Budding young historians Chanel Quatre and Fiaza Adel, both of Plaisance School, were rewarded recently for their research into the history of lorloz, when declared overall winners of the Captain Webb competition.

Named after Capt. A.W.T. Webb, the first official archivist of Seychelles, the competition was organised to raise awareness of the National Archive and its role in Seychelles.

Speaking at the award ceremony, at which Chanel picked up the best essay award and Fiaza won the drawing competition, Director of the National Archive, Mr Peter Lalande, explained that the competition formed part of the Archive's on going outreach programme.

Mr Lalande said that the outreach programme was designed to sensitise the public on the importance, the richness and the relevance of the Archives, as well as the vulnerability of the institution.

The Capt. Webb competition started in early 2003 and ran until August, giving the participating pupils time to visit the Archives and carry out research, before the results were judged by the National Archive staff, an anthropologist, the head librarian and the Mayor of Victoria, Mrs Florence Benstrong.

Mr Lalande said that the Capt Webb competition was geared towards children so as to encourage them to think historically, to dig into the archives and to realise that history is fun.

This year's Capt. Webb competition theme was the centenary of the clock tower and Mr Lalande said that the National Archive would continue to look for sponsors so as to make the competition an annual event.

With an ongoing display in the lobby of the National Archive Mr Lalande explained that the Archive hoped to stage at least two major exhibitions every year, adding that the next big project for the staff will be research for the Kreol Festival.

The first prize winners in the various age categories of the essay and art competitions were; Wayne Adeline, Adrianna Adrienne, Salifa Magnan, Sedrick Nicette, Juliette Anacoura, Darell Hopeng, Johnise Pool and Mary Ah-Kon.

During the ceremony there was thanks for the sponsors of the prizes; the British High Commission, Cable and Wireless, DBS, Helicopter Seychelles,  Patrick Herminie MNA, Ramani and Company and STMA .

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