Social Impact Assessment framework for Seychelles

Social Impact Assessment framework for Seychelles

04-October-2017
‘Prevention is better than cure’

A three-day workshop to conceptualise and validate a proposed social impact assessment (SIA) framework for Seychelles Dr Ilsemaking a presentationand also guidelines on how to develop indicators in that area has focused mainly on prevention of social ills rather than on what is the norm – administering cure when such ills occur.
The workshop’s objectives were to create awareness on what SIA is all about; awareness on social impact on communities; introduce tools that can assist with identifying and managing social impacts and investigate practical ways of implementing it.
The training follows previous meetings and workshops conducted with different stakeholders and was organised by the family affairs department in collaboration with the Equispectives Research and Consulting Services in South Africa and facilitated by Dr Ilse Aucamp and San Marie Aucamp of that institution, who have been here for the third time.
Delegates, who came from various government and private organisations, were apprised of
what exactly is social impact which is something that is experienced or felt – physical or perceived and a change either positive or negative. This includes considering people’s way of life like on how they work, play and interact with one another on a daily basis; their culture like their shared beliefs, customs, values and language and dialect. Also in their community – its cohesion, stability, character, services and facility.
“The social impact assessment training is part of a bigger project where we worked together with the department of family affairs to design a social impact assessment framework for the Seychelles. It is the third time we have been here. And in the previous sessions we conducted consultations by asking people what should be in the framework. The training was to introduce the framework to the stakeholders so we can refine it further and to teach participants what social impact assessment is by creating awareness and what kind of indicators they should use,”said Dr Ilse.

http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=255926

Everything is OK in the cohabitation in Seychelles… ...But is it really?
October 19, 2017
Recently Seychelles read with interest a long interview by a big property owner on the existing cohabitation and how good it is, others have spoken proudly about their era of cohabitation saying that all is well…. but is it really ?

As the leaders are enjoying a coffee here, a discussion amongst friends and a sip of good wine or a blue label whisky at a cocktail of the powerful the Stevedore Workers took the law into their own hands and staged a strike. These brave people were tired of questions and answers at the National Assembly that continues to bring nothing for them. Even their extra payments for working on a Sunday were hush hush. They said they got tired of all the continuous talking, but see no action that will make a difference for them and their family as workers. This is what some are saying is OK.

The Stevedores were followed soon after by the fishing boat owners. They wanted more as well and the Leader of the Opposition who has been in the Assembly for close to a year has not seen it fit to table a Motion to benefit these hard working Seychellois, but the same National Assembly passed a Motion for the Offshore Businesses where big money is in play. This is what some are saying is OK.


Nurses will do their part by holding a march this weekend for better conditions. Again the Opposition has not seen it fit to bring a Motion or a Private Members Bill in the Nation Assembly to help the Nurses. They will continue to pay lip service, but for the Offshore Industry, where big money is in play a Members Bill was tabled and passed. This is what some are saying is OK.

The land issue is an area that the Opposition has brought much light to the existing situation. The ruling party will be giving some land back it is believed, great news indeed. I personally just got a plot of land from my defacto. This is very good for me, but all those who benefited of two plots of land and more are sitting in the National Assembly, be fair to the ordinary Seychellois by keeping one plot of land, but please give the others back. This will enable you (MNA) all to address the National Assembly without feeling you are just fooling the people and people will start believing in you. This is what some are saying is OK.

The judiciary and the CAA is becoming the laughing stock. Mention Client’s Account of Lawyers and the CAA gets goose bumps. “Let the system in place continue, and so what if the poor people do not get what is duly their money”, somebody said in the market in Victoria. Seychelles judiciary is now sliding down the drain all because we have politicised it. We wanted a Seychellois, but not an independent one. This is what some are saying is OK.

Assumption Island will have an Indian Military Base, this is today confirmed. The Opposition are “Nil by Mouth” on the subject leaving everyone to speculate who got what to make this deal happen. Seychelles looses an island and the National Assembly is saying nothing. But Wavel Ramkalawan and his Assembly Members enjoyed days in the Outer Islands and the need to save Assumption Island did not come up. Transparency in this period of cohabitation is bringing about a new level of taking people for a ride. This is what some are saying is OK.

For years the Opposition have screamed about the corruption of selling Seychellois Citizenship and our passports. The State was doing it and the Opposition sat in a corner in the cold with no teeth and spoke out strongly on the matter. Today all can be made right because the same Opposition can bite and can oppose all they do not like, but what do we see? The selling of passports continues, but the money does not go to the State Coffers but to some individuals who speak with their hands under the desk waiting for their kickback. This is what some are saying is OK.

