Police rewards staff and retirees |26 September 2019

The Seychelles police force yesterday hosted a long service medal award and certification ceremony as part of its commemoration of the Seychelles Police Day, which is being observed throughout this week.

The event was attended by Designated Minister Macsuzy Mondon, Minister for Home Affairs; Commissioner of Police Kishnan Labonte; deputy commissioners Romano Songor and Ted Barbe and special advisor to the minister Sheryl Vengadasamy.

A group of police officers from the elite unit received certificates for the completion of a recent First-Aid training. Their certificates were picked up by one of their colleagues.

Meanwhile five officers from the Anti Narcotics Bureau (ANB) were presented with their certificates after having successfully completed a one-month course on imprinting of cocaine for dogs and dog handlers.

The ANB officers were Jose Benoiton, Samad Zelia, Travis Victor, Rigie Onezia and Mathias Anacoura.

Newly trained in explosive detection, dog handlers Dereck Joseph, Terrence Barbe and Lindsay Bamboche from the Police Dog Unit were also presented with their respective certificates yesterday.

The force also presented its recent retirees with rewards and tokens of appreciation during the ceremony.

The retirees were Rolly Nourrice, retired at the age of 60 last year after having served the force since 1976 and who left the force as a sub-inspector; Williana Kilindo, who initially joined the national guard before joining the force as a special senior constable in 2008 and Antoine Victorin who retired in December 2018 after devoting 42 years of his life to the force.

Harry Gamatis however was the retiree who had served the most years, having been with the force since 1972 when Seychelles was still under British rule.

He has worked at the Mont Fleuri police station, the court, the Intelligence Unit and the police force’s special branch.

“My biggest accomplishment in the police force has been working hard, discipline and obeying orders.”

“I had to overcome a lot of challenges. I have been through the coup d’état, mercenaries and rebels. I have worked with two governors and three presidents,” he highlighted.

“I loved my job but the time had come for my retirement. I was asked to stay on but I did not want to by then.”

Last to be recognised during the ceremony were long-serving police officers who had served 15, 25, 35 and 40 years.

A total of twenty-one officers clocked 15 years received their medals, four officers were rewarded for their 25 years of service, three others for 35 years of service and another three were presented medal for having served over 40 years.

Assistant Superintendent (ASP) Abraham Essack for instance has served 42 years in the police force and plans to retire in three years.

ASP Essack has been injured two times over these four decades.

“You need to have determination, devotion and discipline to be a police officer. If you are not disciplined and love for it, you will never become a policeman. This was my first job as a young 18-year-old and I have continued with this career up until now.|

ASP Essack has urged youths who are disciplined and responsible to join the force in order “to replace the old blood”.

The accompanying photos show some of the groups who were rewarded yesterday.