Search

This paper discusses the contributions to this special issue in the context of the African Renaissance and the subsequent need to re-define educational development from a multilingual, multicultural and pan-African perspective. Each contribution offers a different angle to the discussion: a critique of Arabization in Morocco, with questions about whether a new medium of instruction policy will prioritize people's own languages or French; an analysis of urban attitudes in Angola toward a new education policy providing for six mother tongues to be used in lower primary; a description of the challenges for stakeholders in the Seychelles to recognize that Seselwa, a creole, can be an acceptable medium of instruction; and an assessment of the opportunities and limitations in South Africa of classroom trans-languaging between African languages and English. A stronger voice needs to emerge on behalf of African languages and ways of knowing.

The ship tracking and mapping capabilities that geospatial technology provides create an opportunity to observe fishing vessels as they move through established maritime boundaries. This paper connects data availability to ground-truthing research and explores the limits of vessel movement mapping in representing worker abuse at sea through three related themes. First, a conceptual background links the advancements in maritime remote sensing to critical GIS scholarship and provides a background on worker abuse aboard Taiwanese fishing vessels. Second, the paper examines the potential of machine learning algorithms to represent worker abuse at sea, arguing that more extensive ground-truthing research with workers could help address variations in the data and limited data sets. Third, I use remote sensing data to identify and unpack Taiwanese fishing across the three EEZs with the most concentrated Taiwanese fishing activity: starting with Taiwan, followed by the Falkland Islands, and Seychelles. I argue that fishing activity and the digital representation of vessel movements are governed by terrestrial geopolitics and subject to manipulation by ship captains. Finally, the conclusion offers recommendations for how future research can capitalize on the capabilities of AIS, particularly with respect to addressing problems of working conditions and abuse at sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blue carbon has been proposed as a nature-based solution for climate change mitigation; however, a limited number of published works and data and knowledge gaps hinder the development of small island developing states' (SIDS) national blue carbon resources globally. This paper reviews the blue carbon ecosystems of Seychelles as a case study in the context of SIDS, comparing estimations by the Blue Carbon Lab and recent blue carbon (mangrove and seagrass) evaluations submitted to the Seychelles national government. Mangroves (2195 ha, 80% in Aldabra Atoll) and seagrasses (142,065 ha) dominate in Seychelles, with coral reefs having the potential for carbon sequestration (169,000 ha). Seychelles is on track to protecting its blue carbon, but these systems are threatened by rising sea levels, coastal squeeze, erosion, severe storms, and human activities. The importance of carbon inventories, accounting institutions, and continuous monitoring of blue carbon systems is discussed. Blue accounting is necessary for accurate accounting of carbon sequestration and carbon storage, generating carbon credits, and representing impactful reductions in greenhouse gases for NDCs. Challenges and opportunities include policy legislation regarding ownership rights, accreditation and certification for carbon credits, sustainable financing mechanisms like natural asset companies and blue tokens, local engagement for long-term success, and carbon market dynamics following COP27. The restoration and regulation of blue carbon resources for optimal ecosystem services delivery, carbon inventories, and blue carbon policy are recommended development priorities. Blue carbon ecosystems have the potential to contribute to NDCs of SIDS while simultaneously offering sustainable development pathways for local communities through the multiple ecosystem services they provide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a financing method providing financial support for environmental protection, debt-for-nature swaps (DFNS) have been implemented for nearly forty years. DFNS have covered marine protected areas (MPAs) in four countries since 2015. Although extensive literature discusses the various issues surrounding DFNS, only some researchers have connected the topics of DFNS and MPAs to evaluate the performance of implementing DFNS for financing MPAs. This paper contributes to filling this gap by analyzing the performance of the DFNS for financing MPAs from economic, legal, and environmental aspects by case studies from Seychelles and Belize. It aims to find an answer to the research question of whether the implementation of DFNS is a viable option for financing MPAs by exploring the current performance and discussing the future development of implementing the DFNS for MPAs. The DFNS has played a positive role in establishing MPAs in Seychelles and Belize by providing stable financial support for MPAs and improving the debt sustainability of debtor countries to some extent. However, there are various barriers from