H.E Mr. Krishna Kumar Shrestha the Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security from Nepal paid a courtesy call on the Minister for Employment and Social Affairs, Mrs. Patricia Francourt, on Friday 18^th March 2022.

The Ministerial delegations discussed the development of a Bilateral Labour Agreement (BLA) between the Government of Seychelles and the Government of Nepal. The Agreement which will benefit both the Private and Public Sector will set out the recruitment procedures of workers from Nepal coming to work in Seychelles, thus ensure safe, ethical and fair recruitment practices. As stated by Minister Francourt in her opening remarks, the BLA will enable ethical recruitment practices and clearly establish the obligations of Seychellois employers, Nepalese workers and the authorities in both countries.

Minister Francourt further stated that through the implementation of the Agreement, this will ensure that:

• Workers register with the specified recruitment employment agencies and/or with competent authority in Nepal;
• Workers are skilled and qualified for the post;
• workers are aware and understand their terms and conditions of their employment contract;
• Workers are well-prepared, speak basic English and have knowledge on the life, laws and culture of Seychelles.

With a growing number of foreign workers in the country both parties stated that the BLA would be mutually beneficial and Minister Francourt reassured the Nepalese delegation on Seychelles’ commitment towards treating all workers in Seychelles equally.

On his side H.E Mr. Krishna Kumar Shrestha on behalf of his country was equally pleased to be in Seychelles to discuss the Agreement and stated that it is the aim of his Government through this Bilateral Labour Agreement to ensure effective protection of its citizens while living and working abroad. H.E Mr. Krishna Kumar Shrestha explained that Nepal has a lot to offer in terms of skills and manpower and assured the Government of Seychelles that proper training of Nepalese workers will be undertaken prior to their entry in Seychelles.

Discussion on the BLA is still ongoing and the two parties agreed to further exchange comments on the Agreement in order to finalize.

The Ministry of Employment and Social Affairs conducted consultation meetings on 28^th February and 1^st March 2022 with workers and employers’ organizations respectively, to discuss the policy proposition on Performance Based Bonus (PBB) to be applicable nationally.

Chairing the meeting was Principal Secretary of Employment Department Mr Jules Baker and also in attendance was Consultant Dr Marina Confait, Director General Labour Relations Mr Steve Monnaie and other officials from the Ministry.

The purpose of the meeting was to present and discuss with employers and workers representatives the concept of Performance Based Bonus and the policy proposal, for their comments and feedback.

The meeting started with a presentation from Dr. Confait where the concept, objectives and preparation of the PBB implementation were explained. After the presentation the participants had the opportunity to ask questions and shared their concerns about the new scheme which will replace the 13^th month pay, which have been suspended for two years due to economic crisis in the country arising out of COVID-19 pandemic.

Both employers and workers representatives agreed to submit their written comments and proposal on the PBB and the points discussed during the meeting will be brought forward to Government for further consideration.

Renyon avek ‘Lakademi Kreol Sesel’

Promot nou lalang maternel Kreol Seselwa

 Minis responsab pou Lanplwa ek Zafer Sosyal Madanm Patricia Francourt akonpannyen par manm egzekitif dan son Minister ki enkli Departman Lanplwa, Departman Sosyal e Lazans pou Proteksyon Sosyal ti rankontre dan en renyon avek Direkter Egzekitif Madanm Marie Flora BenDavid e son lekip sorti kot Lakademi Kreol Sesel (LKS) ki tonm anba parasol ‘’Lenstiti Nasyonal pour kiltir, Leritaz Ek Lar’’(SNICHA) Mardi le 15 Fevriye 2022.

Sa rankont ti en loportinite pou diskit plizyer pwen esansyel e idantifye bann pwen stratezi ki pou ed sa de lenstitisyon pou pli byen ekipe kan pe donn servis bann kliyan e ranforsi rezilyans ki anfen a reisi kapab konbat lefe COVID-19 konman en lekip.

Bann pwen prensipal se pou promot valer prodwi e servis an servan lalang maternel ki kreol seselwa kan pe fer biznes e sa se pou asire ki lenformasyon I ganny enkli dan lalang kreol seselwa kin ganny byen enterprete e ki pou fasil konpran kan I ariv ler pou enplimant lalwa e polisi. An menm tan tradwir bann lalwa e polisi ki an egzistans pou benefis bann kliyan.

Bann propozisyon ki ti ganny met devan se pou Minister Lanplwa ek Zafer Sosyal pou travay an kolaborasyon avek Lakademi Kreol Sesel kan pe planifye bann aktivite ki trouve lo kalandriye nasyonal, avek bi pou anmenn plis enklisivite e asir plis ki posib, partisipasyon tou sitwayen.

