Employment, Immigration and Civil Status Myriam Telemaque led a delegation on a working visit to the Savoy Resort & Spa yesterday.

The objective of the visit was to interact with staff, get to know their views, challenges as well as benefits being offered in their workplace.

Secondly the visit was aimed at ensuring a better understanding of the on ground operations of the workplaces and to see whether they are abiding by employment regulations.

Speaking of the visit, Employment principal secretary Jules Baker said that Savoy being a new hotel of only four years old faces challenges when it comes to staff and human resources management as staff have indicated some deficiencies in the area of communications and a proper management structure for reporting and feedback.

"Savoy is a very nice hotel and the staff are happy to work here but there are HR issues that need to be dealt with in the immediate, medium and long-term as they feel that decisions are being taken without the staff being informed," Mr Baker said.

He explained that this is a common problem in some of the establishments visited and appealed to all workplaces to establish better communication procedures between management, human resources and staff members.

"This will help establish a structure where the employees will feel comfortable to bring forward their difficulties, views, suggestions and recommendations as we have seen in many instances where employees with a lot of work experience do not have the leeway to contribute towards the development of the organisation," Mr Baker said.

Yesterday was Minister Telemaque's third visit for this year which forms part of a series of visits which she started last year after being appointed as minister.

The visits are aimed at establishing better contact between the employment department and the working establishments.

Last year, Minister Telemaque carried out twelve visits to various workplaces across Mahé, Praslin, La Digue and Félicité island such as Casino Liberte, Global Supplies Centre, Seychelles Ports Authority (SPA), Air Seychelles, Ile du Port Handling Services (IPHS), Constance Ephelia Hotel and Resort, Le Domaine de L'Orangeraie and Six Senses-Zil Pasyon Resort Ltd.

Mr Baker added that following such visits, there are follow up visits done by an employment technical team to physically assess what the minister and her delegation have seen and heard and then a written recommendation and deadline to rectify the problems is sent to the organisation.

"The dozen of visits we've undertaken have been very fruitful as we had a structured work plan and a set of recommendations for organisations to follow. So far some have given very good feedback on the recommendations put forward by the department while others are in the process or restructuring. I am 85% happy with the ministerial visits," Mr Baker said.

Members of the ministerial delegation on the visit to Savoy Resort and Spa also included special advisor Veronique Bresson, technical advisor Susan Morel, director general for labour relations Steve Monnaie, director for special employment programme Letimy Dookley and other senior employment officers.

Minister Telemaque identifies active and consistent procedures as an absolute necessity if we want to enhance the implementation of development and localization at organisational levels. This was her firm message during her first visit to a tourism establishment that forms part of the industry, one of the main employments in the country.

The Minister of Employment, Immigration and Civil Status began the year 2018 ministerial visits as she visited the Carana Beach Hotel, along the North Coast Road. The hotel renowned for its luxurious environment retains a higher number of local workers at 63 to non-Seychellois workers at 33 attracting a commendation for the mentioned process put in place to provide ample opportunity for local workers. The hotel also retains a young workforce creating suitable training for young students from professional centres and assisting them develop a career which is in line with the minister's emphasis on the necessity for understudies.

The regular routine of ministerial visits begins with a brief introduction of the ministerial delegation to the administrative staff and the pre-scheduled tour of the premises. This provides the Minister with an opportunity to observe and interact with the workers at their individual work stations. After the tour, the ministerial delegation has a debriefing with the management of the hotel; during this session, the issues raised during the tour are discussed, commendations are made where good practices are observed, best practices are shared and support is provided for the workers and establishments in the form of proposed guidelines and monitoring.

The visit spurred positive feedback in line with the suitable salary scheme, development opportunities and pleasant management, so also did it raise concerns of which some were related to staff meals which the workers felt could be better and a more appropriate means of transportation for the workers that reside far from the hotel. The workers with fixed days off expressed their preference for a rotated off days arrangement. Also the unavailability of rest areas for workers with split shifts presented an inconvenience for the workers while waiting for their next shift to begin and finally the gardeners requested for more suitable and appropriate protective gears.

