The families in a souvenir photograph with President Faure and other guests on the compound of the new estate (Photo : Jude Morel)

Three blocks of flats, comprising 24 units of the Le Domaine Housing Estate, located at Au Cap, were yesterday presented to 24 priority applicants of the Housing Point System during a brief ceremony attended by President Danny Faure.

The keys to the units, comprising eight two-bedroom units and sixteen three-bedroom units, at a cost of R19.2 million, were yesterday presented to applicants, during the last housing estate opening ceremony for the year 2019.

To commence the ceremony, Minister for Family Affairs Mitcy Larue pronounced a speech on behalf of Minister for Lands, Habitat, Infrastructure and Land Transport (MHILT) Pamela Charlette, in which she commended President Faure on the initiative to construct 24 housing projects in 24 districts and reaffirmed the government’s commitment towards providing Seychellois families in need with social housing.

“The government, under the direction of President Faure, is working hard to ensure that the dream of each family to own their own house is realised, just as it is for 24 families today. Resources don’t permit us to assist all families at once but the government remains committed to continuously construct more houses for our citizens. It must be noted that not many countries have such housing programmes for their citizens,” Minister Larue stated.

Minister Larue continued on to urge all families to be responsible, respectful and courteous to their neighbours to ensure that the housing estate is one which is exemplary.

Following Minister Larue’s address, the families were presented with the keys to their respective dwellings before the plaque for the estate was officially unveiled by President Danny Faure.

President Faure also interacted with numerous of the new home owners accompanying them on a tour of the houses, all of which are furnished with features such as kitchen cabinets and built-in wardrobes, as well as outside sink units to facilitate the de-scaling of fish among other uses.

Au Cap’s District Administrator Fatimah Marie also pronounced a vote of thanks on behalf of all the residents of the new housing estate, expressing gratitude to the government for prioritising the needs of Seychellois families.

As the overjoyed families explored their new homes, a choir from MHILT animated the special moment with Christmas Carols.

Over the course of 2019, MHILT has assisted 302 families with houses through social housing. A further 100 homes are expected to be presented to applicants early 2020 as housing projects in Anse Boileau, Grand Anse Praslin, Bel Air and Pointe Larue near completion.

 [Source: Seychelles Nation]

A partial view of the housing units at the Orchid Village (Photo: Louis Toussaint)

A new housing estate, Orchid Village, located at the ex-Indian Ocean nursery at Barbarons in the Grand Anse Mahé district, was officially opened on Monday afternoon, although residents have been living in their houses for a year now.

The official opening ceremony was attended by the Minister for Habitat, Land, Infrastructure and Land Transport Pamela Charlette, the Minister for Family Affairs Mitcy Larue, the director general for Abu Dhabi Fund, Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, the chargé d’affaires of the United Arab Emirates in Seychelles, Ahmed Alneyadi, the residents of the housing estate and invited guests.

Orchid Village is one of three projects that have been made possible through a grant given by the Abu Dhabi government and administered by the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development.

The village consists of 42 units, 20 of which have two bedrooms and 22 three bedrooms in addition to a parking lot and a sewage treatment plant.

In her opening address Minister Charlette noted that construction of the 42 units in this estate was part of a much larger project that covered two other sites, one at Bel Ombre with 24 units and another at Takamaka with 40 units.

“As we now reach the completion of the housing project in Takamaka, it is an opportune occasion for us to have this ceremony today. The 106 units at all three locations have been made possible through a grant funding of R93 million,” said the minister.

She added that the success of the project was because of participation from two local partners, GIBB Seychelles Ltd and Mahé Design and Build.

“On behalf of the beneficiaries and the government of Seychelles I would like to express our appreciation to all those involved in the planning and construction of the village. Provisions for housing remains a priority for our government and we appreciate that our foreign partners acknowledge and support our efforts,” remarked the minister.

She urged the residents to make a special effort in keeping the village a pleasant living environment.

On his part Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi added that this project is yet another successful outcome of the good relations that exist between Seychelles and the UAE since 1976.

“We are proud to partner with the Republic of Seychelles in catering for the growing demand that is public housing. Abu Dhabi fund is pleased to strategically partner with Seychelles to support the development programmes and objectives,” said the director general.

Yves Choppy, principal secretary for infrastructure, added that a second phase is in the works where an additional seven units will be added. He noted that they are securing finance for the second phase to start.

Many residents of the housing estate also took this opportunity to address some of their concerns to the minister regarding some issues that they are facing at the village. These include lack of space and improper drainage for rain water.

Mr Choppy noted that these concerns will be taken up.

[Source: Seychelles Nation]

Prezidan Faure ek lezot envite dan en portre souvenir avek bann fanmiy ki’n benefisye avek sa nouvo proze lakaz

Rev 24 fanmiy Digwa i vin vre

Rev 24fanmiy Digwa pour annan zot prop lakaz ti vin vre yer. Zot in ganny zot lakaz dan kad proze 24 lakaz dan 24 distrik dan 24 mwan e Prezidan Danny Faure, linisyater sa proze, ti prezan pour temwanny sa seremoni remet lakle avek sa bann fanmiy.

