On the afternoon of Thursday 6th June 2024, the Media, Youth, Sports and Culture Committee (MYSCC) led by Chairperson Hon. Wavel Woodcock, met with members of the National Sport Council (NSC) to conduct a follow-up site visit to assess the progress of ongoing works at the Roche Caiman Sports Complex. Accompanying Hon. Woodcock was Vice-Chairperson Hon. Phillip Arissol, Hon. Rachel Spiro, and Hon. Conrad Gabriel. Assistance was provided by Parliamentary Staff Ms. Thelma Joseph, and MYSCC Assistant Secretary Ms. Michelle Cupidon.
The representatives present were comprised of the NSC Chief Executive Officer Mr. Marc Arissol, Chief Executive Officer of Seychelles Infrastructure Agency Mr. Gitesh Shah, Acting Games Coordinator Mr. Georges Lucas, Senior Project Officer at NSC Mr. Aldo Rose, and Senior Administration Officer Mrs. Ghislaine Belmont.
The aim of the visit was to assess the renovation work being carried out at each relevant facility, following the visit made last year. These include the Palais des Sports, Tennis Courts, Swimming Pool, Dojo, and Stad Linite. During the visit, the Chairperson conveyed his satisfaction with the type and quality of the work accomplished and acknowledged the improvements made in various sections of the complex. It was noted however that the speed at which the renovations were taking place was behind schedule, as previously discussed at the site visit in 2023.
Following the site visit, the Committee met with the NSC management team to discuss the way forward and address the challenges faced in these projects. Despite acknowledging the considerable progress made, it was shown that financial restrictions, extensive procedural requirements, and the challenge of finding specialized contractors for sports facilities are among the obstacles that the ongoing projects are encountering.
The meeting then concluded with the Committee expressing their sincere support for the ongoing projects and structural changes being made to address various deficiencies in sports management and development. The MYSCC conveyed a commitment to the NSC to continue to work together towards a more sustainable and effective sporting infrastructure for Seychelles. Both parties agreed to meet again to discuss the upcoming CJSOI Games, which are taking place in 2025.