As a strategy for staff retention, the ministry advised the hotel management to conduct a more frequent tete-a-tete with staff in order to better understand, meet the needs and create job satisfaction among their workers. The ministry also proposed the introduction of a health and safety officer which the hotel is in the process of recruiting as well as more kitchen staff.

After the visit, the Minister expressed appreciation for their hospitality and satisfaction in the working conditions of the hotel.

The Minister of Employment Mrs. Myriam Telemaque reviews the state of affairs of the L'Union Estate on La Digue for a more cooperative and structured working environment.

The estate falls under the country's agricultural industry and it produces a wide range of plants from vegetables to spices as well as livestock. Situated on La Digue, it also presents a tourist attraction for the spacious environment and farm land. The estate employs a number of 82 workers of which 67 are local and 15 are non-Seychellois.

Previously visited on the 2nd of March 2017, the estate had some issues identified prior to that visit of which some were addressed.

The Minister during this visit was accompanied by a delegation on a tour of the estate observing the plant and livestock areas. She discussed with the workers at their work station and visited others at different stations encouraging them to work together and asking pertinent questions in regards to their challenges and opinion of their work. Generally the workers uttered satisfactory comments about the estate and how they enjoyed their jobs though there were crucial concerns raised on a number of topics such as inadequate level of support by management coupled with inequity in treatment of staff and insufficient staff welfare.

The estate employs an encouraging number of long service staff; having worked with the farm for an impressive number of years are that the ministry has pressed should be consolidated.

After the tour of the premises, the Minister held a meeting with the CEO of the estate and the Human Resource Manager during which the concerns raised were discussed emphasising the need for collaborative effort from both the workers and the management. The Human Resource Manager proposed a number of programmes she intends to consider which included a salary structure, team building activities, in-house training and a better staff welfare. This will create provision for a more structured operation, presenting a clearer pathway in the administration, fairness in treatment and a general improvement in job satisfaction.

Bangladesh's Minister for Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, Nurul Islam, is satisfied with the working environment of the Bangladeshi workers currently employed in Seychelles in various sectors such as construction, tourism and agriculture.

This follows an official visit by the minister during the weekend when he also visited the O'Nivo construction company at Providence and also Bangladeshi workers on a construction site at Ile Perseverance.

Minister Islam was accompanied by the Seychelles' Minister for Employment, Immigration and Civil Status Myriam Telemaque, the principal secretary for employment Jules Baker and other officials of the ministry.

There are around 2,200 Bangladeshi workers currently employed in various sectors from agriculture, tourism and construction in Seychelles and they are working tirelessly to grow the economy of Seychelles and at the same time provide to their families back home.

Speaking to the media after their visit, Minister Islam pointed out that he is satisfied how the Bangladeshi workers are being treated.

"The purpose of my visit is to oversee the working condition of the Bangladeshi workers at O'Nivo Construction company. I am really satisfied with their working environment and salaries. The workers are well treated, and really enjoy working in such a beautiful country. Obviously we will have to monitor their condition so that Seychelles can have more Bangladeshi workers," he said.

Minister Telemaque added that Bangladeshi workers are well treated in the country.

"We are really happy with the condition of the workers, and we will work hard to keep improving their daily stay in our country. The Bangladeshi minister also compared the working condition of the Bangladeshi workers here with other countries and we agreed that expatriate workers should be well treated," said Minister Telemaque.

One of the workers, Hassan Mahamudul, who is employed with O'Nivo Construction company, told the media that he enjoys working in Seychelles.

"Every two years I get a ticket to go back to Bangladesh for free. I am really pleased with my working condition and could not ask for more. I really appreciate that the Bangladeshi minister took the time to visit us," he said.

Owned by Hao Liu, O'Nivo Construction Company employs around 30 workers.

Before the site visit, the Bangladeshi delegation paid a courtesy call on Minister Telemaque at her office at the Independence House Annex, Victoria.

Minister Islam was originally expected in the country of Thursday night and was to hold meetings with Minister Telemaque last Friday, but his programme had to be altered as he had to stay much longer in Mauritius as Air Seychelles had stopped flying there for a short while because cyclone Berguitta left a trail of destruction across the island after battering it with the strength of a hurricane.

