The Minister for Employment and Social Affairs Patricia Francourt was joined by Attorney General Frank Ally, principal secretary for Social Affairs Linda William-Melanie and Chief executive officer of the Agency for Social Protection (ASP) Brenda Morin during the National Assembly’s sitting on Wednesday, to make a declaration with regard to the management of cemeteries, and arrangements for funeral services.
During yesterday’s National Assembly sitting, Minister Patricia Francourt, responsible for employment and social affairs, appeared before the assembly to clarify questions and concerns with regard to her ministry.
In relation to Hon. Desheila Bastienne’s question pertaining to the employment situation in Seychelles at present, Minister Francourt maintained that the situation pertaining to formal employment is positive, especially now that businesses are recovering due to the pickup in tourism arrivals, although she also noted that it is yet to return to the level it was prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.
‘Our children need us to guide them, support and nurture them into responsible citizens’
“Dear Children, let your special day start with the blessings of our Heavenly Father so that you remain safe under his protection to be happy and spend an enjoyable day.
“Once again, because of the Covid-19 pandemic your day will be different, with the absence of festivities at your schools. This is an opportunity for you to reflect on your circumstances; what you want to achieve and how you will go about achieving them. It is also an opportunity for you to realise that things are changing worldwide and that decisions that adults made on our behalf may not make you happy (eg. Not going to school) but they are made with the best intention of you being protected. Therefore, as children, you need to protect yourselves from harm as well.
The cabinet of ministers has been briefed on the progress of the reforms to the social protection system that is currently underway and backed by the World Bank.
The reforms that will span over the course of three years, from 2021 to 2023, seeks to strengthen the efficiency and effectiveness of the country’s social protection system and create more sustainable welfare and social assistance programmes.
There has been an increase in the number of jobseekers as well as in the demand for labour, coupled with a decrease in applications for redundancies, for the first quarter of this year.
This was revealed in the first press conference held yesterday by the Ministry of Employment and Social Affairs at which it provided an overview of the local labour market.
‘No victimisation in government restructuring’
“There is no victimisation, we have no intentions of firing anyone, but instead we want to use the local pool of talents in a more productive way. This is what we call performance-based management,” President Wavel Ramkalawan said in response to a question about victimisation in government restructuring.
“Productivity has to continue for the country to prosper,” said Patricia Francourt, Minister for Employment and Social Affairs as she conducted a series of visits to the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority, Seychelles Fire and Rescue Services Agency and Seychelles Commercial Bank.
In honour of Labour Day, the Minister for Employment Patricia Francourt and her ministry have made a donation to nurses and lab technicians in recognition of the excellent work that they have done in the past year.
