President Danny Faure, officially launched the first ever National Business Summit at State House yesterday evening and attended the opening session of the Summit, held at Eden Bleu Hotel this morning.
Under the theme, ‘Towards Private Sector Led Sustainable Economic Growth’, the aim of the forum is to get leaders together for a frank and detailed examination of the business landscape in Seychelles. The summit being attended by various stakeholders is expected to produce recommendations on how the business environment may be improved to allow for greater ease to start and operate a business in Seychelles.
Speaking at the reception at State House yesterday, the President expressed the hope that this summit lays foundations for much greater development and improved standards of living of the people. He emphasized on the importance of the success of all the citizens of Seychelles and the local business owner being able to turn an idea into an enterprise.
“A successful enterprise allows for an improvement in quality of life for the entrepreneur, for the staff who take on the jobs created, and for the client who are making use of the goods or services of the enterprise. Creating an environment which allows the enterprise to start and to grow is therefore very important for the country and for our population,” said President Faure.
“This is the aim of the Business Summit. To have a formal event where over the next 24 hours you can talk to the various arms of Government which affect your operational environment. An event during which our primary aim is to listen to your solutions, write them down, and actively see whether we are able to implement them. It will need to be an interactive session, where the various parties can explain their perspectives” added President Faure.
The President also spoke about improving communications between the Government and private sectors in order to build a more positive, conducive and co-operative environment where everyone can prosper. He announced the creation of a new National Investment policy which is still at discussion phase, with the aim at making the regulatory framework surrounding the operation of an existing business more predictable, easier to understand, and faster.
“Government is working on these issues on a number of fronts including; efforts to better align graduates of our schooling system with the skills required by the private sector by increasing the level and amounts of vocational training; the Ministry of Employment is looking at ensuring of our Seychellois workers in their places of work; the Ministries of Sports, Culture, Family Affairs and Local Government are working with civil society and our communities to steer our adolescents away from inappropriate temptations”
In his keynote address at the opening session this morning, the Minister for Finance, Investment, Trade and Economic Planning, Mr Maurice Loustau-Lalanne, said that this Forum will also be an opportunity for regulatory bodies such as Public Health Authority, Seychelles Licensing Authority, Seychelles Investment Board and Planning Authority, to discuss and find the way forward to review their services, share their best practices, all in one to effectively streamline the processes.
After the one day session, a report with all the recommendations from the Summit shall be tabled at the Cabinet of Ministers sitting of 01st August 2018.
Editor’s note:
- In his State of the nation Address in March 2018, President Danny Faure spoke about the first local Business Summit; “where all principal actors will be present to share their suggestions on measures to improve the ease of doing business. It will also be a platform where the Government can listen to what various sectors have to say, with the aim of better planning our economic and social development”.
Featured Photo: Souvenir Group Photo at the Opening Session of the Summit at Eden Bleu