Annefe sete Prezidan limenm avek Minis pour Lafanmiy, Madanm Mitcy Larue, ki ti devwal plak pour ofisyelman inogir sa nouvo housing estate.

Konstriksyon lo sa nouvo housing estate, nonmen L’Union Housing Estate ki’n kout par lao 34 milyon roupi, ti konmanse an Oktob lannen pase e in pran preski enn an pour konplete. Sa i konpri 24 lakaz trwa lasanm avek en larsitektir modern me ki toutfwa reflekte nou kiltir Seselwa. Bann lakaz in ganny konstrir avek bokou swen pour asire ki zot entegre avek lanvironnman L’Union Estate.

Dan son ladres avek bann lokater, Minis pour Lafanmiy, Madanm Mitcy Larue, ti dir:«Ser zabitan, ozordi nou pa zis pe donn zot lakle en lakaz me en zouti kle ki pou ed zot byen ankadre zot fanmiy e fer sa landrwa vin en lakour. Dan en tel lanvironnman, fanmiy i viv pli ere. Vwazen i santi zot anba mwens presyon apre en zournen travay e lazwa de viv i ganny santi par sa kominote.»

Minis ti osi ankouraz bann lokater ek bann ki ankor pe esper en lakaz pour kontinyelman reste a zour avek zot peyman. In ganny fer resorti dan en legzersis par departman lakaz dan bann distrik ki bokou fanmiy pa pe onor peyman zot ‘scheme lakaz’.

«Polisi gouvernman i kler e i pou reste enn kot sa ki bezwen lakaz i bezwen montre zot langazman pour pey zot scheme pour zot prop lakaz. Mon swe ozordi pour bann ki ankor pe espere, se ki zot kontinyen envestir dan zot lakaz, pey zot kontribisyon tou le mwan, annan enpe pasyans e gard zot lespwar o, gouvernman pa pou abandonn zot akoz zot pou ganny asiste dan bann prosen proze lakaz,» Minis Larue ti azoute.

Legzersis pour met bann aplikan lo sistenm pwen i kontinyel dan bann distrik. Sa legzersis ava donn Minister Labita, Later, Lenfrastriktir ek Transpor lo Later lenformasyon konkret lo bezwen lakaz parmi bann zabitan, pour meyer planifikasyon dan le fitir.

Lo non bann lokater, Manmzel Dora Morel ti remersye gouvernman pour en tel proze e ankouraz bann fanmiy pour pran byen zot responsabilite anver zot lakour ek zot fanmiy, pour asire ki sa nouvo housing estate i vin en bon vwazinaz kot lape, bon savwar viv ek respe i rennyen.

[Source: Seychelles Nation]

As it is customary each year, the Ministry of Habitat, Lands, Infrastructure and Land Transport together with its partners have put together an exhibition to showcase various accomplishments and development in the habitat sector.

“Every year since 1985, when it was first designated by the United Nations general assembly, World Habitat Day has been celebrated on the first Monday of every October. On this day we are asked to reflect on the condition of the living environment or our habitats focusing on the state of human settlement and on progress made, and persistent and new challenges for their sustainable development,” said Environment, Energy and Climate Change Minister Wallace Cosgrow who was delivering the address on behalf of Habitat, Lands, Infrastructure and Land Transport Minister Pamela Charlette who is on overseas mission.

The theme chosen this year for Habitat Week is ‘Frontier technologies as an innovative tool to transform waste to wealth’.

This year’s event is boosted by contributions of prominent partners of the ministry such as the Property Management Corporation (PMC), Land and Waste Management Agency (LWMA), Public Utilities Corporation (PUC) and the department of environment.

For the first time, as part of the celebrations Seychelles will see the presence of and involvement of officials from the UN HABITAT-GC secretariat. They will also take part in activities planned to mark this event.

To mark the exhibition which has been set up on the ground floor of Independence House, several departments of the ministry have set up stalls to exhibit their services.

The Public Utilities Corporation (PUC) had set up a stall to pitch their new product called the ‘customer dash board app’ that is an interactive app that will allow clients to manage their electrical and water consumption usage on the app instead of coming to the PUC office.

The ministry of environment was also present in showing one thousand recycled cans that had been compressed into a small block which could then be exported.

The Seychelles Planning Authority had also set up a stall in the shape of a house where they were displaying their plans for the future Victoria Water- front project which is expected to be completed in about 15 to 20 years’ time.

Once completed, the Victoria Waterfront project will provide Seychellois with a pedestrian-friendly waterfront which will be used as a public meeting place with designated areas for live entertainment as well as residential and retail spaces.

The accompanying photos show some of the stalls which form part of the exhibition and activities organised.

[Source: Seychelles Nation]