Seychelles far from underwater cable

The Seychelles government says plan to build a fibre-optic link across the Indian Ocean, will depend entirely on the private sector.

Answering a question I put to the Minister for National Development in the National Assembly, on how far his ministry had arrived in the project to install an underwater cable to connect Seychelles with the rest of the world, Mr Jacquelin Dugasse says the government is seriously considering two options.

The first option is to connect with the Lower Indian Ocean Network (LION) at a cost of $30 million and the second is to connect with the ESSAy project from Dar-es-Salaam at the cost of $50-60 million.

As for the financing option, the minister says the cost would have to be met by the private sector. Already a local cable company has been formed to raise funds for the project.

A feasibility study costing $500 thousand, with the African Development Bank footing the lion share is being carried out to decide which of the two options is best for Seychelles.

Although I support this project and appreciate the fact that Seychelles will eventually be well connected to economic hot spots in the Middle East as well as South Africa, India and Europe, I see the danger of the few telecommunication companies we have here monopolising its benefits - which keeps prices high and so out of reach of many.

Currently, Seychelles relies solely on satellite connections for internet and telephone calls.

Whilst Africa has ten cables, Seychelles failed to embrace the technology when it was first introduced in the region several years ago, when it would have cost us merely $3 million.

But the most important question of all - when is expected to be ready? Minister Dugasse simply refused to be taken to task later by the Assembly's Government Assurances Committee.

MCB launched ATM prepaid service

A new service allowing prepaid mobile phone users to refill their credit using the ATM service is now available in Seychelles.

The service is an initiative of the Mauritius Commercial Bank (MCB).

The scheme applies to both Airtel and Cable & Wireless customers who hold an account with the bank. But they can also top up the credit of anyone else they have told the bank about.

To top up or refill their credit, clients have to follow the refill option on MCB-owned ATMs, or SMS or call 1838 on a 24-hour basis.

An MCB spokesperson said the bank’s aim is to increase its product portfolio and diversify its services while at the same time remaining proactive in contributing to the fulfillment of its customers’ demands.

Seychelles joins the pan-African e-network project

Seychelles is the second African country, after Senegal to join the $1 billion pan-African e-network project initiated by the Indian government.

The project aims to develop the continent information and communication technologies. Seychelles is expected to benefit through the tele-medicine programs, e-learning and teleconferencing facility for the head of state.

The first facility to be launched this week at the Ministry of Health headquarters was the tele-medicine network. The system will be used to share knowledge from Indian doctors with their Seychellois counterparts through online training programs and getting second opinion on medial diagnosis.

Victoria hospital will eventually be connected to twelve Indian tele-medicine specialist centres and four from the African continent, including 53 hospitals.


“Tele-medicine presents countless possibilities for the doctors and patients. It will improve the quality of health care, reduce cost and offer educational opportunities,” said Marie-Pierre Lloyd, the Minister responsible for health.

The education network will allow similar information sharing.

The E-network project was first announced by Indian president Abdul Kalam in South Africa in 2004. In October 2005, the Indian government and the Africa Union signed a memorandum of understanding to formalize the project.

Seychelles hosts e-health conference

Health ministers and their counterparts in charged of information and communication technology (ICT) from thirteen East, Central and Southern African countries are meeting in Seychelles to discuss the promotion of e-health on the continent.

The meeting is aimed at promoting the use of information technology in the continent’s health care system to help achieve the millennium goals and to attain the most with the limited financial resources.



“Our nations must forge ahead to develop our systems and processes if we are to ensure a better, improved and sustainable quality of life for our people, with health developments taking centre stage,” Vice-President Joseph Belmont said in the conference’s opening address.

The three day conference is an opportunity for the continent’s health and ICT expert to rethink how best to effect change and improve health service provision for the benefit of both consumers and providers using ICT.

“E-health holds the promise of a more evidence-based, result-oriented and effective health care system,” said Belmont.

The conference organizers said the event will allow governments to improve services for patients and communities, increase access to services and improve the training of health workers, with enormous impact on these processes.

Editors' note: e-health is a relatively recent term for health care practice which is supported by electronic processes and communication. The term is inconsistently used: some would argue it is interchangeable with health care informatics and a sub set of health informatics, while others use it in the narrower sense of health care practice using the Internet. The term can encompass a range of services that are at the edge of medicine/health care and information technology.

The 12th Highway Africa Conference in pictures

With SA's top vlogger on YouTube Khaya Dlanga.



