Radegonde joins Eden Island as new GM |04 February 2006

The announcement that Mr Radegonde - who spent less than a year at STB during which time Seychelles’ declining visitor numbers were turned around - is being taken on by the South African developers of the Mahe east-coast reclaimed land project was made on Friday afternoon.

Mr Radegonde had been nominated to take the post of Ambassador in the soon to be reopened Belgian Embassy, but has turned down the job in order to join the private sector and stay in tourism.

In a press release issued on Friday Mr Radegonde said, “I am very excited about my appointment as I believe that Eden Island is a unique development that will have a positive impact on the Seychelles community and its tourism sector.”

He also praised the company’s goal of, “a close working relationship and partnership with the Seychellois people.”

Mr Radegonde’s new employer, Eden Island Development Company, is in the process of finalising plans, working on drawings and the site layout for the first 120 units of over 450 luxury apartments, duplexes and villas on the reclaimed Eden island, to be sold as freehold properties, each with an individual boat mooring.

Construction of the causeway to link Eden island to Mahe is underway and the developers are hoping that the first units will be ready to be occupied by the end of this year.

CEO of Eden Island Development, Craig Heeger, is quoted in the press release as saying of Mr Radegonde, “We are extremely fortunate to have in our employ someone of such stature and experience and we are sure that this position will be as fulfilling and challenging a role to which he is accustomed.”