The Minister of Employment, Immigration and Civil Status, Mrs. Myriam Telemaque, has emphasized on the importance of effective communication in working organization as it provides employees with the opportunity to share ideas and discuss challenges that they face.

The Minister was speaking after her visit at Skychef Servair, as part of her agenda to maintain a closer relationship with working organisations to ensure that there is workplace stability for the continued development of our economy.

Skychef Servair, based at the Seychelles International Airport has 280 employees.

During her visit, the Minister highlighted the importance of having regular meetings where employees have the opportunity to share ideas on how to improve their workplace." Workers will have a sense of belonging and will take ownership of their activities", said Minister Telemaque. She added that an open line of communication also allows for issues to be addressed in a timely manner instead of it festering into frustration creating a non-conducive working environment. "Lack of communication brings uncertainty and the staff gets restless which is not good for productivity," explained the Minister.

The Minister has said that Skychef needs to look at ways to keep their employees motivated and additionally invest in equipment to ensure that they deliver according to standards required and also achieve their targets.

"When you have a workforce who is happy and motivated, productivity will be very high and the working organization stands to benefit," said Minister Telemaque.

The Minister commended Skychef for the fact that they have a good number of long serving staff and that the Company should look at ways and means to continue to improve their retention strategy to ensure that these employees keep working for them and new ones to stay with them for a long time.

As customary, the actions agreed upon, from the visit, will be followed through by officials from the Ministry of Employment to ensure that they are being implemented.

Success stories of seven dedicated workers

This is the sentiment echoed by seven devoted men and women who have come a long way in their chosen career in the tourism industry.

They were part of the localisation plan that the Ministry of Employment, Immigration and Civil Status has in place with different workplaces employing foreign workers.  The localisation plan is where a Seychellois works alongside a foreigner in a supervisory or managerial position to learn the job so that he or she can eventually replace the foreigner.  With our limited resources we have to a certain extent rely on the help coming from outside our country so that our economy can continue to progress.  The government continues to invest in the development of its people in order to have quality labour to meet demand.

The Ministry of Employment, Immigration and Civil Status wishes all of them continued success in their chosen career and encourages others to keep striving to achieve their goals.

The following are the profiles of the seven Seychellois workers.

'My parents have always supported me in every decision that I make'

Name:  Yanick Harrison

Employer: Raffles Hotel

Post: Food & Beverage Supervisor

“I decided to take up a career in the tourism industry as it provides opportunities to show some of the unique and special features of our country, thus providing new experience to guests. I started my career as a waiter with Raffles Hotel on Praslin in 2015 straight after completing my studies at the STA (Seychelles Tourism Academy). 

“It was the quality of my work and the fact that I am always ready and eager to learn and help others that got me the promotion to the post of Food & Beverage Supervisor in October 2017.  It took me only two years to get where I am at. It has not been easy especially since I am from Mahe and still relatively young but thanks to the support of my family and the company I have made it. 

“The process of understudy to eventually take over the post is challenging as you have to prove yourself to the management. I find it challenging at times when the resort introduces new processes to implement but I always find ways and means to overcome as I keep a positive mind. 

“My dream is to someday become a manager. I know that with some perseverance I will get there. For now I would wish to get some exposure at a Raffles branch overseas in order to widen my knowledge and learn new skills.

“My advice to those hoping to advance in their career is to follow your heart and keep striving until you reach your goal”.

‘If you devote yourself to what you want to achieve in life you can surely accomplish anything’

Name: Dominique Larose

Employer: Raffles Hotel

Post: Assistant Housekeeping Manager

“Since secondary school I knew that I wanted to work in the field of tourism. It all started when I joined Raffles Hotel on Praslin as my first experience.

“I was in the post of Front Office Supervisor at first, however after training in the housekeeping department I found myself to be more enthusiastic and interested to continue my career in this field. I studied atSTA from 2010 to 2012,then proceeded to do my degree to become a Shannon graduate in 2015.From there on I started my career as a Housekeeping Supervisor until I was promoted in May 2017 to the post of Assistant Housekeeping Manager, taking over from a non-Seychellois. 

 “I have always been a person who faces any challenge in a positive way. I try my hardest to ask questions that will help me in my daily duties. Treating everyone fairly and accepting criticism are my strongest points but most importantly it is my self-motivation and the support of my family and the hotel that has got me to where I am today. It has not been an easy road as the more you move up the more challenging the work becomes. 

