Civil aviation marks 45 years of progress

Civil aviation marks 45 years of progress

05-July-2016

An exhibition showcasing 45 years of development, evolution and achievements of Seychelles in civil aviation since the first British Overseas Airways Corporation jet (BOAC) landed here on July 4, 1971, is on at the National Arts Gallery in Victoria.
It was opened yesterday by the chief executive of the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) Gilbert Faure in the presence of several distinguished guests, SCAA board members and employees.
The exhibition, which will be on throughout this week, has been put together by the SCAA and it provides an opportunity to see where we come from, where we are now and where we are going in terms of civil aviation.
It has been described as a display of effort and hard work of the SCAA, formerly the Directorate of Civil Aviation (DCA), and its partners.
Addressing guests and SCAA board members at the event, Mr Faure described the 45-year journey of civil aviation in Seychelles as a historic celebration.
“But what does this mean for Seychelles?” he asked. “We put Seychelles and its people first,” he said.
“What does this mean for the global relationships of Seychelles? A group of small islands scattered in the middle of the Indian Ocean, we would have been just a dot on the Google Map, a people and a culture unknown had it not been for the development of civil aviation,” he pointed out.
“We now envision a destiny as an Indian Ocean gateway above and beyond Africa,” Mr Faure added.
But he told everyone present that more complete answers to the two questions were to be found in the colourful display of photographs taken over 45 years of development, evolution and progress .
He said they speak volumes and they do not lie.
Other than the photographs on display are also a collection of models of various types of aircraft which have touched down on our small airport over the years up to now.
As the Minister responsible for Foreign Affairs and Transport under which also includes the SCAA, Minister Joel Morgan took every one present on a journey down memory lane when 45 years ago yesterday July 4, 10,000 people flocked to the airport to witness the landing of the first commercial jet aircraft to Seychelles.
“It was a great day for the 54,695 inhabitants of Seychelles at that time, a lot of whom heard the roaring sound of the engines of the BOAC VC 10 as it approached our islands, penetrating from beyond the clouds from above Ste Anne in all its splendour in preparation for landing at our new airport,” Minister Morgan reminisced.
“It was a day that has gone down in the history of our country, where we opened access for air travel and laid one of the founding blocks for the development and growth of our tourism industry which today represents 30% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product,” Minister Morgan added.
He noted that as a result Seychelles would no longer be isolated from the rest of the world.
“Gone are the days of long arduous ship journeys on the Kampala or Karanja to Mombasa to connect to the rest of the world by air,” Minister Morgan reminded everyone present.
He went on to note that Seychelles is today better connected than ever before in its history and will this year reach over 70 commercial flights per week, connecting to all five continents through some of the world’s most important hubs in Paris, Frankfurt, Dubai and Abu Dhabi to name a few.
While commending the SCAA management, employees, partners and stakeholders for the tremendous amount of effort and hard work which has resulted in all the development and progress on display in the exhibition, Minister Morgan also acknowledged continued effort to improve passenger comfort and modernise air navigation services.
Briefly he drew guests’ attention to the brand new extended facilities for travellers and visitors at the airport’s departure and arrival lounges, the 30kw solar power pilot project consisting of 120 panels which the SCAA introduced in February last year helping it to make an energy saving cost of R230,000 last year only.
Minister Morgan noted that development in civil aviation is continuing and will continue as “air transport has a fundamental role to play in the economic development of this nation. And I give my full commitment to continue to support the development of the air transport industry”.
The chairperson of the SCAA board Captain David Savy also led guests present through a moment of reflection on the aviation journey.
Before guests viewed the exhibition there was a symbolic presentation of tokens of appreciation to some key figures and personalities in Seychelles’ civil aviation and these included Minister Morgan, Mr Gilbert Faure and Captain Savy.

http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=250080

Abu Dhabi Airports to invest in redeveloping Seychelles airport

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/reuters/article-3832327/Abu-Dhabi-Airports-invest-redeveloping-Seychelles-airport.html#ixzz4MrXRRfxz
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Abu Dhabi Airports Company and Seychelles government

12-October-2016
New accord signed to redevelop Seychelles airport

The signing ceremonyAs Seychelles grows in popularity as a holiday destination, the Abu Dhabi Airports Company has agreed to work closely with the government of Seychelles on the redevelopment of its international airport at Pointe Larue.

http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=251400#.V_4PdVVCXk4.facebook

Abu Dhabi Airports to redevelop Seychelles International Airport
http://gulfbusiness.com/abu-dhabi-airports-redevelop-seychelles-international-airport/#.V_3dUOR9gQE.facebook

Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi Airports is set to redevelop an airport in Seychelles after the company signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Tuesday with the Seychelles Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Transport.