a legal perspective in reaching a swap agreement, ensuring the effective implementation of the agreement, and improving the transparency construction. With the trend of increasing scale and amount of debt relief and funding, the DFNS is expected to play an important role in promoting the establishment of MPAs, realizing the economic benefits, and having a satisfactory performance by legal measures. It concludes that with the transparency construction of information disclosure, special legislation on DFNS, an appropriate scale of debt for conversion determined by considering the debt sustainability, an adaptation to the innovation of the contractual approach of sovereign debt restructuring, and complementary assistance from different levels, the implementation of DFNS can be a viable option for financing MPAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In 2005, there were outbreaks of febrile polyarthritis due to Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) in the Comoros Islands. CHIKV then spread to other islands in the Indian Ocean: La Réunion, Mauritius, Seychelles and Madagascar. These outbreaks revealed the lack of surveillance and preparedness of Madagascar and other countries. Thus, it was decided in 2007 to establish a syndrome-based surveillance network to monitor dengue-like illness. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the use of capillary blood samples blotted on filter papers for molecular diagnosis of CHIKV infection. Venous blood samples can be difficult to obtain and the shipment of serum in appropriate temperature conditions is too costly for most developing countries. Methodology and principal findings: Venous blood and dried-blood blotted on filter paper (DBFP) were collected during the last CHIKV outbreak in Madagascar (2010) and as part of our routine surveillance of dengue-like illness. All samples were tested by real-time RT-PCR and results with serum and DBFP samples were compared for each patient. The sensitivity and specificity of tests performed with DBFP, relative to those with venous samples (defined as 100%) were 93.1% (95% CI:[84.7–97.7]) and 94.4% (95% CI:[88.3–97.7]), respectively. The Kappa coefficient 0.87 (95% CI:[0.80–0.94]) was excellent. Conclusion: This study shows that DBFP specimens can be used as a cost-effective alternative sampling method for the surveillance and monitoring of CHIKV circulation and emergence in developing countries, and probably also for other arboviruses. The loss of sensitivity is insignificant and involved a very small number of patients, all with low viral loads. Whether viruses can be isolated from dried blood spots remains to be determined. Author Summary: Chikungunya is a mosquito-transmitted viral disease. No treatment is currently available. The only way to prevent infection is to avoid mosquito bites. Surveillance of circulation by early diagnosis is useful to prevent or limit outbreak. CHIKV, like all RNA viruses, is heat-labile. Consequently, confirmatory diagnosis classically requires blood samples that are transported in appropriate conditions (i.e. at 4°C within 48 hours, in liquid nitrogen, or frozen at −80°C and transported on dry ice) to prevent false negative results. This is not always possible in field conditions in low income countries. Dried blood spots are already used to diagnose parasitic, bacterial and viral infection. We compared venous sample to dried blood sample to make diagnosis of Chikungunya infection. We demonstrate the usefulness of this sampling method for the molecular diagnosis of Chikungunya infection. In particular, dried blood spots were very nearly as suitable as frozen serum specimens for the diagnosis of recent infection by CHIKV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mercury (Hg) is a chemical of health concern worldwide that is now being acted upon through the Minamata Convention. Operationalizing the Convention and tracking its effectiveness requires empathy of the diversity and variation of mercury exposure and risk in populations worldwide. As part of the health plenary for the 15th International Conference on Mercury as a Global Pollutant (ICMGP), this review paper details how scientific understandings have evolved over time, from tragic poisoning events in the mid-twentieth century to important epidemiological studies in the late-twentieth century in the Seychelles and Faroe Islands, the Arctic and Amazon. Entering the twenty-first century, studies on diverse source-exposure scenarios (e.g., ASGM, amalgams, contaminated sites, cosmetics, electronic waste) from across global regions have expanded understandings and exemplified the need to consider socio-environmental variables and local contexts when conducting health studies. We conclude with perspectives on next steps for mercury health research in the post-Minamata Convention era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child protection’s complexity requires localized understanding within social work. This paper focuses on the child protection system in the Republic of Seychelles and evaluates social workers’ preparedness within this context. Through a historical analysis of social work in Seychelles and an exploration of the current child protection system with an emphasis on the educational readiness of social workers for child protection work, this study investigates the unique challenges/opportunities