“My message to colleagues and others looking at making it in life is to take every challenge as a way to cross to the other side. Take criticism positively and make sure you are happy in your work so that you can deliver a high level of service”.

‘Patience is a virtue’

Name:  Medna Latulipe 

Employer: Avani Hotel

Post: Learning and Development Manager

“I have been in the tourism industry for five years; at the age of 18 I started at the Seychelles Tourism Academy and I have worked in Avani for three years. After my two-year studies at STA I worked in a bank for three years after which I realised the banking job was not what I really wanted to do so I went back to the hotel.

“That was when I actually found out about the Hotel Management course at STA. After my degree at Shannon College I started in the position of Learning and Development Officer with Avani. Soon after I was promoted to the post of Learning and Development Manager.

“As Learning and Development Manager, my duties are to ensure that the whole team is receiving the appropriate training and their development plans are in place, to ensure their performance appraisals are completed on time and to identify talent. I find the job quite challenging as the ability to get people to attend trainings alongside their busy schedule is quite a challenge. To prepare for the training can also be challenging as I have to find various ways adults learn.

“During the understudy process, I received a lot of support from my supervisor which made it a very positive experience. For those coming into the plan, patience is a virtue; things do not happen overnight, motivate yourself, go the extra mile and you will be successful in life. I aspire to someday own my own training consultancy as I have a drive to develop Seychellois”.

‘My supervisor did not restrict me to only one skill in the hotel’

Name:  Alyse Athanase 

Employer: Avani Hotel

Post: Outlet Manager

“I have been working in the tourism industry for roughly 10 years now. I started off in Mauritius as a spa therapist. In 2015, I applied for a job as a spa therapist in Seychelles but was told the post was occupied though there was an opening for a waitress so I took it.

“Over some months I was promoted to outlet supervisor. This position led me through months of training and encouragement after which I was promoted to my present position as Outlet Manager.

“My job entails the ability to keep my staff up to date with changes in the hotel, feedback and training. The job also has its challenges as I work with various people of different nature and the management of people can pose a challenge.

“The understudy process was quite interesting for me as my supervisor exposed me to different departments and did not restrict me to only one skill in the hotel.

“My advice to those aspiring to occupy management positions is that whatever challenge you are faced with you need to handle it. Supervisors see your hard work and they acknowledge it even if you think it is a minor job.

“In the future, I would like to get more training and who knows? I might rise to F&B Manager, maybe I could even run my own business and my own restaurant someday”.

‘The understudy process was very positive as I learned supervisory roles’

Name:  Priscilla Monthy 

Employer: Constance Ephelia Resort

Post: Junior Assistant Restaurant Manager

“I have been in the tourism industry for 10 years and with Constance Ephelia for eight years.  I studied food and beverage at thee STA. I started as an F&B Attendant with my present employer and after some training I was promoted to different positions until my last promotion to the post of Junior Assistant Restaurant Manager. Generally my duties involve the delegation of duties and ensure the smooth running of the restaurant through supervision.

“It was my F&B Manager who is a foreigner who approached me about the localisation plan.  I felt, as a Seychellois I was being given a chance; it was frightening but also exciting. The understudy process was very positive as I learned supervisory roles and to organise people, which can be tough. I find my job exciting, interesting and challenging.

“I advise those who are on the plan and those who will be put on the plan in the future that even if work is hard and there is a lot to learn, do not give up. Take the opportunity because it will be a good thing in the future.

“For me, the next step will be to become an Assistant F&B Manager even if it will be challenging but with support I can do it”.

‘The localisation plan to me is a great idea to groom young Seychellois’

Name:  Fabienne Tirant 

Employer: H Hotel

Post: Guest Experience Manager

“I started at H Hotel in 2015 as a sales coordinator but prior to that, I have done quite a number of internships so we could say I have spent five years in the tourism industry.

“It all began when I finished school in 2010, not being so sure what I wanted to do but I knew I was a people-oriented person. I attended a hotel school in Switzerland in 2011.

“The localisation plan to me is a great idea to groom young Seychellois who are exposed to some skills. It is also a good way to bring some of the local graduates back. From the understudy process, I gained independence and resilience.

