IOT celebrates 20 years existence
Long-serving employee Lucille William and Public Relations and Communications Manager Barney Adeline cut a big beautiful birthday cake in the form of a colourful tuna while saxophonist Jean Quatre performed ‘Congratulations and celebrations’, with employees of the Indian Ocean Tuna Ltd (IOT) adding the rhythm with a cadenced clap of hands.
With Sandra and Joseph Louise joining on stage, it was an early Christmas party atmosphere for the canning factory staff at the Savoy & Spa Resort on Saturday afternoon. The artists performing songs calling for more work productivity rather than Christmas carols however quickly seemed to bring the invitees back to sense, reminding them that it was rather the company’s employee long service award ceremony.
Guests at the ceremony included Designated Minister and Minister for Social Affairs, Community Development and Sports Vincent Meriton, Minister for Labour and Human Resource Development Idith Alexander, Minister for Fisheries and Agriculture Wallace Cosgrow, Minister for Environment, Energy and Climate Change Didier Dogley and the chairman of the Seychelles Chamber of Commerce and Industry Marco Francis.
A total of 97 employees were rewarded for spending between ten and twenty five years with the company. Among them, six have been there since 1985 when government came up with the brilliant idea to build a tuna canning factory in Victoria, and ten years before the Conserveries de l’Océan Indien as it was called then was bought by its present owner, Thai Union.
The six longest-serving employees are: Daphnée Isaac, Marie-Paule Julie, Flossy Melanie, Angèle Moustache, Aldo Raoul and Felino Rosalo. As their other award winning colleagues, they received a trophy, certificate and a cash reward.
One of the long-serving employees Michael Padayachy thanked IOT to permit them to be what they are today.
He congratulated his colleagues on their achievement, hoping that they will work for IOT until their retirement.
A member of the IOT board of directors, Philippe Michaud, compared the IOT with the United Nations, with employees of different nationalities, origins and religions which make the force of the organisation.
“In spite of the cannery operating in a very competitive and hard world,” he said, “it has succeeded in becoming the biggest in the region and the envy of many countries”.
General manager Joram Madnack described the occasion as a “double celebration” and thanked the employees for their dedication and sincerity.
He remarked that with a team committed to its success, IOT has over the years become one of the biggest tuna factories in the world, growing from 900 employees producing 55 tons of fish per day in 1995, to 2200 and 250 tons of best valued tuna today.
He added that through 1300 local jobs and suppliers and a 5% contribution to GDP, IOT plays a vital role in the blue economy.
“Many lives here and elsewhere depend on the success of IOT,” he said.
Added to investments of 5 to 6 million dollars per year, Mr Madnack has said that in order to increase productivity, the company will be introducing a yet better staff incentive scheme for 2016. This will include staff accommodation and training.
He added that IOT will continue to work with the Ministry of Labour and Human Resource Development in order to attract more Seychellois to different positions in the IOT structure.
Adressing the awardees and other staff, the Minister Cosgrow reminded that IOT is one of the biggest companies in the private sector and the biggest driving the tuna industry in Seychelles.
He added that without the factory, many other depending companies would not exist and that Port Victoria would not be as it is today.
Noting that the government is looking forward to taking the fisheries sector to the next level and that IOT will have a big role to play in this development, he insisted that the company’s success is primarily due to its employees.
With Sandra and Joseph Louise joining on stage, it was an early Christmas party atmosphere for the canning factory staff at the Savoy & Spa Resort on Saturday afternoon. The artists performing songs calling for more work productivity rather than Christmas carols however quickly seemed to bring the invitees back to sense, reminding them that it was rather the company’s employee long service award ceremony.
Guests at the ceremony included Designated Minister and Minister for Social Affairs, Community Development and Sports Vincent Meriton, Minister for Labour and Human Resource Development Idith Alexander, Minister for Fisheries and Agriculture Wallace Cosgrow, Minister for Environment, Energy and Climate Change Didier Dogley and the chairman of the Seychelles Chamber of Commerce and Industry Marco Francis.
A total of 97 employees were rewarded for spending between ten and twenty five years with the company. Among them, six have been there since 1985 when government came up with the brilliant idea to build a tuna canning factory in Victoria, and ten years before the Conserveries de l’Océan Indien as it was called then was bought by its present owner, Thai Union.
The six longest-serving employees are: Daphnée Isaac, Marie-Paule Julie, Flossy Melanie, Angèle Moustache, Aldo Raoul and Felino Rosalo. As their other award winning colleagues, they received a trophy, certificate and a cash reward.
One of the long-serving employees Michael Padayachy thanked IOT to permit them to be what they are today.
He congratulated his colleagues on their achievement, hoping that they will work for IOT until their retirement.
A member of the IOT board of directors, Philippe Michaud, compared the IOT with the United Nations, with employees of different nationalities, origins and religions which make the force of the organisation.
“In spite of the cannery operating in a very competitive and hard world,” he said, “it has succeeded in becoming the biggest in the region and the envy of many countries”.
General manager Joram Madnack described the occasion as a “double celebration” and thanked the employees for their dedication and sincerity.
He remarked that with a team committed to its success, IOT has over the years become one of the biggest tuna factories in the world, growing from 900 employees producing 55 tons of fish per day in 1995, to 2200 and 250 tons of best valued tuna today.
He added that through 1300 local jobs and suppliers and a 5% contribution to GDP, IOT plays a vital role in the blue economy.
“Many lives here and elsewhere depend on the success of IOT,” he said.
Added to investments of 5 to 6 million dollars per year, Mr Madnack has said that in order to increase productivity, the company will be introducing a yet better staff incentive scheme for 2016. This will include staff accommodation and training.
He added that IOT will continue to work with the Ministry of Labour and Human Resource Development in order to attract more Seychellois to different positions in the IOT structure.
Adressing the awardees and other staff, the Minister Cosgrow reminded that IOT is one of the biggest companies in the private sector and the biggest driving the tuna industry in Seychelles.
He added that without the factory, many other depending companies would not exist and that Port Victoria would not be as it is today.
Noting that the government is looking forward to taking the fisheries sector to the next level and that IOT will have a big role to play in this development, he insisted that the company’s success is primarily due to its employees.
Forrás: www.nation.sc