in this field. This study uses an exploratory case study method to analyze the educational preparedness of social workers in child protection work and identify key strategies for improving practice outcomes in Seychelles. Findings show that the education of social workers, especially at the bachelor’s degree level, is more tuned to generic training in the social work profession than specializations in specific fields of practice like child protection. Recommendations for enhancing social work practice in Seychelles and other similar contexts are given, highlighting the need for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we examine the comovements and volatility spillovers of four US dollar exchange rates for four African currencies in the period of the Sub-Saharan African Eurobond issue. The currencies considered are the US dollar exchange rates for the Ghana Cedi (GHS), Nigeria Naira (N), The Kenyan Shilling, and the South African Rand (ZAR). We considered exchange rate data from 2006 (the year the first Eurobond was issued by Seychelles on the SSA) to January 2021. This period is divided into three subperiods, which are the period of Light Eurobond Issue, the Period of Heavy Eurobond Issue, and the Period of Global Financial Crisis (GFC). We observe different correlation dynamics and volatility spillovers across the period of our study. Specifically, significant comovements and volatility spillovers were recorded in the Light Eurobond Issues and the Global Financial Crisis Period. The conditional correlation and the volatility spillovers are not well pronounced in the Heavy Eurobond Issue Period. This implies that individual currency US dollar exchange rates are behaving idiosyncratically. The findings provide diversification opportunities for forex market players and investors looking into the African continent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The blue bond market has emerged as one of the latest additions in the sustainable debt market. Its goal is to channel funding toward sustainable blue economy projects related to the ocean and freshwater. While the protection of hydric resources has gained importance within the problem of climate change, Sustainable Development Goals linked to water remain the most underfunded. Since the issuance of the first blue bond in the Seychelles in 2018, multiple public and private organizations have turned to the blue bond market to raise funds. However, unlike the green bond market, no comprehensive market overview exists, preventing stakeholders from judging whether this label has been effective in protecting water resources and drawing conclusions on its future potential. This paper draws on an extensive review of academic research and complements it with a unique and comprehensive analysis of blue bonds issued to date, providing a contribution to the literature on sustainable finance. Between 2018 and 2022, 26 blue bond transactions took place, amounting to a total value of USD 5.0 billion, with a 92% CAGR between those years. Currently, blue bonds represent less than 0.5% of the sustainable debt market. The use of proceeds has mostly focused on waste management, biodiversity, and sustainable fisheries, but also ranges across other areas of the sustainable blue economy. Only two-thirds of blue bond issuers report on impact metrics, providing further opportunity to add detail and rigor. We draw comparisons to the more mature green bond market and conclude that a lack of standardized definitions, metrics, and expertise by issuers and investors are significant barriers to the blue bond market. Resolving these barriers is crucial to attract corporations and ensure continued growth of the blue bond market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper applies the Integrated Threat Theory as a framework for an exploratory sequential mixed-methods approach to examine the impacts of tourism on Seychelles' residents. In-depth interviews of 28 informants revealed residents' perceptions of tourism's negative impacts. Findings were combined with factors from previous studies in a quantitative survey of 281 respondents for a more comprehensive view. Results revealed that residents perceived restricted access to beaches near hotels, the strain on public infrastructure, economic leakages, and unfavourable employment prospects (vis-a-vis expatriate staffers) as unsavoury aspects of tourism. These impacts notwithstanding, Seychellois remain positively disposed to tourism and hold favourable attitudes towards tourists. Thus, while realistic and symbolic threats were confirmed, they did not translate into intergroup anxiety and negative stereotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brett, M.R., 2021. How important is coastal tourism for island nations? An assessment of African and Indian Ocean islands. Journal of Coastal Research, 37(3), 568–575. