Many Strong Voices speak out in Seychelles

Seychelles Nation - 29.10.2010
Activists from small island and Arctic states are meeting at the University of Seychelles (UniSey) campus at Anse Royale to talk about climate change and discuss their strategies for the coming five years.

The forum has been organised by the steering committee of Many Strong Voices (MSV), a platform where islanders and indigenous peoples of the Arctic combine to bring attention to the issues of climate change.

It is also a growing global network of researchers, policy makers, community organisations and Small Island Developing States that promotes the security and sustainability of coastal communities.

Around 15 people from Canada, St Lucia and Alaska, among others, are attending the meeting, which opened yesterday morning and closes today.

“The role of MSV is to peel back the veneer that science has projected and give a human face to the issue of climate change,” said Cletus Springer from St Lucia.

He explained that the islanders affected by the issue are not asking for too much – just that their way of life is protected, allowing them the simple pleasures of walking on a beach and taking a dip in the sea.

“Today, as we get together for our strategy meeting, let us combine our expertise to further impact on global decisions,” said UniSey president Dr Rolph Payet, who officially launched the meeting.

“I am aware of our resource and capacity constraints, but we have shown ourselves to be focused, resilient and determined in everything we do, and in many of our initiatives we have reached politicians as well as community leaders and even students.

“However bleak the outcome may be, we should strive to build more partnerships. And as we look ahead to Cancun, let us resolve to make known the issues facing our small nations and peoples today.”

The next United Nations climate change conference will be held in Cancun, Mexico, from November 29 to December 10.

One of the issues the delegates also talked about was making the industrialised countries more aware of the issue as the changes in climate affect the whole world.

“There are still climate change sceptics who do not believe in the real threat – in fact they are holding a convention in London right now, calling it Climate Fools’ Day,” said Mr Springer.

Dr Payet also asked for a credible and acceptable climate change pact, saying: “I am saddened by the continued lack of political assertiveness at the global level to resolve the climate change issue.”

Also during the meeting, the delegates looked at pictures of the effects of climate change in different areas of the world and listened to stories of the impact on the lives of people living there.
MSV was established in 2005 and partners with the Sea Level Rise Foundation in Seychelles.

Small islands ‘face huge energy challenge’

Seychelles Nation - 26.10.2010
Small island states such as Seychelles face a huge challenge in securing their long-term energy supply, President James Michel’s special adviser Dr Rolph Payet has said.

He was speaking at the weekend at the preparatory commission for the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, where he was representing Joel Morgan, Minister for Home Affairs, Environment and Transport.

Also in the Seychelles delegation were Didier Dogley, principal secretary for environment, and Philip Morin, chief executive of the Seychelles Energy Commission.

In his speech during the high-level segment of the meeting, Dr Payet said: ‘Small Island Developing States such as Seychelles are facing an unprecedented task in ensuring long-term security of energy supply. The link between use of fossil fuels and climate change – which threatens our very existence – is undeniable, and our goal towards a low-carbon economy should be relentless.”

The conference, on October 23 and 24, adopted its 2011 work programme and budget, and made preparations for its first assembly, also next year.

The government of the UAE is the host of Irena and has announced a fund to finance renewable energy projects in developing countries to the tune of 183 million dirhams (about R200 million) a year.

During the visit to Abu Dhabi, the Seychelles delegation also met officials of Masdar, the UAE renewable energy company.

In January 2009, an agreement to develop a windfarm in Seychelles was signed with the UAE government after talks there by President Michel.

The windfarm is one more project funded through the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development to benefit the Seychellois people. The 7MW farm is already in its advanced planning stages and construction is expected to start late next year.

E-learning brings master’s to Seychelles

Seychelles Nation - 22.10.2010
Professionals wanting to get a master’s degree can do so without having to travel overseas now that the University of Seychelles (UniSey) has started an e-learning programme with India.

UniSey is now working closely with several Indian universities such as the Amity University in Noida and the Indira Gandhi National Open University in New Delhi.

In the programme, the students use a satellite connection to speak to and listen to their lecturers in India as though they were on an actual campus where the course was being held.

At the end of their two-year course they will have a master’s degree that is recognised all over the world.

The Pan-African tele-education network – which is the second phase of the Pan-African e-Network – was launched for Seychelles at UniSey’s School of Education on Wednesday.

Its first phase was launched in 2008 with the tele-medicine component, which allows medical staff in Seychelles to ask specialists in India for advice on complicated procedures via satellite, as well as giving them a chance to learn online.

There are now 16 students enrolled on the tele-education programme – studying for master’s degrees in finance and control, international business, and information technology among others.

UniSey vice-chancellor Dr Rolph Payet officially launched the programme, which started in August.
Present at the event were Minister for Education, Employment and Human Resources Macsuzy Mondon and the Indian high commissioner Asit Kumar Nag among other guests.

Benjamin Choppy, the national coordinator for the Pan African e-Network, gave those present a short introduction to the project and how it started.

Mr Nag said the e-network programme is cheaper to run than an actual university campus while making a significant contribution to human resources development in Seychelles.

Dr Payet said now that UniSey offers these online courses, it gives Seychellois another opportunity to have access to education.

“Through the e-network programme, students who do not have access to university education will now have it,” he said.

He added that the programme gives UniSey a platform to involve all members of society in lifelong learning.

“The university will continue to expand this programme, there is more to come and I would like to encourage, especially, people at work who find it hard to attend university full-time because of their jobs and families to take this opportunity and join the programme,” said Dr Payet.

Immediately after the ceremony the guests were given a tour of the classrooms the master’s students are using on the campus.
Seychelles is the second country in the African region, after Senegal, to join the network.

UniSey president in talks with Mauritian minister

Seychelles Nation - 16.10.2010
During a short visit to Mauritius this week Dr Rolph Payet, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Seychelles (UniSey), called on the Minister for Tertiary Education, Science, Research and Technology, Dr Rajesh Jeetah.

The meeting was a chance to exchange information on developments in both countries in the areas of tertiary education and development of science and technology.

It was felt that Seychelles can benefit from the many years of experience Mauritius has had in university education, research and technology transfer.

A memorandum of understanding is expected to be developed between the Mauritius Research Council and UniSey, as well as with the Seychelles Innovation and Technology Council.

Dr Payet also met his counterpart, University of Mauritius vice-chancellor Professor K Morgan, and they discussed developing close ties between the two universities and exploring ways to exchange information.

They also expressed the wish for greater collaboration and exchange among universities in the Indian Ocean and Southern African Development Community regions.