As a pretty, young, but still unmarried Seychellois professional, I start this new weekly column with these comments to show that we have a lot of talk and no action…. so we have a lot to talk about. I am well placed to speak as I am in the know because my much older defacto partner is as angry as I am with the situation today, but he says nothing for fear of his bitter partner. And again this is what some are saying is OK….. but is it?

Bye for now, till next week

Pretty Kelly
http://seychellesrealitytoday.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/everything-is-ok-in-cohabitation-in.html?m=1

Everything is OK in the cohabitation in Seychelles… but is it really?
October 21, 2017
This week we look at the long interview with President Danny Faure in the daily newspapers of our little country. Interesting as he said a lot without saying anything. A sweet election will be our next election. Finally Seychelles will have the taste of our very first sweet election. My mouth waters thinking of the sweetness. Could sweetness mean a FAURE / RAMKALAWAN Team? Many are speculating and this could well be the next step to the cohabitation. Some are not waiting but running fast to claim their share of the cake, not corruption at all, God forbid to be even thinking that. A new quarry is coming and guess what a very prominent MNA will join forces with a Senior Civil Servant who moves well on question of land. Government land and no tender? Impossible you will all say, but fait accompli for this special ‘under the table’ deal. This is what some are saying is OK.…. but is it really ?
http://seychellesrealitytoday.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/everything-is-ok-in-cohabitation-in_21.html

CO-HABITATION: A CANCER IN OUR DEMOCRACY
October 21, 2017
The new “Ek nou pa ek nou” culture sweeping across the political landscape in Seychelles is a potent and fatal threat to democracy and progress. Under the guise of “co-habitation” certain institutions and people are literally being allowed to get away with murder. This is because of no accountability, no transparency, no responsibility and no good governance – it is corruption and it is corruption unchecked.
http://seychellesrealitytoday.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/co-habitation-cancer-in-our-democracy.html

Youth devise winning solution at Leadership Conference

01-December-2017


Kalsey Belle and Joshua Sophola presenting their idea (photo source: Facebook)
Following the recent ‘Leadership We Want’ conference organised by the Seychelles Mandela Washington Fellows Alumni in collaboration with the United States embassy at the Eden Bleu Hotel, the Seychelles NATION spoke to Kalsey Belle, a member of the team that won the workshop’s hackathon competition to learn about their winning project – a health promotion app designed specifically for use in Seychelles.
The conference which congregated a number of leaders and potential leaders in Seychelles, placed the hackathon’s participants into five groups and each one was asked to devise innovative ways of resolving issues within a particular category to create the leadership they would like to see.
Kalsey’s team, moderated by Dr Naomi Ferguson, was allocated the Social Affairs & Health category. The group comprised a number of youth from various backgrounds, including education and engineering to allow for more innovative ideas from different vantage points. It was only the groups’ moderators who had qualifications, experience and training relating to their respective categories.
The main objective of the team’s idea for a health promotion app was to help resolve issues relating to healthcare resources which would primarily benefit the local population as well as the Ministry of Health, among others.
Key features of the app included reminders for regular medical check-ups such as pap smears. These reminders would also prompt and enable users to book their appointments online. In addition to being offered in three languages (English, French & Creole), the app would also offer real time updates, daily/weekly motivational quotes and links to videos.
According to Kalsey, such an app would bring value to members of the public by:
- Reducing waiting times in clinics
- Helping to maintain a healthier lifestyle
- Educating about various health matters
- Providing a platform for health forums/discussions.
In their presentation, the group also explained that the app would create opportunities for public partnerships. For example, app users could avail of loyalty points from various types of businesses such as supermarkets and telecommunication companies.
Additionally, the said app would provide the Ministry of Health with important data which, according to Kalsey, would be less biased since users would be able to input their information anonymously.
The concept of the app was well received by the audience present at the conference as well as the members of the jury. Kalsey feels that this can be attributed to the fact that their team pitched their idea as a product for investors and focused on one solution as opposed to numerous ones.
Kalsey explains that through such an activity, participants of the competition were able to not only identify problems that exist in various sectors, but to be more solution-oriented and accountable.
She adds that when you are placed in the shoes of leaders, you learn to better appreciate the challenges that are being faced.

http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=256772