The Committee on Government Assurances (COGA), headed by its Chairperson Hon. Sylvanne Lemiel, carried out site visits to Praslin and La Digue on Friday the 20th and Saturday the 21st of October 2023. The two-day working sessions were part of the Committee’s mandate of investigating the progress of projects pledged by Ministers in the House. These visits provided the Members of the Committee with the opportunity to have on-site knowledge of all the different projects and address pertinent questions to the concerned officials.
Accompanying the Chairperson was Vice-Chairperson Hon. Norbert Loizeau, Hon. Wallace Cosgrow, Hon. Philip Monthy, Hon. Rocky Uranie, Hon. Desheila Bastienne, and Hon. Richard Labrosse. Assistance was provided by Committee Secretary Ms. Thelma Joseph, and Assistant Secretaries Ms. Linda Gerry and Mrs. Ghislaine Thelermont.
The Praslin session began with a tour of the newly constructed ice-plant, which is now a reliable source of ice for those in the fishing industry to preserve their catch and maintain the highest quality fish for consumers. Joining the Committee for these visits were Hon. Churchill Gill and Hon. Doyace Porice. This was followed by a visit to the Matt Clinic Healthcare Facility, which provides services to the local community and especially caters to those afflicted by drug addiction. The third visit was to the Youth Offenders Centre; a facility which aims to rehabilitate and reintegrate young individuals who have experienced legal issues back into healthy society. The facility uses a holistic approach, which focuses heavily on education, vocational training, and counseling to equip young adults with the necessary life skills to pursue a better future.
Finally, the Committee visited the Agricultural Store, which is a service that caters directly to local farmers by providing them with a range of agricultural supplies such as seeds, fertilizers, irrigation devices, and other farming equipment.
The La Digue session began with a visit to the Port Extension project, where the transportation hub had been enhanced to improve inter-island connectivity and is now able to accommodate larger vessels. This has resulted in more streamlined operations, improved tourist mobility, and an enhancement in economic growth on the island.
The final stop for the Committee was at St. Mary’s Hospital, a new and much needed addition to La Digue’s healthcare infrastructure. With modern facilities and a team of skilled medical professionals, the hospital offers more comprehensive healthcare services than were available previously on the island. This reduces the need for La Digue residents to travel to neighbouring islands when in need of specialized medical attention.
The Committee noted that the recent developments on both Praslin and La Digue demonstrated a firm commitment through the government for the development of critical sectors. These investments have clear aims to uplift the livelihoods of fishermen and farmers, improve the future of young adults, and improve healthcare access to the local communities.
