During a courtesy meeting at State House today, Tuesday 20th January, the President of the Republic Dr. Patrick Herminie engaged with representatives of the Rotary Club, a civil society organisation, on matters relating to road safety and awareness, public health, and the contribution of volunteer-based organisations to community development.
The meeting, spearheaded by District Governor Mr. Bernard Leong Son from Mauritius, provided an opportunity for the Rotary Club delegation to brief the President on the organisation’s activities, projects, and ongoing initiatives across Seychelles, particularly in the areas of community development.
Mr. Leong Son emphasised the importance of strengthening collaboration to support initiatives that address community needs, highlighting that the government cannot tackle every challenge on its own.
One of the key projects discussed involves public health, specifically raising awareness on cancer. “There is a lot being done regarding cancer, but in the majority of cases, the public is not aware of these efforts, hence the need for awareness campaigns,” said Mr. Leong Son.
President Herminie welcomed this initiative and commended the Rotary Club for its sustained contribution to national development and humanitarian action. He underlined the value of strong collaboration between government and civic organisations in addressing social challenges whilst enhancing social cohesion.
President Herminie noted that cancer is among the top three causes of death in Seychelles, with prostate cancer being most prevalent among men and breast cancer among women.
“There must be reasons behind these patterns, and further studies should be conducted. Awareness campaigns will play an important role in complementing what we already know,” President Herminie said.
The President also shared his perspective on public health, stressing the importance of prevention. “As a government, we are placing strong emphasis on prevention. This is why I chose a professional career in public health. Great medicine is about caring for the community. Many diseases, such as cardiovascular conditions and diabetes, are linked to lifestyle factors.
Given Rotary’s international reach, Mr. Leong Son mentioned that qualified doctors from India would be brought in to support the public health campaign.
Road traffic safety and awareness was another area highlighted for collaboration.
The Head of State noted that road accidents remain a major concern in Seychelles, particularly among young people. “We are currently running the Arrive Alive Campaign, but we have recently recorded fatal cases most of which involved young people. We must continuously rethink our approach to address this situation,” he said.
The District Governor was accompanied by Ms. Foram Varsani, Mr. Ranjan Orphee, Mr. Raymond Brioche, Mr. Georges Bibi, Mr. Carl Gendron, and Ms. Angèle Low-Sauzier.
The courtesy call concluded with an exchange of views on potential avenues for continued cooperation and a renewed commitment to follow up on the projects discussed.
In Seychelles, Rotary’s presence is anchored by the Rotary Club of Victoria, which has been serving the community since it was chartered on 27 June 1969. The club was established by local visionaries with support from the Rotary Club of Mombasa and has grown into a key civic organisation dedicated to humanitarian service, community development, education, health, and environmental projects.
Over the years, the club has implemented numerous initiatives — from supporting palliative care training and educational resources to environmental conservation and health programmes — embodying Rotary’s motto, “Service Above Self.” Seychelles is part of Rotary International District 9220, which also includes Mauritius, Réunion, Madagascar, Mayotte, Djibouti, and Comoros.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Seychelles.