With Highway Africa's Future Journalists Project (FJP) Co-ordinator, Moagisi Lethlaku.

Nature Seychelles wins Highway Africa award

Nature Seychelles, the leading environmental organisation in the country is a winner at this year’s Highway Africa Digital Journalism Award in South Africa.

Speaking in Grahamstown, where he collected the award, Nature Seychelles’ CEO Dr Nirmal Shah said their achievement is proof that local non-governmental organisations (NGO) should go beyond the limitation of small island states.

“The World Wide Web, gives us the prospect to reach the world and for the world to reach us. Get up and use it,” says Shah.

Nature Seychelles was nominated for spearheading environmental conservation through the internet within the Seychelles and across the Western Indian Ocean shelf, using its website http://www.natureseychelles.org.

The organisation came top in the non-profit category, ahead of African Woman and Child Feature Service, a Nairobi-based media organisation.

The award also recognises the NGO’s effort in encouraging other Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to embrace new media technologies for environmental conservation. In addition, Nature Seychelles won for its success in using the youth’s skills and creativity to spread the message of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and the environment on the fragile islands ecosystems within Seychelles.

“The recognition is proof that we are doing a fantastic work in Seychelles. It’s good news for all local conservationists that not everything is doom and gloom, but that we are actually saving birds and involving the children in our effort.”

The Award ceremony is part of the annual Highway Africa conference, the largest annual gathering of African journalists in the world. This rendezvous focuses on debates about journalism and new media.

CAN: Live transmission too dear for SBC

The Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) has confirmed it is not broadcasting any of the African Cup of Nations (CAN) matches which kick off in the Ghanaian capital Accra on Sunday 20th January.

SBC says the asking fee to broadcast the matches by LC2 International of France is beyond the corporation’s means.

The present economic situation characterised by the devaluation on the rupee and the foreign exchange shortages have made matter worse for the SBC.

The broadcast rights for the whole tournament cost 305,000 Euros, which is 55 thousand more than for the previous tournament in 2006.

Soccer enthusiasts are disappointed to miss Africa’s premiere soccer event twice in a row since in 2006 too the event was not transmitted live, again because of the hefty fee.

However, questions are being raised about SBC’s ability to plan ahead as this is a biennale event with potentials to attract sponsorships. Although a telenovella series doesn’t cost as much as the live transmission of a major international sporting event, local television viewers question the logic behind SBC’s readiness to ensure its yearly supply as oppose to other television programmes.

One available option for local football fans to watch the African stars in action is through the local cable TV company which is transmitting the matches on the Super Sports channel.

It is not clear if TV5 Monde will air the knockout phase of the tournament – four quarterfinals, two semifinals, the third place play-off and the final – like in 2006.

The competition takes place in Ghana from Sunday 20th January to Sunday 10th February and sees the best 16 teams from across the continent battle it out. Matches will be played in four cities – Accra, Kumasi, Tamale and Sekondi.

Winning @ African ICT achievers awards.

Information and Communication Technologies enthusiasts and pioneers from across the African continent were rewarded for their contributions to the industry at the 9th African ICT achievers awards in Johannesburg, South Africa last weekend.

The event organizers, ForgeAhead in partnership with the Department of Communications, said the winners were nominated and rewarded for their commitment to digital inclusion and African unity and prosperity through the use of technology.

“The competition was really tough this year because of the myriad of innovative and substantial entries we received from across the entire continent,” said a ForgeAhead press communiqué.

The winners include nine individual awards and seven organisational awards. Amongst the successors were HighWay Africa News Agency correspondent from Seychelles, Gervais Henrie who was awarded Excellence in ICT Journalism in Africa and the Mauritian Minister Etienne Sinatambou was the winner of the overall individual award and also the Top Minister in Africa with an ICT Portfolio.

The Rwandan President Paul Kagame, was presented with a the Lifetime Achievers Award for his dedication to the proliferation of the ICT industry in South Africa and across the continent as well as the promotion of the use of technology within governments for better service delivery to citizens and for her support of making use of African experts.

Feedback from the judges was that “These individuals and organisations are doing such great work to embrace ICTs and make this a truly ‘African Century’,” said ForgeAhead.

Seychelles launched national ICT policy

Seychelles is the latest COMESA member country to launch its national ICT policy this week. The development came just over a year after the first meeting of the local consultative committee charged with providing policy direction to the government on ICT growth in the country.

The document sets national ICT policy objectives in five key areas, notably in ICT Infrastructure, legal and regulatory framework, human resources development, as well as industry and government.