Sa rankont ti en premye pa dan sa demars. Pou konklir ti ganny agree ki bann swivi pou ganny fer separeman avek sak departman anba Minister Lanplwa ek Zafer Sosyal pou pli byen konpran zot bezwen partikilye ki ava ede dan planifikasyon pou le fitir.

Minis Francourt ti remersye Madanm BenDavid pou son linisyativ e osi afirm son sipor pou sa travay kolaborasyon ant le de lotorite.

Employment Department in collaboration with the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) officially launched the first phase of the Internal Labour Market Information System (LMIS) for the Employment Services and Industrial Relations Modules on Thursday 16^th December 2021.

The creation of the modules is to register vacancies, jobseekers, job placements and applications of redundancy. The system will better assist the Ministry to understand the needs of its clients and it will also provide information for labour market statistics and analysis.

The ceremony began with the opening remarks from the Minister for Employment and Social Affairs Mrs. Patricia Francourt where the Minister thanked the Vice-President Mr. Ahmed Afif for his presence, which affirms his continued commitment towards efficient service delivery across Government through information technological tools. Minister Francourt expressed her appreciation to the Minister for Finance, Economic Planning and Trade, Mr Naadir Hassan, for his support in reinforcing the collaboration of the LMIS implementation process between the Departments of Employment and ICT.

Minister Francourt also extended her thanks to the Employment and DICT teams who have worked tirelessly on the development of the forms, programming of the system and facilitating the necessary training to the Employment officers on Mahe, Praslin and La Digue.

The Minister continued by adding that as we are living and working in a digital era, where many parts of our life and the economy depends on information technology. As the expectations of the clients - the public increase, they rely on public servants to deliver services timely and efficiently. Therefore introducing the online system will better able the Ministry to collect, compile and standardize more information on jobs in demand through registered vacancies and the people seeking employment. This will also in turn enable the Ministry to provide a quicker feedback to its clients and to monitor their employment status.

Mr. Gerard Gill Director of Software Development from DICT and the officers from Employment Department demonstrated how they will access and insert information of Employer, Employees and Job seekers in the module.

The Vice-President received the honour to press the button to officially launch the live version of the modules. The ceremony was ended after Principal Secretary of Employment Department Mr. Jules Baker and other officials from DICT gave a brief explanation of the next phase of the LMIS.

Departman Lanplwa i’n aprann ki ozordi serten travayer PUC i’n refize travay an relasyon avek size peyman bonous.

Departman Lanplwa i oule rapel tou travayer dan Sesel ki okenn konfli konsernan benefis lanplwa ki pa dan lalwa ni dan kontra i bezwen ganny rezourd an akor avek Lalwa Relasyon Endistriyel. Dan sa konteks, bonous i pa en drwa legal anba Lalwa Lanplwa e i pa dan kontra sa bann travayer.

I enportan pour note ki pour travayer kapab servi prosedir konfli endistriyel dan Lalwa Relasyon Endistriyel, zot bezwen manm en linyon.

Sa bann prosedir i demande ki premye letap i en lesey pour rezourd sa konfli amikalman. Si napa rezolisyon ant le de parti, anplwayer swa travayer pou bezwen raport avek Rezistrar Linyon (Registrar of Trade Unions) ki pou transmet sa avek Minis responsab pour Lanplwa ki pou apwent en bord e refer sa konfli avek sa board.

Dan konteks sa aksyon travayer PUC ozordi, i alor en lagrev ilegal. Departman Lanplwa pe alor demann tou travayer PUC pour retourn travay demen.

Tou travayer i ganny demande pour swiv prosedir legal avan ki zot fer okenn protestasyon ki enplik pa travay, akoz i en lofans disipliner anba Lalwa Lanplwa. En lagrev ilegal i osi en lofans anba Lalwa Relasyon Endistriyel ki kapab ganny pini avek en lanmann 5000 roupi e 6 mwan prizon.

The Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs and the Ministry of Employment and Social Affairs have come together to promote awareness of the very serious and impactful disease that is the most common amongst men known as prostate cancer. 

Ministry of Employment and Social Affairs

Employment Department

IAEA Expert Mission-Review of Integrated Nuclear Security Support Plan for Seychelles

The Department of Employment hosted a team of two experts, from the 27^th September 2021 to the 1^st October 2021, namely Mr Zephirin Athanase Ouedraogo from the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, based in Vienna, Austria and Mr Faradally Ollite, Director Radiation Safety and Security from the Republic of Mauritius.

