Entrepreneurs learn more about legal aspects of business in Seychelles |11 July 2019

Mr Roselie conducting the training

Some 40 entrepreneurs are currently attending a two- day workshop on the ‘Legal Aspect of Business in Seychelles.’

This session, organised by the Enterprise Seychelles Agency, is being led by business consultant Peter Roselie at the Care House.

The two-day workshop is covering subjects pertinent to all small entrepreneurs such as contractual formation, pillars of a contract/offer and acceptance, intention to legally bound, how to write a business contract, bilateral and unilateral contracts, illegal contracts, remedies for breach of contracts, Seychelles investment code, consumer protection and fair competition act, licensing act, import permit among others.

Enterprise Seychelles Agency (Esa) chief executive Angelic Appoo stated that “Esa came into effect in August 2018, following the repeal of Senpa (Small Enterprise Promotion Agency). Since its inception, Esa has made numerous efforts to differentiate itself from its predecessor, given its new mandate. The agency no longer caters for only cottage industry businesses, but it has enveloped all micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) in all sectors under its umbrella. Section 5 (f) of the Enterprise Seychelles Agency Act, 2018 gives Esa the mandate to provide training, promotion and marketing services to MSME, in order to empower MSMEs and support and build on their skills and opportunities”.

She also noted that very often, businesses, individuals, employees, whoever and at whatever position they stand, tend to not pay enough attention to the contracts that they sign.

“We are sometimes overwhelmed to get that new job, excited because we got a new place to rent to start our business, ecstatic because we just got a better deal with a supplier, that we sign these contracts not knowing the consequences of breach of contract nor how much money we can save from the services of lawyers in the future,” said Ms Appoo.

“Business owners must effectively manage the legal aspects of running a business. Whether a company is just starting out or has been in business for years, basic legal guidance is a necessity in today’s business community. Over the next two days, there will be many facilitators to give you that basic legal guidance, such as the Fair Trading Commission, police department, Seychelles Licensing Authority, Seychelles Bureau of Standards, trade division, Procurement Oversight Unit, Seychelles Revenue Commission and of course private sector representatives,” added Ms Appoo.

Mr Roselie shared with Seychelles NATION that “unfortunately many people attach too much passion on the business they are doing and do not pay attention to the legal aspects of doing business. I help many Seychellois in setting up properly their business and also advise them. Together with Esa we found out that many businessmen were victims of just signing documents without understanding and reading it properly. We have come together to better equip the entrepreneurs”.

With the successful response from the entrepreneurs, soon such a programme will be done on Praslin and La Digue, according to the organisers.