Work starts on waterfall visitor centre
21.01.2010
The foundation stone was laid yesterday for Port Glaud’s new tourist attraction, at its picturesque waterfall site.
The company in charge of the project – Mission Limited – owned by Russian Igor Likhachev will transform the undeveloped site into a modern tourist facility.
This will include a viewpoint, restaurant catering for 80 guests, photo laboratory, administration building, storerooms, an upgraded and widened road, bigger parking area and electric cars to take visitors from the bus to the site.
There will be an on-site photographer to take and develop souvenir photos, which can also be printed on T-shirts and plates.
Mission Limited has taken a 40-year lease on the land with the possibility of renewal, an agreement made with the landowner, the Roman Catholic Church.
With an all-Seychellois team working on the project and the expertise of local people such as architect Simon Dingwall and Brian Kilindo, owner of the EMS contracting company, it is expected to be completed in seven months.
The foundation stone was laid in a short ceremony at the site, with guests present including the Russian ambassador to Seychelles Mikhail Kalinin, the district’s National Assembly member Ginette Gamatis, district administrator Maizy Port-Louis, representatives of the Seychelles Tourism Board and the previous tenant of the land, Antonia Labrosse.
Mrs Labrosse, who had been living on the site and looking after it for the past 28 years, had been doing so on 10-year leases, renewed at the end of each period.
According to Mr Likhachev, who is also the managing director of Mission Limited, the Church will get a percentage of the income from admission fees that foreign visitors will pay. Seychelles residents will be able to visit the site for free.
“We have created 50 posts for this project, and they have all been given to the local workforce,” said Mr Likhachev.
“Even though we are putting some infrastructure in place, conserving the environment is one of our top priorities. We are aiming to conserve all the greenness of the place, as well as make it a very beautiful site for visitors.”
The project is expected to cost US $1 million, and Mr Kalinin said it is a good example of the strong ties between Russia and Seychelles. He added that last year there were over 8,500 visitors to Seychelles from Russia, a 15% increase.
The foundation stone for the project was laid by Mr Likhachev, helped by Mrs Gamatis and Mr Kalinin. On it, flags of the two countries were set in concrete, a symbol of the strong links.