“Through this policy document, the government recognizes that accessible, affordable, high quality and well-regulated ICT facilities and services with and within Seychelles is critical to the realisation of its vision of a modern, ICT enabled and knowledge-based information society,” says the minister responsible for ICT, Jacquelin Dugasse.

The policy drew together the experiences of countries such as Singapore, Malta, Kenya, Mauritius, Botswana and others which have over the last few years undertaken a similar exercise.

In reply to criticism raised about the transparency of the exercise, minister Dugasse said the policy was approved by the government on September 8th this year, only after extensive consultations and discussions involving a wide range of participants from the public sector as well as civil society was made.

“This policy is truly a public–private partnership at the highest level. In ensuring wider participation in the development of the policy, its draft was also distributed to other stakeholders such as the Liaison Unit for Non-Governmental Organisations (LUNGOS), the Seychelles Lawyers Association and others.”

The policy among other things takes into account the objectives of the Seychelles Government with regard to Strategy 2017 and the 10 targets of the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS).

“This will be achieved with the commitment to monitor the implementation of the policy, through the use of appropriate indicators and review when necessary,” says the principal Secreaty for ICT Benjamin Choppy.

The policy came to being with the financial and technical support of the Commonwealth, COMESA and the India Ocean Commission. Meanwhile, the consultative committee has been mandated with the formulation of a comprehensive national ICT strategic plan for 2007.

MCB warns clients against scam

The Mauritius Commercial Bank (Seychelles) has issued a security alert to all its customers about an Internet scam aimed at stealing its clients’ identity.

In an advertisement in the national daily, Seychelles Nation, MCB says, email messages alleging to come from the bank are inviting Internet Banking (IB) customers to log in their account via a link.

This in effect could lead to clients’ accounts being re-activated remotely.

The bank says the messages are part of a scam known as “phishing” aimed at stealing the IB customers’ user ID and pass word,

MCB has assured its clients that it provides adequate security measures, such as cryptographic standards to protect their financial information and transactions as they are being transmitted over the Internet.

Meanwhile, the bank is taking this situation very seriously. It has published on its website a list of precautionary measures all clients must take to further enhance security and protect themselves from unauthorised access to their personal financial information.

The measures include; protection of password, logging out correctly, clearing history and setting daily transfer limit.

Seychelles Weekly “named and shamed” Intelvision

The Le Nouveau Seychelles Weekly newspaper claimed many people have called their office to complain about the services offered by Intelvision.

The paper in its 28th September publication wrote, “the criticisms were more pronounced in respect of its Internet services, which are more offline than online, although other areas of its services were also singled out for criticism.”

Intelvision, which commenced operation in October 2004, is one of the three local ISPs alongside Atlas and Kokonet, but also provides telephone and cable TV services.

Like its competitors, Intelvision entirely relies on satellite technology for connectivity. In the past all ISPs have experienced slow connectivity because of alleged bandwidth problems.

However, Seychelles Weekly pointed out that “Intelvision has substantially less subscribers to its Internet services and should not by any stretch of the imagination, be experiencing such problems.”

The paper said the complaints are not only limited to the Internet services, but also about the customer as well, which they say “is more or less non existent”

“The problems are so bad,” wrote the Seychelles Weekly “that even tourists who visited our islands and have experienced their services first hand, have surprisingly gone out of their way to post their complaints on the Internet.”

The company which this week is celebrating its 3rd anniversary with massive discount offers, states on its website that:

we are devoted to listening to and understanding the individual needs of our Customers. We will strive to be your provider of choice by fostering an environment of teamwork, innovation, quality and efficiency to achieve a common goal of TOTAL Customer Satisfaction.

So far there’s been no public reaction from Intelvision regarding the Seychelles Weekly’s article.

Editor’s Note: I noted that all the customers’ quotes from the Seychelles Weekly’s article are originally from the Seychelles Digital blog, but no mention are made of it by the paper.

Seychelles expresses disappointment

The Seychelles Ambassador to the UN, Ronny Jumeau said he's disappointed that small island states and low-lying countries are not urgently getting technologies they need to adapt to the rising sea levels in some areas.

Ambassador Jumeau was speaking at a high level event convened by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, entitled 'The future in our hands: addressing the leadership challenge of climate change.'

"I must express my disappointment that most technology talked about today is aimed at helping the polluters mitigate their emissions, laudable as that may be, with hardly anything being said about technology to help us small island states and low-lying countries adapt to climate change," stated Jumeau.

