January 20 2012 -- The President hailed the project for a new school on Ile Perseverance as another significant step for the development of the 'beautiful' village.

The foundation stone for the project was laid this morning by the Minister for Education, Employment and Human Resources, Macsuzy Mondon, at a ceremony attended by President James Michel, Vice-President Danny Faure, as well as dignitaries, residents of Ile Perseverance and their children.

During the ceremony, President James Michel and Principal Secretary for Land Use and Housing, Christian Lionnet, unveiled the project banner for a colourful and modern design for a Crèche with a student capacity of 180 and a Primary school for around 500 hundred students.

"I am very happy the project has started and that the residents of Ile Perseverance will have their own school in one year's time. The education of children needs to take place at home and also in their second home, the school. The community needs to play its role in educating the children. Having a good physical environment is important, but it is also important to concentrate on improving the school curriculum. I am very glad that civic education has been added to the curriculum this year, so that they learn good values and morals and become good citizens in the future, "said the President.

Following the ceremony, President Michel visited a project area for a new shopping complex, a coral fill stockpile for the construction industry, as well as houses which have photovoltaic solar panels, which are being tested for energy production.

" Ile Perseverance is developing into a beautiful village and there is scope for new commercial infrastructure that needs the participation of small and medium size entrepreneurs. They need better access to credit from the banks in order to be able to set up businesses, and if we don't help them to get these opportunities, these commercial areas will be dominated by big businesses," said the President.  

The President said that he was encouraged by the testing of solar panels by the Seychelles Energy Commission that he had seen during his visit to the village.

"The promotion of clean energy and renewable energy is one of my priorities in the next five years. I imagine that in the future solar power could become the primary source of energy on Ile Perseverance, if every household has one set of panels on its roof."

The President said that 300 families would receive keys to their new homes at Ile Perseverance this year, as the construction of houses is completed in different stages during the year. The President also visited several families to see how they had settled into their new homes and to hear their opinions about the services in the village.

The President visited a mother and her child, who has a severe disability, and donated a wheelchair for the child. The mother had written to the President seeking his assistance.

President Michel was accompanied on his visit of Ile Perseverance by the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sport, Vincent Meriton, the Principal Secretary for Land Use and Housing, Christian Lionnet as well as the District Administrator for Ile Perseverance, Denise Clarisse.  


Editor's Note

-    The Ile Perseverance Primary school will be receiving its first batch of students in the first term of 2013.

-    In total, three schools are planned to serve the future residents of Ile Perseverance; two Primary schools with their associated Crèche and one Secondary school. The Project is being financed partly by loans from BADEA (Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa), OFID (OPEC Fund for International Development) and the Government of Seychelles.