Local divers share their exploits with President Ramkalawan |14 August 2021

President Ramkalawan interacting with the three divers (Photo: Louis Toussaint)

Local divers involved in a SeyCCAT funded project to clean the sea floor around Mahé yesterday met with President Wavel Ramkalawan to share their exploits and speak on the environmental issue at hand.

Since early month, Dominique Thelermont, Mervin Cedras and Marcus Quatre have been diving and cleaning up polluted areas, starting in the area off Providence, picking up an astonishing amount of trash.

The divers have over 13 years of diving experience and are usually in the business of diving for sea cucumbers during the harvesting season.

Their project is being filmed for a three-part documentary, also funded by SeyCCAT, showcasing the types of materials collected in the sea and raising awareness on the need to protect the oceans and keep trash out of it.

President Ramkalawan’s meeting with the three divers yesterday was an opportunity for the president to provide his contribution to the video.

“We presented our project to the president and we discussed on our vision and mission for the project so that we raise awareness on the impact of pollution in the sea. We would hope that, with his support and voice, he can help simplify this message to the public and across the world,” stated Mr Quatre following their visit with the president.

On his part, Mr Cedras noted that they also made the president aware of some of the setbacks they are facing and that the president in turn committed to assist them where possible.

“The president even took up our suggestions for him to launch the World Ocean Clean-up initiative,” added Mr Cedras.

Most of the trio’s challenges are in regards to logistics and to that effect they urged the business community in Seychelles and individuals to assist them.

“We are not asking for financial help but more in terms of logistics, such as a small office where we can touch base and put our data in order,” stated Mr Cedras.

Once the clean-up project comes to an end, Mr Thelermont noted that the trash will be documented and made available to artists, school children or any other interested parties who would wish to reuse them. The rest will be placed on the dumping site.

The project aims to take only six months and will cover sites that have more traffic and is expected to have more trash.

While the first phase is off the coast of Providence, the second phase of diving will be at Perseverance followed by a third phase at Glacis and Bel Ombre.

Elsie Pointe