The UN permanent representative, avowed that he wasn't "rattling another begging bowl," explaining that climate change-related technologies, such as equipments for observation, monitoring, research and setting standards "come at a price which we certainly cannot bear alone."

With time fast ticking, said that he hoped donor countries, organisations and private sector entities with available resources will assist vulnerable states to help themselves.

It is in this contest, that the Presidents of Seychelles, James Michel and Palau, Tommy Esang Remengesau have launched the Sea Level Rise Foundation.

"Together we are mobilising leadership, increasing resources and sharing skills, knowledge, technologies and innovations in a cost-effective and sustainable way that will catalyse action for conservation and sustainable livelihoods on islands and in low-lying areas in the face of climate change," explained Jumeau.

The objective of the foundation is to complement the UN's efforts by prompting global attention and action, including the innovation and transfer of the types of technologies that small island states and low-lying countries need, to address the devastating impact of climate change on their peoples and ecosystems and to help them adapt to new rising sea levels.

Editor’s Note: The projected sea-level rise is due to a revised estimate of the ice melt from glaciers. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Third Assessment Report, published in 2001, projected that the global average sea level would rise by between 9 and 88cm between 1990 and 2100.

11 years of Internet

“Better stay on the alert or you’ll risk finding yourself embarrassedly on the net!” is now a common catch phrase amongst the population of the tiny Seychelles archipelago.

This month as the country marks the 11th anniversary since it got connected to the world’s largest network, many argue the above statement goes to show how central this technology is in the islanders’ lives whilst others pointed out their mistrust for it.

A series of interviews the writer conducted as part of a special assignment for the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association, show the public’s attitude to the Internet varies from one extreme to another.

Whilst 12-year-old Shannen Henrie calls it “cool,” because it can spares her from boredom, the technologically minded radio presenter Nathalie Rose describes the web as “information at your finger tips.” But for Mrs. Johnette Mambé a pensioner who lives at Cascade and who has never used a mobile phone or type on a computer, let alone know the meaning of the acronym ICT, the web is a total mystery. She simply shouts back “what?” to my question of what she likes about the web?

In a country where the vast majority of the population is employed by the government, this is where their primary Internet source is.

Latest figures published by the National Statistics Bureau show that home Internet accounts are taking much longer to catch on. From the 2003 figures, it has increased by only 1, 061 to a total 3, 872.

What is the future direction is now a $30 million question. Whilst the government wants every home with an Internet connection by 2015, the private sector is more worried about how the struggling economy will raise the $30 million needed to transfer the islands’ connectivity from satellite to submarine fibre optic cable?

“Cost is irrelevant, but speed not!,” cautioned VCS Chief Executive Mark Hoaureau. With the increasing number of users among the younger generation especially with the recent introduction of Internet in all secondary schools, one way or another, the fund will have to be raised.

"Seychelles geographical isolation means that it can benefit very highly from the Internet which will facilitate very cost effective communications and accessibility to the international market," expalined Tessa Siu from the Social Development Department.

The CBA assignment concluded that the business community finds it economical in terms of cutting down on some operational costs, the growing tourism industry sees it as a direct access to once inaccessible markets and traders likewise approve of its marketing potential.

But not everyone is buying all these pros. Quoting from Thomas Knowles' song entitled "Konsole" which says, “each time I tried to write, the tears of sadness damped my note pads,” Lina Laurence from the local radio station says the web lacks intimacy. “For me - It can never create this song’s imagery”.

Editor’s Note: The population concerns (from the lead) stamped from the scandal that rocked the islands following the vast circulation of nude photographs of local girls via email.

Seychelles @ HA 2007

The curtain has just fallen upon the 11th Highway Africa conference, at Rhodes University in South Africa. The occasion is the world’s largest gathering of African journalists.

Once again over 500 delegates from some 40 countries, including Seychelles converged on the temperamental municipality of Grahamstown, this time to engage on the chosen theme “Quality and professionalism in journalism and the media: the case for new media.”

The conference director, Chris Kabwato says the aim this year was to “brings us home to the core values of our profession and to engage on the values and practices of journalism.”

2007 is an important year for the Dark Continent as it marks the 50th anniversary of its first independent state, Ghana. The Highway Africa conference therefore, reminded the continent that her destiny is in her own hand and there is much work yet to be done.



“The conference’s deliberations are part of the challenge of re-structuring a future Africa of hope and promise that is characterized by economics and social development and a culture of humane rights,” says Dr Saleem Badat.