Third Human Resource Forum for the year 2017

The Ministry of Employment, Immigration and Civil Status held the third Human Resource Forum for the year 2017 on Thursday the 9th of November at the STC Conference room. As established, the Human Resource Forum is a platform for consultation and sharing of knowledge and best practices between Human Resource Managers and Directors from the private sector as a means of strengthening the partnership between the Ministry and the Private sector.

Two main presentations were made at the forum meeting. The first one featured the Occupational Health, Safety and Standard Awareness service provider, Mrs Tina Hoareau on the consultancy and training services on offer at S&S Consultancy. She enlightened the forum of the necessity for safety measures and the various services her consultancy can provide. The members of the forum had the opportunity to present their questions on the presentation.

The Forum was chaired by the Principal Secretary for the Employment Department Mr. Jules Baker and was attended by companies from different industries such as Construction, Hotels, Financial organisation and private businesses.

The second presentation was on the Seychelles Tourism Academy Training Forecast by the Senior Coordinator External Relations/Press Attache Mrs Murla Gabriel. This presentation spurred up an interactive discussion among the members of the forum from the hotels and tourism industry on their needs and requirements from the academy as well as their concerns of the curriculum content and how it affects their company. Also the academy was made aware of the needs the establishments present had.

The two presentations at the forum attracted interactive dialogue between members present on the issues raised both in terms of opportunities and challenges faced by the industry. They also recommended that similar presentations be welcome for subsequent meetings.

The next Forum is scheduled to take place in March 2018 and the venue remains the STC Conference Room.

85 youths get work skills through training schemes

Eighty-five young people have received their certificates after going through a skills development programme aimed at boosting their chances of securing employment.

The employment training programmes, which consist of both soft skills and on the job training, focus on different areas of employment, notably where there is shortage of labour in the country for example in the tourism industry, construction among others.

Every year three million is spent on the skills development programme to ensure that the participants acquire the necessary soft skills before they are placed in an organisation.

They received their certificates last Thursday during a ceremony at the International Conference Centre Seychelles (ICCS) in the presence of the Minister for Employment, Immigration and Civil Status Myriam Telemaque, the principal secretary (PS) for employment Jules Baker, the PS for youth and sports department Fabian Palmyre, the chief executive of the Agency for National Human Resource Development (ANHRD) Nadia Lauricourt, certificates recipients and parents along with other guests.

In his speech for the occasion, PS Baker said that such training is a learning process and is recognised to be very essential for the growth of the economy as well as increasing employment opportunities for job seekers.

"Youth unemployment remains one of the most challenging policy issues in the world today, because in many countries young people are still finding it difficult to secure a job and find one according to his or her own competencies and interest. The youth of Seychelles is also facing a similar challenge although we have recently observed an improvement regarding this situation. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the youth unemployment was 16.8 per cent in 2014 and in the second quarter of 2017 youth unemployment decreased to 11.8 per cent," he said.

He added that the government of Seychelles provides a lot so that the youths can have a better future.

"The progress made towards the position of the youths on the labour market today is due to various factors. The continued investment of the government of Seychelles in our youths, through various labour market policies and different schemes such as the skills development programme, has played a pivotal role. The participants are also provided with a training allowance, free bus and day care allowance to young mothers on the programme. This is an investment which increases the chances of participants remaining on the programme until the end and obtain the necessary skills and work experience for a future job," he said.

Orely Mothé, a student who has successfully completed the programme, stated that the training scheme provided her with all the necessary skills to tackle each challenge in her path.

"Currently I am working as an office assistant at ANHRD, the training provided me with better communication skills, ITC skills which will enable me to have a better future. It also gave me the motivation to go back to school, and in the future have my own small business," she said.

For the year 2016 to 2017, a total of 85 participants -28 boys and 57 girls -completed their training. The majority of the participants were trained in hospitality and customer service.

During the ceremony all the partners also received a token of appreciation from Minister Telemaque.

Those partners such as Kempinski, Hilton, Savoy, Laxmanbhai, Seychelles Breweries, Ephelia, Le Méridien Fisherman's Cove, Seychelles Postal Services, Abhaye Valabhji, Sunglower Daycare, Seychelles Tourism Board, Boat House and Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority, have all gone the extra mile to ensure that the scheme is a success and contributes towards the future of the nation.

