Local and global firms urged to work in partnership |29 November 2014

President James Michel has said that there exist opportunities for both local and international businesses to benefit by working in partnership.

President Michel was speaking to the media at the official launch of the first ever Food, Hotel Supplies and Trade exhibition to be hosted here.

The three-day exhibition, being held at the National Sports Council (NSC) hall at Roche Caïman, has been organised by CDC Events and Travels (Pvt) Ltd, a Sri Lankan event organiser with vast experience in such exhibitions, in collaboration with Senpa (Small Enterprise Promotion Agency), the Seychelles Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) and the Seychelles Tourism Board.

Countries taking part in the fair include Sri Lanka, Singapore, China, South Africa and of course Seychelles.

Besides President Michel, who was guest of honour at the event, others who attended included various ministers, the Sri Lankan high commissioner to Seychelles Rajatha Piyatissa and other local and overseas dignitaries.

Giving his impression on the event, President Michel said as Seychelles is developing very quickly, there is a framework in place which makes it possible to do business.

He said there are opportunities for both local and international businesses to benefit by working in partnership.

“The exhibition is an event that will continue with the aim of bringing more economic activities that our country needs,” said the President.

Officially opening the exhibition the Minister for Finance, Trade and Investment Pierre laporte, who was deputising for the Minister for Tourism and Culture Alain St Ange, said the exhibition was a very important event for all of us as we know for a while Seychelles has been going through a very important transformation of its economy. So there are opportunities for businesses for individuals and for all of us.

“Events like the one today provides us yet more opportunities to come together and share what we have to offer.

“In Seychelles we often talk about how to put foreign exchange earnings into the economy and I always say that one of the ways to do so is to increase and strengthen the linkages between the sectors like tourism and fisheries and the rest of the economy,” he added.

He expressed his pleasure at the decorated podium full of Seychelles produce like fruit and vegetables.

Welcoming all present at the event, the chief executive of Senpa Penny Belmont said such an event does not only provide us with opportunities to display what each of us has to offer to the tourism trade, but more than that it provides a platform for establishing contacts for setting up networks and developing partnerships  and long-lasting working relations.

“If some 80 companies from Sri Lanka, South Africa, Singapore, Dubai have deemed it fit to come all the way to little Seychelles to be part of this exhibition, it underlines the fact that today no market is too big nor too small, no country is too far as we have a rapid development and information technology whereby we have become a global village where communication is just a matter of phone call away, a video, an SMS or an email,” said Ms Belmont.

High commissioner Piyatissa described the exhibition as both a milestone and landmark event for Seychelles.

He said that all those gathered there want the event to be a success and for that they would make it work.

He also said he has suggested to the organisers to have it as an annual event and promote it in East Africa as he believes Seychelles can be a hub for exhibitions.

“Not only is Seychelles among the most beautiful countries, or the most beautiful country, it has a friendly government towards investors which make it easy to do business in Seychelles,” said the Sri Lankan HC.

He urged all to take advantage of that for a win-win situation between participants and the Seychelles.

Admitting that it was not an easy task to organise such an event especially as it is the first in Seychelles, the chairman of the CDC Events Imran Hassan expressed his thanks to the president, ministers and all those who contributed towards making the event a reality through their help and support.

The opening ceremony was preceded by presentations of gifts to President Michel from Senpa and CDC Events. The president and dignitaries then toured the different stalls and interacted with the exhibitors.

The International Food, Hotel Supplies & Trade Exhibition also comprises a culinary challenge where various competitions like cocktail creative coffee, artistic pastry, hot cooking, fruit and vegetable carving to name some, will take place.
 
The event will end with an award ceremony tomorrow.