The Rhodes University Vice Chancellor believes this annual event is an opportune moment for the media to reassess its mandate besides its role to inform, educate and entertain. Amongst other things, he believes the institution should self-assess its quality and standards, by maintaining its “intellectual independence and dispassionate objectivity and contributes to the formation of an informed and critical citizenry.”

“African media and journalists have especial responsibilities and a profound role to play in holding a mirror to us about the real conditions of our societies and in fostering debate on the trajectories of democracy, human rights and development in our societies and on our continent,” he added.

The rendezvous for the 12th Highway Africa conference has been set for September 2008, whilst it is hope that the continent’s journalists continue to interrogate the issues of quality and professionalism in journalism in the media in the specific conditions and context of Africa.

Seychelles ICT in figures

Figures published by the National Statistic Bureau (NSB) shows an explosion in the number of cellular mobile telephone subscribers in Seychelles.

Up to December 2006, the total number combining Airtel and Cable & Wireless amounts to 72,019.

This means in three years the number of mobiles in Seychelles has grown by 22, 790 – the number of landlines at around 848, mostly in government offices.

The NSB figures shows a total of 22, 039 telephone exchange lines in 2006 compared to 21, 191 in 2003.

No details were available on the market share of each company.

But observers believe Airtel have the lion share of the GSM network, whilst C&W is the dominant force in fixed line services.

The boom in the number of handsets reflects the trend across the African continent, where mobile phone is having a huge impact.

However, the popularity of home Internet accounts is taking much longer to catch on. From the 2003 figures, it has increased by only 1, 061 to a total 3, 872.

“Home Internet access will remain an unpopular choice, unless we address the two stumbling blocks: slow PC penetration and high cost connecting fee. As a result most people are choosing to access the Internet at work or in cyber cafés,” remarks a government ICT technician.

The Internet’s dilly-dally is further highlighted by the fact that cable TV which arrived in Seychelles much later, is more of an attraction in the homes. To date there are 4, 064 connections, whilst satellite dishes remains a predominately hotel based technology with only 122 registered dishes.

It should be noted that in its publication, the NSB put the country’s population at 85, 032.

Government to outsource ICT jobs

The Seychelles’ public sector ICT workforce will shrink considerably as a result of the current restructuring - being undertaken by the government.

In a recent interview the minister responsible for Information and Communication Technology, Jacquelin Dugasse said his ministry intends to outsource most projects to the private sector.

“This is an opportune moment for our young professionals to apply their trade in the private sector or even set up their own businesses,” says Dugasse.

Amongst the ICT specialists who could lose their current employment with the government are several developers, designers, programmers, analysts, administrators and technicians.

A government spokesperson says in the last three weeks 57 employees from various professions, including ICT have been made redundant.

Critics have questioned the government’s motives since ICT has been identified as the backbone for the country’s ambitious plan for the next ten years called Strategy 2017.

“This is ironic. Seychelles is already heavily dependent on foreign expertise in the ICT fields, yet we are now witnessing qualified local talents being made redundant,” commented a chamber of commerce official.

The government has defended its decision to lay off workers, claiming it will enforce its role as facilitator and regulator rather than the major service provider.

“We intend to refrain from employing people doing specialist jobs that the private sector can do more effectively, whilst contributing positively to Seychelles’ prosperity,” says vice president Joseph Belmont.

The main opposition party has expressed dismay at the reasons given for the redundancy and has accused the government of insensitive handling of the situation.

Cost is irrelevant. But speed not!

A leading Seychellois ICT pioneer is offering options to the government on how best to finance the country’s quest to get connected to a regional submarine fibre optic cable project.

Marc Hoareau the man credited with connecting Seychelles to the World Wide Web, says the private sector which is the sole providers of ICT services in Seychelles should be the principal backers of this national ambition.

“First and foremost, it’s right, because at the end of the day it’s not the government that’s providing telecom services to Seychelles. It’s simple. It’s Cable & Wireless. It’s Intelvision. It’s Airtel and even Kokonet,” says Hoareau.

In a recent interview, the minister responsible for ICT Jacquelin Dugasse said the project will cost between $US35 and 40 million.

In an exclusive interview with Seychelles Digital radio programme, Mr Hoareau points out Seychellois companies are currently paying satellite companies around $US25, 000 monthly for bandwidth.

“So why should I give IntelSat $US300, 000 a year if I was part of this project,” he states.

Mr Hoareau also offered the introduction of an ICT tax as a mean to repay a loan that Seychelles can borrow to invest in the venture.