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. Coastal tourism is an important component of the global tourism industry, particularly for island nations where the tourism sector often exceeds 40% of gross domestic product. For African island and Indian Ocean island nations, the tourism sector's economic contribution has not received as much attention. This paper analyses the economic contribution of tourism to the economies of African island nations and analyzes tourism statistics from the World Travel and Tourism Council annual reports. Tourism is a major economic factor for the island nations and is concentrated in the coastal zone. The data indicates that islands with larger and more diversified economies performed better in terms of tourism receipts than did islands with less developed economies. The results show that the average per capita income on the islands is more than six-fold greater than the average for the African continent. To test the importance of the coastal zone, tourist infrastructure was mapped on two African island nations, Mauritius and the Seychelles. Given the predominance of tourist infrastructure in the coastal zone, and the importance of tourism to the economies of many of the African island nations, a rise in sea-level even of 0.5 to 1 meters poses a serious threat to the existence of these island nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The successful design, implementation and management of the institutional arrangements for climate change adaptation are critical components of sustainable development. This is especially true for small island developing states (SIDS), a group of 58 countries spread across three main geographic regions, which are acknowledged as being disproportionately vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. In many instances, the dynamics of these arrangements in SIDS are poorly understood and documented. This study helps to fill this gap by identifying and analyzing "networks of action situations" through semi-structured interviews with 14 national and international climate change officials and practitioners in four SIDS (Comoros, Maldives, Seychelles, and Singapore) in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans region. We find that there are a few strategic actors involved in multiple, mutually reinforcing and sometimes conflicting arrangements, which are simultaneously being shaped and reshaped at different scales. We also find varying patterns of power, politics and participation that act as both drivers of and barriers to adaptation in these countries. By deconstructing institutional interlinkages and strategic feedback loops, this paper contributes to a broader understanding of the complexities of environmental governance in small jurisdictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teenage childbearing interferes with girls' educational attainment in many settings, as it frequently marks the end of their basic education. In Seychelles despite numerous laws and policies to facilitate and support teenage mothers' schooling, the number of teenage mothers returning to school remains low. We are unaware of the factors that may be hindering their return to their studies. An exploratory, qualitative study was conducted aimed at exploring the factors influencing Seychellois teenage mothers' return to school after childbirth. A semi-structured interview guide was used during individual in depth interviews with a sample of six teenage mothers who returned and six who did not return to school, as well as four key informants. This paper reports only on the data on the barriers to school return. The findings suggest that the complex realities of teenage mothers' lives are insufficiently considered, limiting young mothers' educational options. It recommends measures to improve young school-going mothers' return to school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contains 142 Campylopoideae records from 10 collecting trips of the author with his colleagues in the East African islands. Among the 27 taxa 15 records were new to a certain island, of which 4 were known before only from continental Africa. With these the known number of species on the Indian Ocean islands raises from 30 to 34. Observations on the ecology, distribution and illustrations of most species are also given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Besides access to climate finance and capacity building, developing countries, comprised mainly of least developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing states (SIDS) have negotiated for increased technology transfer to support their climate change adaptation. The Global Environment Facility has been supporting LDCs and SIDS to develop technology needs assessments (TNAs) to leverage international climate finance, and 62 countries have conducted a TNA to date. Ten SIDS are currently completing their TNAs, and 9 more will start the process in 2021. The focus of this paper is on in-country processes that have not received much attention to date. We find that an efficient TNA process is characterized by the adoption of an inclusive multi-stakeholder process, using existing institutional structures to increase ownership, and applying a learning-by-doing approach. An effective TNA process supports the formulation of national climate change policies and strategies and importantly enables the country to leverage international climate finance. For the latter, an effective TNA should address more closely the investment criteria of the Green Climate Fund. The lessons learned are shared to better inform forthcoming TNA processes in SIDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The paper is based on a doctoral action research project in which three ESL teachers and the author in one secondary school in the Seychelles focused on strategy instruction in the process approach to writing instruction with the aim of helping students become effective writers. The project enabled the author to establish relationships with the participating teachers as educator, facilitator and collaborator. To ensure the trustworthiness of the research, the author needed to clarify and explore the complex relationships to the setting and participants being studied. