An agreement to redesign the national swimming pool complex at Roche Caïman was signed yesterday by the Seychelles and Chinese governments.

The accord was signed at Oceangate House by Denis Rose, principal secretary for youth, sports and culture, and Guan Xiangqun, a director of the China Friendship Development International Engineering Design and Consultation Corporation.

Also present were Minister for Community Development, Youth, Sports and Culture Vincent Meriton and the Chinese ambassador Wang Weiguo.

Mr Rose thanked the Chinese government and the people of China for their help in this vital sports project, noting that the national swimming pool was built for the Indian Ocean Island Games in 1993.

After that, it has been used for training, teaching children to swim and by the less fortunate members of society, he said.

Mr Rose added that the time has come to refurbish the pool, and the government is grateful to have again received a positive response from the Chinese government.

Mrs Guan said the aim of her visit was to survey the pool and she is happy to see that it has been well maintained and that people are still using it regularly.

She thanked the ministry for the technical support given to her delegation during their three-week stay here to survey the project.

Mrs Guan was accompanied by a delegation of nine people comprising engineers, architects and other building experts who surveyed the swimming pool to see how to renovate it.

The estimated cost of the work is around R20 million and includes refurbishing the pump and filtration system, repairing the pool deck and seating area, upgrading the waiting and changing rooms and fencing the site.

The national swimming pool was donated by the Chinese government and was officially opened in 1992.

Source: NATION 1-29-10

Forrás: http://www.seychellesweekly.com/February%201,%202010/p12_seychelles_china.html