“My promotion to Guest Experience Manager came after some few years of hard work and dedication. On a day-to-day basis, I work with a team of four people; I have to go through what they have to do, I approve what is assigned to rooms, interaction with guests and feedback. I also do check-ins when reception is busy. I work on projects to improve the service of our guests and I deal with guests’ requests by emails. I quite find my job very exciting to be honest.  Some of the skills I have achieved so far are time and people management.

“For those who will be put on the programme I urge them to stay focused and be very ambitious.

“As for me, in the future I would eventually like to be a resort manager or a general manager but in the nearer future maybe the Front Office Manager”.

‘I aspire to become a resort manager or even a general manager someday’

Name:  Georgina Henry 

Employer: Four Seasons Resort

Post: Executive Administrative Assistant (PA to the General Manager)

“As a student I began studying  accounting and got a job with Barclays Bank and it was at that point that I decided banking was not for me so I changed  and applied for a job at North Island where I was employed in the laundry and housekeeping.

“On my return to Mahe, I applied at Four Seasons where there was only the post for a casual worker in the laundry so I took it. From that post there was a promotion and I was moved to supervisor after which I returned back to the laundry and handled the post of host as well.

Back then there was an English General Manager who encouraged me to apply for the post of Resort Assistant Manager. I did not know how to be a manager but I was self-motivated and supported by very encouraging colleagues to reach where I am today as the Executive Administrative Assistant (PA to the General Manager).

“For those who will be coming up in the localisation plan I will tell them; if you want something, you have to work for it. Do not expect anything to come to you on a silver platter. If you do not work yourself for it you will never get it.

“I aspire to become a resort manager or even a general manager someday”.

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 Myriam Telemaque, Minister of Employment, Immigration and Civil Status joined Ministers of Employment and Labour Sector (ELS) and Social Partners for the South African Development Community (SADC) ELS meeting, held from 26th of February to the 2nd of March 2018 in Cape Town, South Africa.

The SADC being an inter-governmental organisation with the goal to further socio-economic cooperation and integration hosted 14 member States for the meeting during which they received presentations by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), International Organisation for Migration (IOM), SADC representative as well as the incoming ELS Chairperson from Namibia whose presentation discussed the ELS priorities for 2018-2019. The strategic and policy dialogue held at the meeting focused on the combination of SADC laws, Labour Migration in the SADC region as well as global supply chains, of which the Seychelles is very well aware of. This dialogue provided the countries present at the meeting with a broader perspective to labour laws within and outside their countries.

The dialogues at the meeting served to solidify the continental and international commitments by the SADC preparing member States on issues to be discussed at the African Union (AU) and ILO sessions. In August 2018, Namibia will assume Chair of SADC therefore they will host the 2019 ELS meeting.

The Declaration of the SADC Ministers for Employment and Labour and Social Partners will serve to contribute immensely to an integrated future for the region by explaining the various ways and approaches to foster collaboration within the SADC countries. This will aid the reduction of unemployment, inequality and poverty through unemployment policies; in the long run facilitate inclusive economic growth for all member states.

Finally, Minister Telemaque formally engaged the Minister for Labour of the Republic of Mauritius, Hon. Soodesh Satkam Callichurn in a discussion on the excellent bilateral ties and strong bond between the government of Seychelles and the government of Mauritius. A study tour in Mauritius will be part of the Ministry of Employment, Immigration and Civil Status' future activities for the Ministry's institutional capacity building.

Minister Telemaque was accompanied at the meeting by the senior cooperation officer at the employment department, Melissa Duffets, and the secretary general of the Seychelles Federation of Workers' Union Antoine Robinson.

Recommendations from a two -day workshop will be proposed to the employment department to contribute towards the implementation of a national framework to help improve decent work and economic growth in Seychelles.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 8 national indicators framework workshop being held at the International Conference Centre was opened yesterday and is being hosted by the Ministry of Employment, Immigration and Civil Status (MEICS) and the International Labour Organization (ILO).

Dr Coffi Agossou, a senior ILO labour statistics specialist is the facilitator of the workshop, the objective of which is to assess the availability and reliability of data related to the SDGs labour market indicators under ILO standards.

Dr Agossou has been providing his technical expertise as part of the review of the labour market to the employment department and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) since 2014.

The workshop was officially opened yesterday by the technical advisor of the employment department, Susan Morel who said the recommendations will address the data gaps between the requirement of SDG Goal 8 and statistics being collected by the national statistical information systems.

