ASP’s Praslin office moves to Grand Anse |05 July 2023
Minister Ferrari and CEO Morin cutting the ribbon to officially open the ASP office at Grand Anse, Praslin
The Agency for Social Protection (ASP) has a new office on Praslin. It is located on the ground floor of the Pension Fund building at Grand Anse and will replace the current one at Baie Ste Anne.
The Grand Anse office was officially opened last Friday by Designated Minister Jean François Ferrari (in the absence of the Minister for Employment and Social Affairs, Patricia Francourt) and the chief executive (CEO) of ASP, Brenda Morin.
Minister Ferrari thanked all stakeholders for their presence especially the youth. This goes in line with the motto of ASP which is ‘Empowering you to empower yourself’.
He said he hopes the youth will understand the importance of working hard and empower their peers to do the same.
“ASP acts as a safety net for those who find themselves without a source of income for various reasons. It is to be a temporary assistance which aims to help you until you can improve yourself and get back to employment to contribute towards the country’s economy. But it should not be a permanent support,” Minister Ferrari expressed as he vowed the support of the government for social assistance and services.
In her address to the attendees, CEO Morin expressed; “Part of our strategy is to bring our services in a strategic location which is readily available to our customers. The presentation of the office is of high standards which will better help us attain our objectives and improve our level of service. At ASP, we aspire to show that we value our customers in how we present ourselves to them. This will portray how important our customers are to us and make them feel empowered to empower themselves.”
The relocation is part of ongoing efforts to bring maximum government services in one building. The new office will offer a more comfortable and convenient seated service. With the ASP’s new standard operating procedures (SOP) established in 2021, they expect to serve all guests in an equal and just manner for improved transparency.
The highlight of the ceremony was an interactive discussion with the students present, whereby they could gain more knowledge about various services and functions of the agency. The students, who included the Speaker of the Seychelles National Youth Assembly, Said Lesperance, showed much interest in the agency and will now share their newly acquired knowledge to their peers.
The mandate of the ASP is to ensure the provision of comprehensive social security services and social relief against vulnerability within the constitutional framework of Seychelles. This is achieved through 13 different benefits readily available to qualifying applicants.
The new office comprises a reception area, cashier station, offices, meeting room and an office for the Home Care Agency. It is expected to host the 6 ASP staff members that cater for the needs of both the Praslin and La Digue communities under the leadership of Marlene Folette.
Nadia Bedier
Photos by Romano Laurence