 The main Mission of the team of expert was to review the Integrated Nuclear Security Support Plan for Seychelles, namely to the progress made thus far, gaps and way forward.

 The Experts met with Minister Patricia Francourt and her delegation on the 1^st October 2021 to present the findings of the mission and actions needed to be undertaken for the next three years.

 It is worth noting that Seychelles has been a member of the IAEA since 2003 and further to this international commitment, the Radiation Safety and Security Act 2014 establishes the Minister Responsible for Employment as the Competent Authority regarding matters relating to Radiation Safety and Security.

 Ministry of Employment and Social Affairs

Employment Department

ACCS training with Employment Department staffs.

On 20^th September 2021 the Minister for Employment and Social Affairs launched a series of training in collaboration with ACCS, earmarked for all staff of the Ministry to sensitise and create awareness on the topic of corruption, its causes, effects and ways to prevent it. On the 1^st October 2021 the final sets of training started, this time for the Employment Department staff.

Minister Francourt was present for the first session. In her remarks for the occasion she expressed her gratitude to ACCS for facilitating the training and made known that it will not be the last collaboration the Ministry and ACCS will have in the fight against corruption practices. She mentioned four important values, ‘’Transparency, Fairness, Accountability and Professionalism that she urged all staff to adopt and integrate in their daily work.

Her key message was for staff to use this opportunity to discuss on the realities of their daily work, to learn and ask questions, building on what they already know and adding new knowledge that will benefit them in their professional life as they move forward.

The Commissioner of ACCS Ms. May De Silva also joined the session, where she shared her wish for the Public service to raise its standards and stay clear from corruption so the country can advance further.

The staff attended in small groups in order to be in compliance with Health restrictions. The sessions ended on 5th October 2021.

Press Update

Friday 6th August 2021

Air Seychelles submitted an application to make redundant 10 pilots in accordance with the provision of the Employment Act 1995.

After both parties were heard in the consultation process, Employment Department did not approve the redundancy. 

The parties have been notified and Air Seychelles has a right of appeal to the Minister within 7 days.

The process is still ongoing and the Department cannot make any comment so as not to compromise the evidence in the case.

The Minister of Employment and Social Affairs Minister Patricia Francourt conducted a second visit to three other farmers in the West and South part of Mahe on Friday 9^th July accompanied by high officials from her Ministry and the Chairman of Agriculture Production Association Seychelles (APAS) Dr. Barry Nourrice and Executive committee member Mr. Jean-Paul Geffroy.

This follows discussions with the Agriculture Production Association Seychelles (APAS) earlier in the year where Minister Francourt committed to meet with farmers to better understand this industry so that the required support can be accorded as far as practicable.

The visits began at Mr. Steven Roseline Farm at Anse Boileau where his main concern was the lack of Seychellois showing interest in working in the  agricultural sector, and that due to demands he is forced to recruit Non-Seychellois to work on his farm. Mr. Roseline added that he does get some casual but they are not reliable, all of this resulting in low production.

The delegation continued their visit at Val D’en Dor where they first met Mr. Guymere Corgat owner of Fresh Way Farm who produces livestock only, followed by a stop at Mr. Alix Esparon’s Farm.

Their concern was about how the pandemic has affected them with their trusted Non- Seychellois employees who are unable to come back to the country to work due to some countries restriction to travel.

All of them described farming as taking care of a baby, as you always need to be on alert from early in the morning 365 days a year to attend to the plants or the livestock. They explained that it is a job which needs devotion, commitment and love which at the end of the day will increase production for our Seychellois people. They had other unrelated concerns for instance interest rates on loans that the Minister has agreed to take up on their behalf.

Minister Francourt had the chance to interact with some workers and was happy to meet the first and only Seychellois worker, Mr. Gilbert Magnan, at Mr. Esparon’s Farm. Mr. Magnan said that he love his job and he has even invited some of his friends to join agriculture but for some reason that he cannot understand they never show interest. He says that he loves farming and has gained the trust of Mr. Esparon as he knows what to do even in his absence.

After the visits Minister Francourt and her delegations were hosted by Val D’en D’or Farmers Association where its Chairman Mr. Danny Agathine and his staffs had prepared refreshment made from local produce after which the Minister was taken on a tour of special sites at Baie Lazare.

Minister Francourt will continue with her visits during this month alongside the Ministry of Agriculture Climate change and Environment Minister Joubert, and Agriculture Production Association Seychelles (APAS).

  Mr. Steven Roseline Farm

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Fresh Way Farm- Mr. Guymere Corgat 

  Mr. Alix Esparon Farm