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach - In this paper, the author reflexively discusses the development nature of my research: language learning strategies (LLS) and draw upon my experience of working with three ESL Seychellois teachers in the reflection and planning stage of the Core Action Research project to critically reflect on the negotiation of my position in practice. Findings - Reflecting on the author's positionality in relation to how the teacher participants constructed the identity has helped the author to be more reflexive and engage with the research process in a more meaningful way. Originality/value - The author's experience suggests that one's positionality is never fixed and stable, but rather may be characterized as changing and fluctuating according to the context, content, feelings and ideas expressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seychelles' issuance of the world's first blue bond in 2018 represents a novel approach to financing sustainable blue economy activities. Consisting of socio-legal methodologies, this paper examines the implications of this financial innovation, particularly for the local fisheries sector, and explores how it shapes the implementation of international environmental law in Seychelles. The paper reveals that the ecological modernization trajectory based on the discourse that sees sustainable transition as a profitable opportunity prioritizes commercial interests over the needs of local communities and alternative fisheries proposals. However, the paper claims that such a strategy should be read in the context of low climate financing for adaptation to small island states that are pushed to come up with their climate financing solutions at the expense of becoming indebted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports new mineral and whole-rock geochemical data on the acid volcano-plutonic rocks of the Tusham Ring Complex (TRC) from the Neoproterozoic Malani Igneous Suite (MIS), northwestern Peninsular India and discusses their magmatic evolution, tectonic implication, and geodynamic history. Geochemically, the investigated rocks have the characteristics of hypersolvus, high-K calc-alkaline to shoshonitic, peraluminous and A-type granitoids and they are enriched in SiO2, (Na2O + K2O), Fe/ Mg, Ga/Al, Th, U, REE (except Eu), LILE + HFSE, halogens (F and Cl) and depleted in CaO, MgO, Sr, Cr, Ni, P, Ti and Eu abundances. They also show high heat production (HHP) affinity and high mineralization potential. The high abundances of fluorine (0.80–7.11 wt %) and chlorine (0.44–1.56 wt %) in biotite and the geochemistry of the studied rock types indicate that the acid volcanics and granite massifs of TRC were derived from a halogen-enriched magmatic source under low degree partial melting of crustal protolith. The field, petrography, mineral chemistry, whole-rock geochemistry of the rocks under study, in combination with their tectonic and petrogenetic signatures have proposed that the rift-related Neoproterozoic magmatism of MIS has close linkage with geodynamic evolution of Nagarparkar, Seychelles and Madagascar A-type granitoids during Rodinia breakup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the 1970s there has been a significant interest in small island developing states (SIDS). Since the 1990s the vast majority of this focus has been on economic and environmental ‘vulnerabilities’. This paper reaffirms the importance of ‘the social’ when analysing the ‘vulnerabilities’ of SIDS through a country case study of Seychelles in the context of its SIDS status. It outlines Seychelles' demographic processes and macroeconomic volatilities and discusses its post-independence social development achievements. This paper provides critical analysis of how these achievements have been attained and considers the extent to which the present levels are sustainable. It argues that significant social gains are under threat from a range of domestic and international forces, potentially destabilizing the main pillar of the economy, tourism. The paper concludes that while the economic and environmental vulnerabilities of SIDS are of conceptual importance, reaffirming the centrality of the social is vital to understanding the potential causes and consequences of these vulnerabilities. