Soft opening for Promenade House

Promenade House was built with the environment in mind

There wasn’t a lavish groundbreaking ceremony, nor any ribbon cutting or glad handing, but some divisions in the Ministry of Environment discreetly moved into a new building toward the end of last year.

Officially named Promenade House, the project was originally proposed by the Ministry of Environment to provide sufficient space for the Landscape Management Division, which at the time faced a space limitation problem due to the recruitment of new staff members.

Construction began in November 1998, with the entire division moving into the building in September of last year. However, with the Policy Planning and Services Division also rapidly expanding, landscape management soon had a new neighbour at Promenade House.

The building itself comprises two wings to house both divisions, and features a natural-looking façade and grown hedges along the fence around the compound as a means of integration with the environment.  Further landscaping is planned, as is a nursery, say environment officials.

Project officer Lyn Bastienne said that there was some confusion about where people should go to access some of the ministry’s services, since some units were relocated and others remained at their existing offices.

With the Policy Planning and Services Division in the fold, Promenade House serves as a home to the wetlands, legal, geographical information systems, and coastal zone management units, in addition to the landscape management division.  It also is where the environment department’s principal secretary, Rolph Payet, is based.

“Our staff has all necessary facilities to ensure very high productivity,” said Raymond Brioche, the director general for landscape management. “They are equipped with lockers, and shower and toilet facilities are also provided.”

In addition to the basics, Promenade House also could shoulder the burden for the ministry’s various workshops and conventions.

“We hope that this year we will be able to conduct our annual training programme in the conference room rather than hiring other places, as was our usual practice,” Mr Brioche said.  “The programme is conducted in collaboration with Pershore University in the U.K., whereby their own lecturers come to Seychelles to hold the courses and allow our young work force the opportunity to improve their competency.”

Mr Brioche said he hopes the new building will encourage the ministry’s staff, which is greatly comprised of young adults, to acquire the skills and knowledge needed in their line of work.

“If our objective is fully attained, we hope that our country will require no expatriates in such a domain in the near future,” he said.

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