The government will help the Catholic Church to train teachers in religious education and build two rehabilitation centres.

President James Michel announced this in his state-of-the-nation address, which he delivered before the National Assembly on Friday.

One of the centres will be on Praslin and the other on Mahe, he said.

"In our efforts to rehabilitate and reintegrate young people who have become victims of drugs, the government will

support the Catholic Church financially in building and renovating two rehabilitation centres - one on Praslin and another on Mahe," he said.

"Government will also provide an annual budgetary allocation for the running of these centres."

Mr Michel said the most serious of the country's challenges are drug abuse and drug trafficking.

"I refuse to accept that we, as a nation, cannot join forces and declare war on this scourge and eliminate it once and for all," he said.

"Violence, delinquency, prostitution, theft, crime, anti-social behaviour and other social ills in our society are often directly linked to substance abuse.

"This scourge is not only robbing our youth of their energy but it is also robbing our Seychelles of its future."

Mr Michel said there is serious work to be done by all politicians and the entire nation to eliminate this suffering.

"There is a need for a sincere and honest commitment. The fight against consumption and trafficking of drugs is not my fight alone. It is not the fight of the church alone, or the government alone," he said.

"It is a fight of all of Seychelles. It is a fight to protect our workforce. Drug addicts cannot work, and if we are unable to rescue our youths from drugs we will continually have to look for foreigners to do the work Seychellois can do.

"Each time a drug trafficker is taken to Montagne Posée, it is for me a victory for the youth of Seychelles. I commend the NDEA (National Drugs Enforcement Agency) and the police for the good work they are doing in this field.

"But the judiciary has to be more active in pursuit of the criminals who are destroying our young people.

"During 2010 there were 600 arrests linked to abuse and trafficking of drugs. Fourteen traffickers have been convicted.

 

"In spite of these successes, drug trafficking continues in Seychelles. Our youths continue to become victims of substance abuse.

"You know very well my position on this issue. It's zero tolerance! There can be no negotiations on the issue of drugs.

 I want to see our country, our children, kept away from drugs. I wish to see more effort at all levels to help free our youth and country from this scourge."

Mr Michel said reforms in education are entering a new phase with a community-based approach.

"School councils offer communities the opportunity to contribute to the educational lives of the children," he said.

"This is a good start. But we want to do more to get our communities moving. Let us aim for a community where all children are considered our children, where social ills are our common concern, where all the opportunities are seized on fully, and where the sense of 'my community' is my concern and is inculcated in the youngest to the oldest."

The President said as we move towards the Seychelles 2020 strategy, religious organisations and other institutions and agencies are invited to be part of the vibrant and dynamic communities.

"Your collaboration, along with the cooperation of all parents and children, is of utmost

importance in addressing the problems of discipline and delinquency in our educational

establishments," he said.

"It is in this context that the Ministry of Education is introducing civics education in all schools.

"The ministry will also increase the help it gives to the Catholic  Church for the training of teachers of religion in all schools. The moral and spiritual education of our children is indispensable in creating a society that is stable and solid.

"I take this opportunity to thank all those who are contributing to the promotion of moral, spiritual, cultural, family and volunteering values in our communities."

Mr Michel noted that recently the sisters of St Joseph of Cluny celebrated 150 years of service to the Seychellois people.

"On behalf of Seychelles and the Seychellois people I say a big 'thank you' to them," he said.