“It‘s very simple. The people of Seychelles would understand. This is a tax and the benefits are huge. It’s not just for businesses in Seychelles, but for our future.”

Thirdly Mr Hoareau who’s the CEO of the leading ITC training centre VCS has challenged prominent financial institutions to support the country’s next development stage.

“What’s the point of having a new port, if we’re not going to have the telecommunication part to bolster fishing in the region? Tourism, you have new hotels being built. There’s online reservation into Seychelles. We have to be connected. We cannot continue to use satellite.”

The government recently revealed an ambitious plan for the next ten years dubbed Strategy 2017 in which ICT has been identify as the backbone of any future development.

“I think any government today that is smart enough to look at the future of their own country must realize that without Internet, without telecommunication, without the speed for us to process information, we’re going to be left way behind. So to me it’s something that needs to be done and as far as I’m concern, the cost is irrelevant,” concluded Mr. Hoaureau.

Digitalizing COMESA’s customs procedures

The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) through the financial backing of the European Commission has announced plan to digitalize the economic block’s customs clearance procedures.

Under the project member countries will receive donation of computers, equipped with a computerized customs management system, which will eventually introduce a paperless system of customs processing.

At its last summit in Nairobi earlier this year, COMESA observed that the custom service in many of its member countries is still stuck in the pre-independence era, remaining a paper transaction from beginning to end as far as clearance of goods are concerned.

Under the new plan, members will use the Automated System for Customs Data and Management (ASYCUDA) software, developed by the United Nations conference on Trade and Development in 1981.

The software covers most foreign trade procedures and handles manifests and customs declarations, accounting procedures, transit and suspense procedures. ASYCUDA also generates trade data that can be used for statistical economic analysis.

A COMESA spokesperson says the project is aimed at increasing trade facilitation, improved efficiency and effectiveness in customs procedures, provision of timely and accurate trade data and the use of international standards.

The system is also expected to enable member countries to streamline customs procedures and adopt cohesive strategies that would foster the cargo processing and promote regional trade.

COMESA says it will donate computers to the value of US$100,000 to US$400,000. The Democratic Republic of Congo, the Comoros, Eritrea, Swaziland and Seychelles are the five newest countries that will benefit from the donation.

The ASYCUDA system is already in operation in nine other COMESA countries.

SBC in new regional partnership

The Indian Ocean public television stations have launched an online content management system to boost regional media coverage.

SERTOI (Report Exchange System for Televisions in the Indian Ocean) developed by GlobeCast, functions similarly to an electronic mailbox allowing participating stations to make audiovisual files available via the Internet in a non-proprietary form.

The project was put on trial earlier this month during a workshop in Mauritius where editors from the six regional public television stations were meeting to finalise the project.

All newsrooms will have an identical computer equiped with the appopriate software. The workstation is design to the surmont the instability of Internet connection in the region.

The Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) Chief Editor Antoine Onezime says SERTOI is part of a project to set up a network to promote the exchanging of reports in the Indian Ocean

“We will now be able to exchange up to 3,000 reports annually, that will not only enrich the region’s televised newscasts, but also open up a new window of information on the world’s third largest ocean,” says Onezime.

The stations will shortly initiate a monthly regional magazine to consolidate the exchange process, to promote the region, its history, culture and inhabitants.

Keeping it safe for children

Starting from next month, children giving evidence in Seychelles' courts will do so via a video link to reduce the trauma they normally go through while testifying in person in the courts of law.

The video link project is the brainchild of the National Council for Children (NCC), to allow children more effective testimony against their abusers and offenders.

Up to now, the NCC has been strongly against children giving evidence in the same courtroom as their abusers.

The council's National Director, Ruby Padiwalla says, “too many cases of child abuse have been ineffectual in the past, due to the child’s inability to cope with the presence of their offenders in the same room where they are about to testify.”

A spokesperson for Space ‘95, the company responsible for the set up says, the equipment allowing for the link-up will be handled by the presiding judge of the day and are very user-friendly.

“The cameras cover four locations at a time and should allow the judge the advantage of projecting the angle of the courtroom he deems appropriate for the child testifying to see,” explained Andy Noel of Space '95.

NCC's request to relocate the courtroom where children normally give their evidence to their headquarters has been rejected.

“Although they financed all the equipment for the project, the judiciary strongly feels, such location should be independent of the child welfare organisation,” argued Melchior Vidot, who is the Registrar.

The video link set-up system has been endorsed by the Seychelles' judicial and the social development departments.