08.01.2010 

High investment in modern technology and telecommunications is vital as more businesses come to our shores and the demand for new products increases, Finance Minister Danny Faure said yesterday.

He was speaking after a tour of the Cable & Wireless (C&W) headquarters and telecommunication facilities on Francis Rachel Street, Victoria.

Aimed at explaining the current tax reforms, the visit was also a chance for Mr Faure and officials from the Ministry of Finance and the Department of Information Communications Technology to see for themselves the work the company is doing, the investment being made and the equipment in place to upgrade services and bring in new ones.

The visit coincided with the tax reform talks being held with the company’s management.
Impressed by the level of development and investment, especially in modern equipment, that the company has made over the years, Mr Faure said: “Cable & Wireless has prepared itself for any future development.”

In this new economic environment it is important to have high investment in modern technology and telecommunication services, he added.

Mr Faure said as the demands for new products increase, C&W is working towards adopting a business model that will meet these demands.

He stressed that the new technology and services being introduced by the company should be used by the local population as new tools to benefit their development.

And he pointed out that benefits C&W gains through the new tax measures will be passed on to its consumers and the community at large through its corporate social responsibility programme.

Mr Faure said in view of the reforms, the company will soon be making some important announcements that will further benefit consumers and business in general.

Impressed by the company’s staff professionalism, Mr Faure said this underlines the strong staff development programme it has put in place.

“We are very happy that the company has, over the years, strongly focused on investing in staff development and training. Today, 99% of the company’s labour force is Seychellois,” he said.

Mr Faure said he strongly believes the excellent partnership the company has with the government will continue.

He thanked the company and its staff for their good service to the community and congratulated them on their commitment to their organisation, which is a private and commercial one with a great responsibility.

Speaking of the tax reforms, C&W chief executive Charles Hammond said any benefits for the company will mean more benefits for consumers to enjoy.

He said his company is “a very positive and consumer-focused one”, referring to goods and services tax exemptions on imports as an example through which customers are directly benefiting. They will continue to enjoy such benefits as greater allowances on internet products and rate cuts on telecommunication services, he added.

Mr Hammond said there will be more good news over the coming months for consumers in terms of products and an improvement in the quality of services on offer.

Mr Faure and his delegation started their visit at the consumer service centre and went on to look at all the equipment and facilities. The delegation was guided by Mr Hammond himself, with other company officials on hand to answer questions.

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