"The SDG Goal 8 hence presents an opportunity for us as a member state to assess progress made on the labour market and to assist policy makers in introducing the necessary measures to address development challenges, through the use of evidence-based data," Miss Morel said.

She said it will also guide the Employment Department to better align its data collection tools of its labour force surveys and employment statistics with international standards.

"Through the effectiveness of labour market policies, the success of Goal 8 will help to contribute towards the achievement of objectives in other SDG goals such as poverty reduction, gender equality among others," she said.

Dr Agossou said that during the two-day workshop, the stakeholders will be sensitised on SDG 8 national framework indicators and how to report and strengthen the technical capacity of the staff of the NBS, MEICS and other stakeholders who will be involved in this year's quarterly labour force survey (QLFS) data collection and SDG 8 report writing.

Representatives from the Ministry of Health, Seychelles Revenue Commission (SRC), Ministry of Finance, Trade and Economic Planning (MFTEP), Central Bank of Seychelles and trade unions are attending the workshop.

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.

The Minister of Employment, Immigration and Civil Status Ms Myriam Telemaque, undertook twelve Ministerial visits throughout the year 2017 to various workplaces covering different Industries such as retail, manufacturing, transportation but mostly tourism on Mahe, Praslin, La Digue and Felicite. These visits were part of her ongoing agenda to consolidate strong partnership with the private sector and to provide support to companies as well as employees to ensure stability thus continued economic development and sustainability.

During these visits, the Minister is usually accompanied by a delegation of senior officers responsible for various aspects of employment. The visits usually comprise of a tour of the premises and brief interactions with members of staff at their work station and finally a briefing with the management to discuss the way forward.

In this centre spread we provide a review of some of the visits undertaken last year and highlight some good practices and achievements that have come as a result.

A brief overview of the workplaces visited:

1. Casino Liberte

The Casino Liberte at Baie Lazare was visited on the 18th August. It officially opened its doors in October 2016 and employs staff comprising of 35 locals and 21 non-Seychellois.

 2. Seychelles Breweries

The country's local brewery also received a visit from the Minister where she expressed her satisfaction generally of the working environment and conditions. Seychelles Breweries has been in existence since 1973 and presently employs 134 locals and 5 non-Seychellois workers.

3. Global Supplies Centre

With the aim of creating a closer working dialogue and ensuring equal opportunities among workers, the minister visited the Global Supplies Centre which specialises in importation and wholesale distribution of goods. GSC employs 30 locals and 35 non-Seychellois workers.

 4. Seychelles Ports Authority

The Minister's visit to the Seychelles Ports Authority gave her an insight on the developmental plan of the ports so that an effective workforce plan could be formulated.

5. Air Seychelles

The Minister's visit to Air Seychelles that was done over the course of days from September the 21st to 22nd, included visits to the Victoria sales office, Praslin terminal operations as well as operations at and near the International airport. She interacted with the workers at their station and the management were discussions focused on certain challenges being encountered at both levels.

 6. Ile du Port Handling Services (IPHS)

As a new business venture, IPHS Quay received a visit from the Minister with the aim of gaining more of an insight on the operations and interact with the workers. Seychelles having entered into an agreement with Jaccar Holdings to build and operate a 425 metre commercial fishing quay under which a Seychelles-based joint venture named Ile du Port Handling Services (IPHS) was created. The company employs 40 locals and 56 non-Seychellois workers.

7. Constance Ephelia Hotel and Resort

The Minister's visit to Constance Ephelia was one where she experienced a high level of staff satisfaction. The hotel was commended for maintaining their status among hotels with more local workers than non-Seychellois. The hotel employs 405 locals and 356 non-Seychellois workers.

8. Le Domaine de L'Orangeraie

On the 24th November, Le Domaine de L'Orangeraie received a visit from the Minister. The staff of the resort and spa situated at Anse Severe on La Digue- of which 114 are locals and 93 are non-Seychellois expressed their gratitude for the visit and made known of the favourable working conditions as well as challenges being faced by them.

9. Six Senses-Zil Pasyon Resort Ltd.

At the Minister's visit to Six Senses Resort on Felicite Island, there was a strong sense of devotion to work among employees especially those who have been with the resort since pre-opening of which 70 are locals and 125 are non-Seychellois workers. The resort being under the tourism industry, presented a beautiful environment and standard working practices.

