The Seychelles Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture yesterday told industry players in Seychelles that they must all work together to safeguard the “safety label” enjoyed by Seychelles. “This is one of our important unique selling points. The world at large knows we are a peace-loving people. The world at large knows we remain not only safe, but very safe. This asset we must all defend and we must all stand together to safeguard,” the Seychelles Minister Alain St.Ange said as he was being interviewed by members of the international press at his Bel Ombre Offices on the island of Mahe.

This statement comes as the neighboring island of Mauritius started the murder trial of the young bride, Michaela McAreavey, from Ireland who was spending her honeymoon in Mauritius. “That was a deplorable case and as we all welcome the start of the legal process, our thoughts and prayers go to her husband, John, and parents and her relatives,” Minister St.Ange told the British press.

When the Seychelles President Michel said that Seychelles needed to “claim back its tourism industry,” it was to get more Seychellois involved in the island’s tourism industry. “Our President wanted to extend a hand to our people at large to enter the world of tourism. He said this as he launched the Seychelles brand of tourism. This brand of tourism for Seychelles, by Seychelles, is to ensure that the industry that remains the pillar of our economy is consolidated for the long term. The tourism business in Seychelles must not become only for big businesses, every Seychellois who so desires must see themselves in the industry not just as employees, but also as players, as business men and women. Everyone involved, everyone so implicated, will defend his or her industry,” Minister St.Ange said.

The murder trial in Mauritius sees two Mauritians, Avinash Treebhoowoon (29) and Sandip Mooneea (41), both employees at the Legends Hotel of Mauritius charged with Michaela’s murder.

The trial of the murder of a holiday maker has prompted the Seychelles Minister to remind everyone gathered that Seychelles is blessed as being regarded as one of the safest tourism destinations and that it was everyone’s duty and responsibility to unite to ensure that Seychelles safeguarded this unique asset of the islands.

“Last year, and again this year at the Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands Carnival, known as the Carnival International de Victoria, which is jointly staged by Seychelles and La Reunion, we saw several people, including visitors sleeping in Victoria after the street party, and they did so without fear, because of the safety label we continue to enjoy. This we must never lose as the peace-loving, mid-ocean islands of Seychelles,” Minister Alain St.Ange said.