Minister Fonseka conducts visits on Praslin and La Digue   |21 March 2023

Commends employees for their hard work

The Minister for Internal Affairs, Errol Fonseka, last Friday visited various offices, stations and departments both on Praslin and La Digue that fall under his portfolio. The aim of the visit was to meet with employees working in the various departments and also follow up on ongoing projects.

Minister Fonseka’s stop included the La Digue police station, which was under renovation, and is now in the final clean-up stage before re-opening. The Minister was accompanied by the Commissioner of Police, Ted Barbe and his delegation.

Minister Fonseka stated the work was well done and the space should be utilised to the best of its ability. The station has a newly renovated office space, detention cell and reception area, which will greatly improve the service the police provide to the La Digue community.

The minister also visited the Seychelles Fire and Rescue Services Agency (SFRSA) station where he was greeted by the deputy Chief Fire Officer Jones Madeleine. During their discussion, Mr Fonseka pledged his continuous support to the SFRSA through future projects, which will focus on capacity-building and ensuring that the workplace are equipped with the necessary tools.

The minister also spoke of plans to extend the collaboration with the Seychelles Police for search and rescue operations, especially on La Digue.

His last stop was the Immigration and Civil Status office where he explored the possibility of relocating and upgrading the services offered by the office. The principal secretary for Immigration and Civil Status, Alain Volcère, accompanied the minister and spoke of reviewing the way the service on La Digue is delivered.

The department is planning on upgrading the speed of service and availability of the services required.

On Praslin the minister visited the Immigration and Civil Status offices where he met with the officers and thanked them for their hard work. The minister, accompanied by the principal secretary, was then given a tour of the offices, including the room used to celebrate weddings.

Minister Fonseka stated that the rooms were well set-up for the services offered and congratulated the team and took onboard their suggestions and feedbacks to improve workflow.

He concluded his visit at the SFRSA station where he was given a tour of the facilities. The station is better equipped for training, which is a requirement for the firefighters.

To conclude the visit he met two female firefighters who have also been trained to work within Emergency Operation Centres (EOCs) if and when activated.

The minister highlighted the importance of safeguarding the island from forest fires as protected areas on Praslin are crucial to the tourism industry and the economy.

The accompanying photos show some highlights of Minister Fonseka’s visits.

Contributed