SCG personnel complete second basic training |06 December 2014

Twenty-one personnel of the Seychelles Coastguard (SCG) have successfully completed their second basic training.

They all graduated in a ceremony held yesterday at the Seychelles Defence Academy at Ile Perseverance in the presence of Foreign Affairs principal secretary Maurice Loustau-Lalanne, acting chief justice Durai Karunakaran, the commissioner of police Ernest Quatre and EUCAP Nestor head of mission, Etienne de Poncins.

The Basic Training programme which started in August and lasted for eight weeks is a foundational training programme for privates recruited to the SCG. The objective of this programme is to provide the participants with the required maritime knowledge and essential skills they need in order to perform their duties at sea.

“I am very proud to see the progress made and the sustainable results achieved by our partners in such short time. EUCAP Nestor is in Seychelles for only two years and in that time the Seychelles have become more and more a role model for maritime security capacity building for other countries in the region.

Seychelles now regularly sends staff to neighbouring countries to train and share their acquired knowledge,” said Mr de Poncins.

He said that EUCAP Nestor has worked closely with the SCG in developing programmes for this course and it was delivered jointly by EUCAP Nestor experts and SCG trainers. It is a comprehensive programme covering the full range of Coastguard functions and it could become a role model for other countries in the region. The programme included modules such as maritime domain awareness, Seychelles maritime regulations and legislation, seamanship and navigation, marine engineering, maritime safety, maritime security, crime scene investigation and evidence handling, environmental response, and fisheries enforcement.

Lieutenant Colonel Simon Laurencine from the SCG talked about the collaboration of EUCAP Nestor and the SCG. “The support extended to us by EUCAP Nestor has no doubt contributed a great deal in building capacity within the SCG. The support started first by the deputation of EU experts to Seychelles specially attached to the SCG and thereafter by various means such as capacity building through trainings and exercises, donation of a fast response craft and different other types of instruments and equipment.”

He also congratulated the 21 participants saying: “The force needs you and has done the necessary part to impart the knowledge you require to be professionals in your services as seaman, it is indeed your future and all depends on each and every one of you.”

During his visit, Mr de Poncins also handed over to the SCG some equipment comprising hull fenders, life jackets and ballistic flotation life jackets.

He also met top officials including the Minister for Home Affairs and Transport Joel Morgan, Chief of Defence Forces Brigadier Leopold Payet, the Attorney General Rony Govinden, acting CJ Karunakaran and Police Commisioner Quatre to discuss maritime security capacity building with Seychelles and international partners.

He also handed over a scanner/printer, 10 laptops and docking stations to the Commanding Officer of the Seychelles Air Force.