The ceremony also saw a video presentation on the success stories of the trainees where they expressed their appreciation of the programme as well as their achievement.

Employment ministry calls for closer working dialogue with private sector

Employment, Immigration and Civil Status Minister, Myriam Telemaque has called for a closer working dialogue between workplaces and the Ministry with the aim of enhancing partnership with that sector of our economy.

Minister Telemaque launched the call during her visit to the Global Supplies Centre, based at the Free Trade Zone within the grounds of the Financial Services Authority (FSA) at Boise de Rose and that specializes in the importation and wholesale distribution of goods and other products sold to hotels, major tourism establishments and local retailers.

Accompanied by a delegation of senior officers from her Ministry as part of her on-going programme to enhance partnership with the private sector, Minister Telemaque was taken on a conducted tour of the premises and also met with the company's management and staff.

Issues raised by the staff focused on their monthly salaries, overtime, multi-tasking in their daily jobs, time-off requests to attend to their personal matters. The general observation after talking to the staff is that the company has been experiencing high staff turnover that have resulted on their heavy reliance on foreign workers.

In her meeting, Minister Telemaque explained that Ministry responsible for employment was taking a new approach to have a closer working dialogue and improve industrial relations within the private sector through consensual and understanding working relations for the betterment of workplaces.

"Today, my delegation and I have witnessed that you all work in a conducive and satisfactory working environment. The possibility for it to be further improved exist but that will come with both the management and staff coming together as a team and prepared to work closely with the Ministry responsible for employment," Minister Telemaque said.

She recommended with full assurance that her Ministry will provide its assistance to the management of Global Supplies Centre to work on an action plan in order to have in place a proper and effective human resource structure that will timely address issues that staff may have and determine a comprehensive localization of posts.

"My Ministry's vision is to ensure that there is good work relations between the employer and employee for the betterment of the company as the workforce contributes towards its commercial success" Minister Telemaque re-iterated.

Ministry of Labour and Human Resource Development
Press Release
Minister for Labour and Human Resource Development, Ms Idith Alexander attends the 104th session of the International Labour Conference, Geneva
Tuesday 9th June 2015

The Minister for Labour and Human Resource Development, Ms Idith Alexander is heading a tripartite delegation from Seychelles at the 104th session of the International Labour Conference, organized by the International Labour Organization in Geneva, Switzerland from 1st to 13th June 2015.

Minister Alexander addressed the Conference on Tuesday 9th June 2015, and focused her intervention on the report of the Director General of the ILO, Mr Guy Ryder entitled “The future of work centenary initiatives” and also on the main items on the agenda: “Facilitating transition from the informal to the formal economy” and “Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and decent and productive employment creation.”

Accordingly Minister Alexander stated that Seychelles as a small island developing state is also concerned with the future of work. “In appreciating our achievements, we are also mindful of our vulnerabilities. The persisting global challenges such as climate change on our shores, on our workers and businesses affirm that the labour market does not operate in isolation. Today climate change is not only about reducing environmental impact on society but it is also about protecting jobs, promoting renewable energy businesses and preserving the quality of life of a nation. The Government of Seychelles therefore remains active in the international community and we remain committed in creating new jobs namely through the diversification of our economy, particularly by the concept of the Blue Economy,” explained Minister Alexander.

Minister Alexander also affirmed that the Government of Seychelles will continue to strive for the formalization of SMEs. “The future of work for Seychelles will greatly depend on the love for our country, the determination of our people, the ambitions of our youth, the responsibility of workers, effective human resource management practices, productivity,entrepreneurship and sustainable businesses that generate decent jobs” explained the Minister.

The Minister also appealed to employers and workers to continue actively working together thereby building the future of work that we are all striving for.
The other members of the Seychelles delegation attending the ILO Conference are Ms Veronique Bresson, Principal Secretary for Labour and Human Resource Development, Ms Susan Morel, Director Policy Planning and Research, Mrs Michelle Labrosse, Executive Secretary of the Federation of the Employer’ Association of Seychelles and Mr Antoine Robinson, Secretary General of the Seychelles Federation of Workers’ Union.

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