Under the agreement, Abu Dhabi Airports, which operates airports in the UAE capital, is going to help fund the redevelopment of an international airport on the island of Mahe.

http://gulfnews.com/business/aviation/abu-dhabi-airports-to-redevelop-seychelles-airport-1.1910782#.WBnCTQxvVTM.facebook

National Assembly sitting 2/11/16 for Rebuilding of Seychelles international Airport $150/175 million
Due to some of gap in the National Assembly debate decided to share some information. We started working becoming involved in Seychelles airport development under president FA Rene from a High management prospective. Managing the Seychelles Community economic and business dynamic related workings in Europe.
Again we state not every thing is shareable for the public - we have worked on other International project across the world, the approach and mechanic involved.
We were involved /contributed and impute in the last Airport refurbishment - managing the plan of SIROP program. The Economic component. Again how this is manage and the mechanism involved.
For some time have written how managing that SIROP program we impacted the developing and concept of the Gulf Airport - those high official in the Arab world the USA and Europe aware/in the know again the mechanism and high management.
Now in view of the debacle of the MOU 1999 - at the time of refurbishment of Seychelles International Airport a few year back before - Dr Navin Ramgoolam government decided on the design and functionality of the new Airport building and facilities - we play a part/role again how this work one cannot say one moment we are called/required to engage and help impute into such working then say we were never party - what motivated Dr Navin Ramgoolam to make take this decision. The same mechanism which was applied in Mauritius is applicable to Seychelles, Comor, Madagascar.
From our side the need to inform - the government of Seychelles, the National Assembly, that SIROP program is alive and until the major global crash in 2008 how the global system economy worked.
We have cited the UN three mega summit and Africa sustainable development and that of EU - over the past 25 year how Seychelles have work with the International community and their experience.
What would be the point of building a new International Airport if we are going to have lll War and the world in Economic melt down - that SIROP program have/play an important if not a key part. We have stress the need for the government and all the High parties to reengage in that SIROP program
( For those with big head - we impulsed that the Heathrow Airport building was made)
http://www.airport-world.com/…/2975-mauritius-airport-doubl…

Transport minister clarifies reports surrounding airport redevelopment

04-November-2016
The Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine Alain St Ange has stated that to date no contract has been signed for a project to redevelop the Seychelles International Airport.
Minister St Ange said this in the National Assembly on Wednesday in answer to a private notice question by the leader of the opposition Wavel Ramkalawan.
Mr Ramkalawan had asked the minister to give the Assembly details on the agreement that Seychelles signed with Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) earlier last month to redevelop the Seychelles International Airport at Pointe Larue.
He wanted details of the new infrastructure development being proposed under the redevelopment, why ADAC had been awarded the contract, if there has been any tender process for the project and if the company undertaking the project will receive any benefits for investing in the project.
Minister St Ange said the airport masterplan was approved as a concept by the Cabinet of Ministers in 1999 and the board of Air Seychelles has since been aware of the development.
Based on documents he said he has received from the Seychelles Civil Aviation Agency (SCAA) and the department responsible for developments on the second day in his new post, Minister St Ange explained that the project being proposed under the redevelopment is the construction of a new international terminal north of the existing one.
As to why the contract has been awarded to Abu Dhabi Airports, Minister St Ange stressed that so far no contract has been signed but an MoU to study a project which has been on the table since 1999 which was initiated by Singapore specialists in aviation and ADAC came onboard in 2013 and has since been studying the project but no contract has been signed

http://nation.sc/article.html?id=251672