SIB officials visit Praslin, explore business development possibilities on the island |02 February 2022

Anne Rosette, the chief executive of the Seychelles Investment Board (SIB), and other officials recently visited Praslin to explore various areas with potential for business development on the second largest island.

Key representatives of the Grand Anse and Baie Ste Anne district authorities accompanied Ms Rosette and her delegation on their first such visit to the island.

During a meeting with the island’s district authorities different areas of interest were identified.

“Praslin, compared to other places, has lots of potential and we should be able to develop these potentials in the interest of the inhabitants and communities of the island to give them the opportunity to develop and flourish,” Ms Rosette said after the meeting.

She noted that many opportunities exist and a lot can be done as have already been identified with district authorities.

“Together with district authorities we will continue the discussions while we explore ways to provide more opportunities to the people of Praslin,” Ms Rosette pointed out.

The SIB and representatives of the Praslin districts’ authorities then visited a site at Marie Jeanne where it has been proposed that a number of artisanal kiosks be built for small businesses on the island. 

The delegation’s next stop was at Côte d’Or to inspect a plot of land which had been for a long time back earmarked for tourism development but has remained idle for many years. There are 10 plots of land available there for tourism related projects and a proposition has been tabled for the plots to be put on tender so that interested entrepreneurs can come forward to consider investing in such developments.

Ms Rosette highlighted that such developments will help create jobs for people on the island where there are not many job opportunities in the public sector.

“It is the private sector that will drive economic development on the island and this is why we are encouraging people to become entrepreneurs to further develop their island. We have also received a lot of ideas from people on the island who have for a long time been waiting for support to realise their projects and we have assured them that we will be there in the coming months and we will do our best to assist them in realising their projects,” Ms Rosette pointed out.

Also at Côte d’Or another site near the beach earmarked for the building of artisanal kiosks was also visited.

The delegation ended its visit touring the waterfront at Amitié.

The accompanying photographs show Ms Rosette and her delegation during their visits on Praslin.

Compiled by Marie-Anne Lepathy