Designated Minister Ferrari makes familiarisation visit to IOT |11 December 2020
“From information given by the management, the company is doing well and when you do well, remember those who helped you do well and see how you can reward them and also see how you can open this factory to more Seychellois so that the wealth remains in the country.”
Designated Minister Jean François Ferrari, who holds the fisheries portfolio, made the statement after conducting his first familiarisation visit to the Indian Ocean Tuna Ltd (IOT) factory yesterday.
The aim of the visit was for him to bring his support and encouragement to the management and staff through their successes and challenges, while also to witness the work in progress.
Designated Minister Ferrari stated that he was happy with the visit and that he got a frank interaction with the management and with the workers on their daily jobs and remunerations.
He said IOT has been able to navigate the period of Covid-19 in a very efficient manner and that it will be able to deal well with other challenges which are being taken care of such as recruitment and fish availability in respect of quotas, among others.
Designated Minister Ferrari noted though that he would have liked to see more Seychellois working at IOT as at the moment the figure stands at approximately only 30% out of the 2,000 employed workers.
IOT remained open during the lockdown which saw an increase in production from 290 tonnes to 335 tonnes per day following the recruitment of a further 250 Seychellois on a six-month contract and on full time employment. Though some of them have left and others have decided to carry on working, IOT is at the moment processing 300 tonnes of tuna per day while it still remains open for recruitment as it hopes to process 350 tonnes in the future.
“I would have wished to see more Seychellois working and making a career at IOT, but it is not happening,” he said, noting that he had interacted with many workers who are very happy with their jobs and it is those types of people IOT needs for systematic localisation.
Accompanied by the principal secretary for the Blue economy Kenneth Racombo, chief executive of the Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA) Nichol Elizabeth and other representatives from the ministry, SFA and Blue economy department, Designated Minister Ferrari was given a tour of the canning factory by IOT general manager Ricardo Luzio and other senior representatives of the company. The visit included the fish cleaning area, assembly line, packaging area, store area and quality lab control among other areas.
With regard to remunerations, he said that though he recognises that IOT has done well in 2020, it is free to or not to abide by government’s recommendation for businesses who can afford to reward their staff this year.
“You will always get good workers if you look after them well,” Designated Minister Ferrari said, noting that he is not there to tell IOT if to reward its staff although it had done well.
The accompanying photos show Minister Ferrari and his delegation touring the factory.
Patrick Joubert
