The newly created Tourism Parliamentary Committee Friday May 2 held its first interactive meeting with the Minister of Tourism and Transport, Minister Simone de Comarmond.

The committee is made up of six members of the National Assembly, including four representatives from the Seychelles People Progressive Front (SPPF) and two from the Seychelles National Party (SNP). The committee is chaired by Honourable Dick Esparon and it was formed following the approval of a motion in the National Assembly to allow Members of Parliament to investigate and broaden their insight into the tourism industry.

The other members on the committee are Honourables Walter Confait, Ansley Constance, Norbert Lepathy, Francis Cupidon and Alain St Ange.

Yesterday's meeting took place at the tourism ministry's conference room and was mainly aimed at introducing the committee members to the ministry's programme and various activities performed. It also provided the parliamentarians with an opportunity to learn more about the ministry's future plans, especially its tourism blueprint, Vision 21, launched over a year ago, so that they could in turn pass on the information to their colleagues in the National Assembly.

The meeting was also attended by the principal secretary of Tourism, Mr Eddie Belle, as well as other officials from the ministry.

Speaking at the opening of the meeting, Minister de Comarmond told the committee members that their presence was another testimony to the willingness and commitment of the government and legislature to continue working closely together for the development of the tourism industry.

"I am pleased that you are here today, because I believe that if there is one group that we really need to engage and work closely with us is the parliamentarians," she said.

Pointing out that tourism is indeed everybody's business, Minister de Comarmond said that as leaders " we must always do our utmost to instil in our society the service concept as a notion of habit rather than a mere activity."

Speaking about the Vision 21, Minister de Comarmond told the committee members that it was an ideal tool to give them an idea as to what has happened in the tourism industry and where it was heading.

The ministry, she noted, was more than ever in need of all the support it could get from each and every citizen if it was to continue to move forward in its mission.

Better understanding of the tourism industry, Mr Esparon told Seychelles Nation, would further enable them, as parliamentarians, to make informed decisions and play an educative role in sensitising and rallying the support of members of the public towards the industry. 

"The tourism industry is one of the most fragile and most important industries in the national economy. As Members of parliament we have to be up to date with what is happening in the industry and it is only by understanding the problems that we can bring in our own contribution to help improve things," Mr Esparon explained.

Expressing his satisfaction with the meeting, Mr Esparon said they have got a good perception of the different mechanisms within the industry  and of the importance the Ministry placed on consultation and dialogue between all stakeholders.

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