Some pertinent achievements:

i) General Staff Meeting

Workers inclusion and participation are important aspects of human resource management. Staff meeting is a process that allows for exchange of information and provides the opportunity for employees to raise concerns that they may have and make certain contribution on the operations of a business. Of the 12 workplaces visited, 5 were not conducting regular meetings with their staff. As a result of the visits, three have started the meetings. The remaining two will start during the course of this year.

ii) Progression/Development Plan

This was one of the most commonly raised concerns by staff of the workplaces visited. Without a clear progression and development plan for its workers a business will have difficulty to grow and prosper. The five businesses where this was more critical have all formulated and put in place the plan. The Ministry is to closely monitor particularly when it comes to the localization of posts that have been identified.

iii) Salary Structure/Appraisal

Another issue seriously affecting good employee relations in the workplace is the disparity in salary between non-Seychellois workers and locals that comes about as a result of the absence of a proper salary structure. It allows for perceived unfairness amongst staff thus creates discontentment and affects staff motivation. The yearly appraisal to measure performance is also not available in certain workplaces or not done regularly. Of the 4 workplaces identified as a point of major concerns, one has already put in place a salary structure and the 3 others are reviewing theirs to be done by first quarter of the year. This issue will be addressed in the Labour Migration Policy that is due to be introduced early 2019.

iv) Policy on Service Charge

This topic was discussed at practically every hotel that was visited. In some cases the workers were not in agreement with the conditions established by the employer in order to receive the service charge. Where those conditions were according to the general policy on service charge, this was explained to the staff. At only one establishment were there no written policy for staff to refer to. This has already been rectified. Whereas at another hotel the Minister asked management to reconsider certain conditions that were found to be too harsh compared to what is being practiced at other similar hotels. This is under review.

v) Benefits

This is an aspect that the Minister encourages workplaces to have in order to attract and retain workers. It is encouraging to note that upon proposals by the Minister herself an establishment facing some serious staff turnover has already introduced certain additional benefits for its workers to the likes of, free breakfast and lunch for all staff, special allowance for those working in harsh conditions, half day off in a month for those working on Saturdays, and 5% discount on purchase of wholesale items.

Commitments as listed above and others made by the management of the establishments during the visits are being followed-up closely for implementation. It is important to note that certain commitments can only be achieved in the long-term so as not to affect the viability of the business.

Visits for 2018 will start first week of February 2018.

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.

The Minister of Employment, Immigration and Civil Status Ms Myriam Telemaque, undertook her last visit for the year at Six Senses Zil Pasyon on Felicite Island on the Friday the 15th of December. In all there has been twelve Ministerial visits to workplaces throughout the year covering different industries mainly tourism, retail, manufacturing and transport. The workplaces were all different in their own way with some good practices in place alongside certain challenges that they needed to overcome.

The Ministry has collaborated closely with them to work on those challenges in order to achieve an optimal level of workplace stability for continued success of the individuals working there, the organisation itself and the country in general.

For her visit at Six Senses Zil Pasyon the Minister was, as per customary, received by the management who facilitated a tour of the hotel premises which included areas such as the Housekeeping, Engineering, Spa, Food and Beverage, Administration, Reservation/Front office etc. The Minister met with staff at their work stations which gave her the opportunity to see their day to day working environment as well as interact with them.

The employees, especially those who have been with the hotel since pre-opening, expressed their devotion to work for the resort and love for their job. At the same time, some concerns were raised by them such as salary level, opportunities for promotion, lack of communication between management and staff and a host of others.

The delegation was encouraged and comforted by the high standards of the facilities at the disposal of staff for a comfortable working life on the island and improvements made by management since a previous visit to the hotel by officers of the Ministry earlier in the year.

During de-briefing with the management it was recommended that the hotel considers the issues raised by the workers and find the most appropriate solution to address them within a timely manner especially when it comes to the issue of equal pay for work of equal value.

The management will also work in close collaboration with the ministry in order to intensify their efforts to attract and recruit locals.

The General Manager was advised to organise regular staff meetings so to ensure that there exist a good work relationships between the employer and employee for the betterment of the establishment.

As agreed on both side, another visit will be organised in 4 months' time where officers from the Ministry will meet with the workers and the management to follow-up on progress made.

The accompanying photos show the minister and her delegation interacting with staff at the hotel.