SMS) and e-mail, the candidates can directly target voters who may otherwise be apathetic.

In what was the toughest race for the presidency the country has seen since the re-introduction of multiparty politics in Seychelles in 1992, the campaign forced the parties to examine innovative ways of getting their messages across.

James Michel of the Seychelles People's Progressive Front (SPPF) polled 30,119 votes which was 53.73 percent of the total valid votes cast whereas the main opposition candidate, Wavel Ramkalawan of the Seychelles National Party (SNP)/Democratic Party (DP) alliance, collected 25,626 votes or 45.71 percent.

The remaining 314 valid votes went to independent candidate Philippe Boullé for a 0.56 percentage.

Seychellois strive to beat media control.

State domination of Seychelles' media could be undermined in the years ahead as Seychellois are increasingly turning to the Internet, cable and satellite TV channels from overseas.

Viewers with satellite dishes can now tune into a host of overseas channels, as possession of satellite dishes for personal use is now legal in Seychelles. Although most of these channels simply offer Western-style entertainment and talk shows, yet they are still more popular than any other programmes available on state-run TV.

The satellite dishes approval procedures was last revised in January 2004. As of then, a licence fee of SR2000 per annum or SR8000 for five years exists for satellite dishes greater than 1.8m but equal to 2.4m for private use.

To date some 150 licences have been issued for personal usage, leisure centers, small hotel, guesthouses, large hotels and establishments.

An environmental fee also exists varying according to the size of the dish ranging from SR1000 to SR15, 000 (for dishes from 0m to 3.6m or more), whilst a 25% trade tax is applicable on all imported satellite dishes.

Meanwhile, since its inception just over a year ago, the sole cable television provider, Intervision has a consumer base of 3500 households. A company spokesperson says Intervision has a growth of 150 new connections per month.

Within Seychelles, the broadcast media are firmly under state control. A licences fee of SR800, 000 for private channel has long been criticised as too exorbitant by critics. The state broadcaster runs one TV channels and two radio networks.

The situation has since led to an explosion in the number of Internet users in Seychelles. With the setting up of three Internet Service Providers (ISPs), since the introduction of the worldwide web on these shores in 1996, the Internet is gaining wider appeal, not just among young people. Figures released by the department of Information and Communication Technology (MITC) shows an amount of 3501 Internet account holders up to March this year. However, the total the number of people online in Seychelles is still unknown,

But critics maintain that the high online fees, slow connection speeds and lack of access to computers means the Internet is still a luxury used mainly by high-earners Seychellois.

Space ‘95 enters local software development sector.

Managing all aspect of a company’s human resources system (HRS) from one terminal is a cost-effective measure that most companies would welcome with open arms.

Imagine an application that enables an organisation to quickly and accurately prepare and maintain records of all aspects of HRS, namely payroll, time attendance and a web-based application that stores employees’ details whilst allowing them access to their personal data kept by the organisation.

This new application, called OfficeSpace HRS is the latest product from Space ‘95, which the company says is designed and custom-built for the Seychelles business environment.

“The applications will not only make the business more productive but will also allow for easy analysis of the business at any point in time,” says Space ‘95 Sales & Marketing Manager, Jaya Nair.

The suite is composed of a series of modern business applications, designed in a way to transform those tedious tasks to easy push-button technology. Space ‘95 says the different modules can easily integrate with each other and can simply be customized to suite each business environment.

This latest development is aimed at forging a marketplace for Space ‘95 in the local software development sector alongside VSC, which has already known international success with its computerised front-office, reservations and back office software system (a Microsoft Windows 95/NT based software) which is marketed under the trade name Vista.

Seychelles secures first partnership deal.

One of Seychelles’ national ambitions is to equip all educational institutions from primary to post-secondary schools with state-of-the-art computer rooms.

However, critics have long argued the government cannot afford such costly target on its own, without a little help from foreign backed partnerships.

A suggestion that has indeed struck the right chord through the signing of the first Memorandum of Understanding between the department of Education and the non-governmental organisation Iceland Seychelles Development Group.

The partnership was signed between the Seychellois Minister for Education, Danny Faure and the head of this highly specialised computer technicians group, Gudmundur Holmsteinsson.

Under the agreement, the Icelandic group will sponsor computer software and other technical equipment, especially those that are easy to use and geared towards children aged between 6 and 12 years old. It also covers training for teachers in the use of the new education software.

According to the acting director general of Education Technology, Robin Zarine, the assistance from the group would enable the department to further extend computer learning to younger children in all primary schools.

“ICT would not form part of the primary pupils' formal education curriculum, but emphasis would be put on the use of computers for fun. The more they get used to using the technology, the easier it would be for the young children to grasp computer education when they reach secondary school,” according to Mr Zarine.

He said the educational software that are to be put at the young children's disposal has been developed specifically for children and would help accelerate learning in areas like writing, mental activities, spelling, reading and so on.

Until now, only students in post-secondary schools were having access to computer education, which forms part of their school curriculum.

Government declares war on computer illiteracy.

Children in Seychelles’ primary schools are having a unique opportunity to play and learn about some of the latest technologies under a new plan to launch computers in primary schools as a teaching and learning tool.

On the occasion of this year’s national Children’s Day, students of the Port Glaud primary school in the west of Mahe, were the first to receive a well-equipped computer room.

The donation was made by the Seychelles Iceland Development Group as part of a joint project between the group and the ministry of education to provide all primary to post secondary learning institutions with computer laboratories.

Speaking at the donation ceremony, the education minister Danny Faure said, “

Seychelles has now entered a new battle. I hereby declared a national war directed at the elimination of illiteracy in the domain of information and communication technologies

(ICT).”

