President names new national theme committee

 Seychelles Nation - 09.01.2010
President James Michel has appointed a steering committee to promote the new national theme for the year 2010 – Together, Ready for the Future.

The committee is, once again, chaired by Vice-President Joseph Belmont, and the vice-chairman will be Minister for Community Development, Youth, Sports and Culture Vincent Meriton. 

The committee also has representatives of the two major political parties in the National Assembly and of government agencies, the police, small businesses, churches and civil society.

The newly formed University of Seychelles is also represented as it establishes itself as the shaping ground for a future generation of leaders.

Together, Ready for the Future encompasses the ideals of unity and our nation’s common endeavour to forge a bright and prosperous future. The theme stresses the importance of a strong and forward-looking vision for Seychellois society grounded within its values and spirituality. 

“2009 has prepared us for the future. In 2010, we are ready for whatever may come. We are ready to turn challenges into opportunities as one nation,” said Mr Michel.

The President also thanked the committee charged with promoting the 2009 theme, Koste Seselwa (Come Together Seychellois), and stressed that the spirit of unity was what made Seychelles strongest when it needed to be. 

He also flagged the importance of maintaining our solidarity as a nation in everything we do.
“We must come together in everything we do. We must koste for the future of Seychelles – this is also essential for the theme of 2010,” he said.

The other members of the national theme committee are:
● Marie-Antoinette Rose – Parti Lepep representative;
● Jean-François Ferrari – Seychelles National Party;
● A representative of the Catholic Church;
● A representative of the Anglican Church;
● Charles Bastienne, chief executive of the Housing Finance Company, representing government agencies;
● The chief executive of the National Youth Council – to be designated;
● Caroline Abel – Central Bank of Seychelles;
● Jean-Claude Matombe – Liaison Unit for Non-governmental Organisations of Seychelles;
● Ted Barbe – Seychelles Police;
● Santasha Hoareau, secretary of the Textile and Tailoring Association, representing small businesses;
● Marc Marengo – Eco-Tourism Society of Seychelles, representing civil society;
● Jennifer Sinon, chief executive of the Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Association, representing the tourism industry;
● Dr Rolph Payet – vice-chancellor of the University of Seychelles, representing university education. 

Prospective UniSey students learn about law degree

Seychelles Nation

Prospective students of the University of Seychelles (UniSey) yesterday learned more about the new Bachelor of Laws programme now on offer.

The presentation at the ex-National Institute of Education on the three-year law degree course to start in October was given by UniSey’s vice-chancellor Dr Rolph Payet in the presence of chief justice Frederick Egonda-Ntende.

Also present were president of the Court of Appeal Francis MacGregor, attorney-general Ronny Govinden, judges, lawyers and other legal professionals. 

In his opening address, Mr MacGregor said this law degree is for those who want to gain an LLB degree of international standing, which has provided the first step on a career path for many thousands of practising lawyers worldwide.

“The programme aims to promote independent learning and it provides you with a wealth of resources,” he added.

He told the prospective students the course will enable them to develop their critical awareness and learn how to stand back and consider the bigger picture regarding the context of law, nationally and globally.

Students will get an opportunity not only to know the law but to understand it, he added.
Talking about the need for such a course here, Dr Payet said there has been great demand “as there is a critical call for legal practitioners in the country”.

He said there is demand in offshore services, maritime law, environmental law and also a need for more state counsel.

“With the reform in the economy there has been much greater demand for legal professionals, and it is much cheaper to train people here than to send them abroad,” Dr Payet explained.

He said two companies have already offered scholarships on this new programme. The university will start with the full-time course this year and later on consider other options such as part-time and diploma-level courses.

UniSey is proposing to introduce English law training here at LLB level and explore how specialised aspects of French and European law can be introduced at master level, he added.

The degree will be done in partnership with the University of London, and those who are interested must have an A-level certificate in at least three subjects with a minimum of 200 points in total – grade A being 120 points, grade B (100), grade C (80), grade D (60) and grade E (40).

Dr Payet added that they should also have the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) with a minimum grade C in three subjects, including English.

People who already have a degree but now want to pursue the law degree can do so, he added. Students who have not gained the necessary points at A-level can resit their exams and enrol on the course if they get the required grades.

Dr Payet said the cost of the course will be announced later, but the tuition fee is estimated at around R100,000-R125,000 a year.

All applications should be in by August 15, as induction will follow shortly afterwards.