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: approximately eighty million people around the world are living with hepatitis C, and 700,000 people die every year, due to hepatitis C related complications. In Seychelles, a total of 777 cases of hepatitis C were reported from 2002 to 2016, but up to mid of 2016, the cases were not being treated. Treatment with Harvoni, a combination of sofosbuvir and ledipasvir (SOF/LDV), is now being offered on the condition that the patient does not, or has stopped, injecting drugs. This paper is the first to establish the cost effectiveness of treating all cases of hepatitis C in Seychelles with Harvoni, as compared to no treatment. Methods: data extracted from literature was used to populate an economic model to calculate cost-effectiveness from Seychelles' government perspective. The model structure was also informed by the systematic review and an accompanying grading of economic models using the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standard (CHEERS) checklist. A Markov model was developed, employing a lifetime horizon and costs and benefits were analysed from a payer's perspective and combined into incremental cost effectiveness ratios (ICERs). Results: the direct-acting antiviral (DAA), Harvoni, was found to be cost-saving in Seychelles hepatitis C virus (HCV) cohort, as compared to no treatment, with an ICER of € 753.65/QALY. The treatment was also cost-saving when stratified by gender, with the ICER of male and female being € 783.74/QALY and € 635.20/QALY, respectively. Moreover, the results obtained from acceptability curves showed that treating patients with Harvoni is the most cost-effective option, even for low thresholds. Conclusion: treating hepatitis C cases in Seychelles is costsaving. It is worth developing a treatment programme to include all cases of hepatitis C, regardless of status of drug injection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reassesses the historical connections linking Seychelles and Reunion Island from the 1770s to the 1900s. It highlights the contributions of Reunion people in the early development of Seychelles as a case of mutual self-interest cooperation rooted in history. Reunionese migrated to Seychelles during the French period, which lasted from 1770 to the 1810s. In addition to their contribution to the settlement of the then uninhabited archipelago, Reunion people introduced new crops. Despite the parceling out of these two island societies between the British and French empires in 1815, no complete interruption occurred. In the second half of the nineteenth century, Reunion's impact on Seychelles society evolved to more specialized areas. As such, the story constitutes a valuable and instructive chapter in trans-imperial and inter-colonial cooperation within the Indian Ocean. Ultimately, the promotion of this shared heritage is an asset for regional cooperation today in various ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Madagascar, Mauritius and Seychelles are at the center of industrial tuna extraction in the Southwest Indian Ocean (SWIO). In this paper, we show that, while a discourse of regionalism between the three islands is prominent, the possibilities of regionalism face deep challenges in relation to the tuna industry. This is due to three factors. First, local perceptions, especially amongst those working in and on the tuna industry, are in disconnection with an 'Indianoceania' vision. Second, the geopolitics between coastal states and distant water fishing nations creates various entanglements including through fishing access revenue and foreign aid. Finally, the materiality of tuna can at times create competition as countries seek to individually maximize benefits from the industry. We argue that the active reinforcement of regional identity and collaboration around this resource is necessary to sustain local benefits into the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both in Guadeloupe and in the Seychelles a French-based Creole coexists with French. In addition to this shared main ecological parameter, the two areas diverge in several other points of their contact ecology: First, due to the different timing of French colonization, the French variety exported to Guadeloupe in the 17th century differed from the variety exported to the Seychelles a century later. Second, while the Seychelles were a British colony from 1814 to independence in 1976, Guadeloupe always remained French and is still a French overseas department. Therefore, the contact ecology in Guadeloupe may be characterized as a reciprocally dominant monocontact situation (see Gadet/Ludwig/ Pfänder 2009), while the situation in the Seychelles is one of polycontact (Seychelles' Creole-English-French), with Seychelles' Creole and English being dominant in their influence on French (while the reverse is not the case). Using data from several corpora of spoken and written French in the Seychelles and Guadeloupe, this paper shows instances of code copying (e.g. Johanson 2002, Kriegel/Ludwig/Henri 2009) from the two Creole languages (and English) on the morphosyntactical level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A major problem facing the Seychelles islands is the decline in the quality and the value of marine protected areas (MPAs). Economic valuation can help guide policy makers to understand the value of marine resources and the cost of neglecting MPAs by expressing the value of their goods and services in monetary terms. This paper presents an analysis of the economic value of a group of marine parks in Seychelles. The travel cost method is used to establish willingness-to-pay of international tourists for trips to marine parks in Seychelles from their observed behaviour. The average per-trip consumer surplus is approximately €128 for single-site visitors and €65 for multiple-site visitors. The total social welfare value attributable to the recreational opportunity in marine parks is approximately €3.7 million annually. These results provide policy makers with a strong justification for government investment needed to maintain marine sites in Seychelles. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