However, critics say the foreign exchange scarcity crippling this Indian Ocean’s tourist heaven is a major set back to the government’s plan to furnish all educational institutions with computer laboratories.

Already plans to set up a second computer class in all secondary schools have been put on hold because of lack of funds. Critics say a way around this hitch, is for the government to enter partnership agreements with various international grouping that could provide the necessary technical support.

The Seychelles Iceland Development Group plans to supply 200 computers that will fully equipped 5 primary schools (out of 23) with a modern computer room by the end of the year.

Despite the odds, minister Faure said “for the past decade or so, the Seychelles education system has been revolutionary and progressive – a clear indication that we are constantly researching and keeping abreast of new developments in education, in order to offer the youths of our country better opportunities so that they can succeed in their studies and prosper later on in life.”

Seychelles assembly calls on government to be pro-active

Aunt Johnette Mambe is a pensioner who lives in the north of Mahe. She's never used a mobile phone or type on a computer, let alone knowing the meaning of the acronym ICT. But all this could change soon.

The Seychelles National Assembly approved a motion tabled by a member from her region, which called on the government and private sector to increase access to communication facilities at the district level.

All members who supported the motion argued that the government has been slow in introducing measures that could encourage the wider use of ICT in everyday life. As a result, aunt Johnette so far has been left on the wrong side of the “digital divide.”

Presenting the motion, SPPF MNA Daniel Frichot said “the time has come to bring ICT to the reach of everyone.”

Citing the Seychelles government's plan, in partnership with India to set up an IT Centre here, Frichot called on the private sector to complement the effort. “This will transform the actual situation, bringing low-cost, accessible information and communication technologies to narrow the digital divide.”

Whilst supporting the motion the opposition members drew attention to existing limitations, namely the scarcity of foreign exchange and a lack of infrastructure.

An affordable telephone system and fast Internet access right in the heart of aunt Johnette's and other communities is what the country needs.

Digitalising the Assembly

For too long now, local ICT experts have blamed the Seychelles’ National Assembly in particular for failing to make use of modern communication methods such as the Internet.

One critic says, “the Assembly is failing to communicate effectively with the public it serves. A website is part of a wider reform needed to improve communication with the public, its interactivity will fulfil its role as a portal for democracy.”

But with a little help from their friends, the Chinese, the organisation, procedures and general ethos of the National Assembly may not be “seriously out of date” for very long.

The institution recently received a donation worth US $50,000 of ICT equipment from the National People’s Congress of the Republic of China.

The equipment comprised 20 computer sets, 10 printers, 5 laptops, 10 sets of cartridge, 4 TV sets, 4 DVD players and 4 mobile phones.

Whilst the Chinese Ambassador to Seychelles, Geng Wenbing chose to call the donation “a clear evidence of continued collaboration between the two countries”, the speaker of the National Assemble, Francis MacGregor, called it “an ideal tool to capture the gist of the Assembly’s work.”

In March last year the Assembly received another donation of multi-media equipment from the Chinese government worth US $125,000, to help it record its own proceedings.

Once settled in its new building at Bel Eau in 2007, the National Assembly looks set to be well equipped to engage a far wider audience than it currently does.

Mapping Seychelles Electronically

A 70, 000 euro project to electronically map out Seychelles’s 25 districts is due to complete in September 2006.

The Swiss expert responsible for the project, Marc Soutter says the use of GIS technology “will be a vital tool for developers, students and tourists alike to use the data into more interactive ways.”

The project is sponsored by the International Association of French-speaking Mayors.

Geographic information system (GIS) is a computer-based tool for mapping and analyzing referenced geographical data.

The director for the GIS Centre, in the Ministry of Land Use and Habitat, Francis Coeur de Lion, explains that “GIS technology integrates common database operations such as query and statistical analysis with the unique visualization and geographic analysis benefits offered by maps.”

The technology was introduced in Seychelles during the early-1990s and the department of local government is the latest state agency to use it.

It is being used in town planning, creation of a coastal sensitivity atlas, and management of wetlands, agriculture and other infrastructure such as water pipes, electric poles and drainage system.

Its mostly ministries responsible for natural resources and land use which are making use of this system.

Yet the use of GIS is still in the development stage in Seychelles and presently no data are available online, but this should be operational before the end of 2006.

Mr Coeur de Lion, says “the Centre has already acquired and tested appropriate software, designed for Internet mapping and web GIS, which allows users to access geographic information through their web browser. The long term plan is to encourage more public access to such datasets.”

One such initiative is a UNEP sponsored program aimed at getting the islands of the western Indian Ocean and East African countries alike to collect and share data through a regional portal, that will address the major environmental problems and issues related to the degradation of the marine and coastal environment resulting from land-based activities in the region.

Seychelles joins forces

A new Regional Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre in which Seychelles is collaborating has gone on line in the Kenyan port of Mombasa.

The centre is design to provide rapid response to accidents at sea and the growing threat to commercial shipping posed by pirates off the coast of Somalia.

According to a Seychelles Coast Guard official Captain Tom Estico, “the centre will monitor the Indian Ocean coastline from Somalia, Seychelles, Kenya and Tanzania and be linked with a similar facility in Cape Town, South Africa.”

The $1.6m Regional Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre was part funded by the UN's International Maritime Organization
(IMO), under which Seychelles has benefited with over $300, 000 of equipment.

It is equipped with state-of-the-art maritime communications technology and uses satellite technology to collect data from ships and relay information to warships, in nearby waters.

“We are now able to keep a 24-hour watch on ships and other marine vessels in the region and provide necessary assistance upon receiving information about incidents requiring such assistance,” Estico said.

The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) has reported at least 41 attacks on ships off the Somali coast since mid-March of last year, making the Somali waters the world's most dangerous.