Nisa management and staff welcome new CEO |03 February 2018

The National Information Services Agency (Nisa) management and staff gathered at the institution’s printing press division, the NISA Press at Bois de Rose Avenue yesterday afternoon to welcome the organisation’s new chief executive, Gerard Govinden.

Described by staff as a zanfan lakour, Mr Govinden was presented with his instrument of appointment on Thursday morning by President Danny Faure during a short ceremony held at State House.

In 2013, Mr Govinden was promoted to chief editor of the Seychelles NATION and a year later was appointed deputy CEO of Nisa. In September 2017, he became the acting CEO until Thursday when he was promoted to CEO. Nisa is the agency responsible for printing the Seychelles NATION newspaper.

As he said in his inaugural speech, Mr Govinden again stressed on the need for discipline by staff members in their work, something he sincerely believes in if an organisation or someone is to make progress.

“Like I said in my interview on the day of my appointment, and I say it again today, I am a person who believes in discipline. But we need every staff member to make Nisa move ahead,” said Mr Govinden.

On behalf of all staff, Thelma Estico, director of human resources and administration at Nisa, urged all staff to have respect for their new CEO even if he is a ‘Seychelles NATION born and bred’.

“I know he is a ‘zanfan lakour’ as we call it and we are used, for so many years, to call him by his name. But as from now on please do give him the respect he deserves as he is now our chief and address him formally,” she said to the agreement of all staff.

Mr Govinden becomes Nisa’s second CEO after Merline Volcère, who had been in the post since May 2010, retired in August 2017.