Seychelles trip for 2-day state visit, not vacation

Rather than a two-week vacation to the Seychelles, Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves will visit the East African paradise for only a two-day state visit to celebrate their National Day.

Minister of Finance, Camillo Gonsalves fended off the confusion on the matter in a Facebook post on Sunday; confusion created by a release from the Office of the Prime Minister.

The release from the Office, dated June 13, said “He (the Prime Minister) is expected to spend two weeks in Seychelles,” and that the Prime Minister had already left on that day for “for an official visit to the Seychelles.”

However, the Minister of Finance stated definitively on the social media website that, “The Prime Minister is not currently in The Seychelles. He hasn’t arrived there yet, and won’t for another week.”

He stated that the Prime Minister went to Europe first to meet with “investors”, and from there he travelled to the United Kingdom to meet with “members of the Vincy diaspora”.
He added, “Much as I’d like our hardworking PM to take a two week vacation, this ain’t it.”

The Prime Minister is set to travel to the archipelago today, and the highlight of his visit to the Seychelles will be their National Day ceremony on Saturday June 29.

The Seychelles news agency has published an article online anticipating Prime Minister Gonsalves’ arrival, and his serving as the guest of honour at the National Day ceremony.

“Seychelles became independent from the United Kingdom on June 29, 1976, and since 2015 the day is celebrated as the National Day. Several activities are organised to commemorate the day, including a military parade at the Unity Stadium at Roche Caiman a central district on the main island of Mahe,” the article noted.

It reveals that Gonsalves will also meet with the President Danny Faure, and other “high level officials” during his visit.

“Bilateral discussions are expected to focus on areas of cooperation in the blue economy, tourism, environment, fisheries among others,” the Seychelles news agency writes.

As Small Island Developing (SID) states the article says that SVG and the Seychelles have many common development challenges, and concerns, such as climate change and vulnerabilities of SIDS.