Seychelles and India sign MoUs for high impact community projects |26 November 2022

(L to r) HC Pande, Minister Radegonde, Minister Rangasamy and Minister Hoareau (Photo: Joena Meme)

• Three districts to benefit with feeder roads

By Patsy Canaya

Around sixty families living in Cascade, Pointe Larue and Anse Aux Pins will benefit with three access roads that are expected to be completed before the end of 2023.

The access roads, namely Petit Paris in Cascade, Adela Road in Pointe Larue and Bodamier road in Anse Aux Pins, are being financed under the High Impact Community Development project of the Indian government for Seychelles.

Yesterday afternoon, two memoranda of understanding for the projects were signed at the Foreign Affairs department by the Indian high commissioner, Kartik Pande; the Minister for Foreign Affairs & Tourism, Sylvestre Radegonde; the Minister for Land and Housing, Billy Rangasamy; and the Minister for Local Government and Community Affairs, Rose-Marie Hoareau.

The Petit Paris access road project falls under the Ministry of Land and Housing and Minister Rangasamy described yesterday’s signing as a special event since the project has been on the table for a while.

He said it would benefit around eleven families, who have been climbing several stairs to get to their houses.

“On behalf of the government of Seychelles, we want to thank a special friend, India, for making this happen. We will see the project come to fruition very soon and the team at the ministry is very excited to execute the project,” he said.

Minister Rangasamy added that the opening of the road will further boost development in the area as it will allow his ministry to have access to an area where it plans to build two additional blocks of flat.

For her part, Minister Hoareau said the two projects that fall under her ministry will bring a better quality of life to around twelve families living along Adela Road and around thirty others residing in Bodamier area.

She said they had long awaited the materialisation of the two feeder roads and it was a pleasure to finally sign the MoU.

She thanked the Indian government for its generosity.

“We look forward to other High Impact Community Development projects which had already been submitted by my ministry and which are currently under appraisal.

It is wonderful news that we have been able to sign the MoU for the two feeder roads and we look forward to benefits the other community projects will bring,” said the minister.

The Adela Road in Pointe Larue started in 2017 and was partly completed. According to Minister Hoareau, there are 127 metres to be completed whereas the Bodamier one in Anse Aux Pins is 330 metres long and negotiation for its construction started early last year.

The construction will be overseen by the Seychelles Infrastructure Agency and the projects are expected to be tendered out during the first quarter of next year. Work is expected to last between six to eight months for all three access roads.

HC Pande reassured the local authorities that due to the importance of these projects that will be serving communities, he will ensure they are completed within a short time-frame.

He has also reiterated his government’s commitment towards similar projects.

“Our endeavour will be they are implemented at the earliest dates possible. The government of India focuses on high impact community projects so we will definitely have others next year, and of course we will have to get some proposals. Some are already in the work and will go through our system but I am hopeful we will be able to continue next year and further,” said HC Pande.

It should be noted that a third MoU with the Ministry of Education will be signed at a later date.