Seychelles Nation - 15.11.2010
An exciting debate led by former space scientist Dr Cheick Diarra kicked off the Seychelles Innovation Forum which was launched by Vice-President Danny Faure at the School of Education on Friday.
He is now the chairman of Microsoft Africa and once reported directly to Bill Gates who founded the software company, which invented the Windows operating system.
Dr Diarra told ministers, diplomats, top government officials, entrepreneurs, students and others at the meeting that innovation should seek to achieve goals faster, cheaper and in better ways than before.
He said such efforts should be led by knowledgeable young people who are enthusiastic and “dumb enough to try anything” with experienced advisers who have failed so many times they are afraid to try anything new, to advise the young why not to try a new idea, based on why they believe it may not work.
He kept his captivated audience at the edge of their seats as he narrated how he took part in designing and guiding craft to Mars each time using less money and time than in previous missions, saying what pains his team took not to send a single bacterium to outer space.
Dr Diarra invited Dr Rolph Payet to visit the 500,000 population Creole-speaking Cape Verde archipelago off the scientist’s native Senegal to see innovations there.
Welcoming President James Michel’s vision of a knowledge-based society which he said is within reach, he said Seychelles has the chance to make more exemplary innovations for the world.
Dr Payet – who is the vice-chancellor of the University of Seychelles – said it is developing ties with Microsoft through which the university will get software from the company at reduced prices.
In return, he told Nation, the company would gain as the graduates would be more inclined to use its software.
He said the country has evolved from a copra and cinnamon-dependent economy to one reliant on tourism and fisheries that is now becoming a financial, knowledge and innovation services-driven one.
Mr Faure said setting up the forum was in itself a form of innovation and listed many of our unique achievements.
“The forum is an initiative of the Seychelles Innovation and Technology Council which was launched by President Michel earlier this year. It is part of our vision to transform Seychelles into a knowledge-based society,” said Mr Faure.
“The Seychellois people as a nation have in the process of nation building shown they are innovative,” he said, noting our considerable progress in education, health and social welfare which have ranked us among the best performing countries of Africa.
He gave our tanker fleet, establishment of the university and ability to steer our economy back on track as examples of Seychelles’ globally notable innovations.