It is now accepted that tourism is a significant contributor to global climate change, especially through air travel's high greenhouse gas emissions. This paper analyses the dilemmas facing tourism planning in many small island developing states and presents a model approach toward overcoming those dilemmas by adapting carbon neutral tourism policies. It researches the implementation issues facing carbon neutral tourism policies on the Seychelles Islands: tourism to the islands is energy-intensive, and current plans to increase tourist numbers will entail growing emissions of greenhouse gases. This paper analyses tourism's current levels of energy use and emissions, and explores ways to reduce them. Based on a survey of tourists and industry representatives in the Seychelles, it discusses options for tourism-dependent small island developing states to implement and finance carbon neutrality, while outlining the complexities and limitations of such an objective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Between 1967 and 1973, the indigenous people of the Indian Ocean's Chagos Archipelago were forcibly displaced from their homelands so the US Government could construct a strategic military base on the island of Diego Garcia. The people of Diego Garcia and the rest of the Chagos Archipelago now live in poverty in the island nations of Mauritius and Seychelles, nearly 2,000 kilometres from their homes. Analysing formerly classified government documents, this paper demonstrates how between the end of World War II and the final removals in 1973, the US Government planned, ordered, financed, helped orchestrate, and participated in the expulsion of the exiled people, known as Chagossians or Ilois. While some have detailed the role the British Government played in the removals, this paper clarifies how the US Government bears primary responsibility for the expulsion. Ultimately the creation of the base at Diego Garcia and the expulsion of the Chagossians reveal much about how the United States has exercised its political, economic, and military will on the world since World War II. The paper explains the significance of Diego Garcia and the expulsion of the Chagossians to post-war US foreign relations, incorporating comparative analyses of other forced migrations caused by the construction of US military facilities, including those in the Marshall Islands; Thule, Greenland; Okinawa, Japan; and Vieques, Puerto Rico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite an international enthusiasm for private capital to meet the financing gap in sustainable development, private sector finance for sustainable development and blue economy is still a very small percentage of global investment. Repurposed bonds and debt for nature swaps have gaining support with policy makers, international organizations, and investors keen to align their investment with global goals and borrowing countries with large ocean domains seeking new sources of finance. The paper explores how those trends have generated new financing opportunities for Small Islands Developing States, a group internationally recognized vulnerable countries, using Seychelles experience in blue economy development and financing through a blue bond and a debt swap. Based on interviews of local and international actors selected for their engagement in Seychelles blue economy finance, the research showed both global and local drivers and challenges to successfully attracting and delivering on private finance. A favorable global policy and financing climate, international partners with technical expertise and ability to di-risk private investment, political will and stability, clarity of national priorities, accountable institutions and sound financial management were key factors in Seychelles' success in securing private finance. However, implementation challenges were identified, from improved access to affordable finance to the strengthening the local enabling environment and private sector capabilities. High level of indebtedness and structural vulnerabilities of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) combined with the inequality of the global financing architecture, which favors creditors over borrowers' needs, remain key challenges to address the financing gap identified by the global community. Stronger SIDS voices in financing fora are needed to ensure the fair and equitable financing of sustainable blue economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Seychelles magpie‐robin's (SMR) five island populations exhibit some of the lowest recorded levels of genetic diversity among endangered birds, and high levels of inbreeding. These populations collapsed during the 20th century, and the species was listed as Critically Endangered in the IUCN Red List in 1994. An assisted translocation‐for‐recovery program initiated in the 1990s increased the number of mature individuals, resulting in its downlisting to Endangered in 2005. Here, we explore the temporal genomic erosion of the SMR based on a dataset of 201 re‐sequenced whole genomes that span the past ~150 years. Our sample set includes individuals that predate the bottleneck by up to 100 years, as well as individuals from contemporary populations established during the species recovery program. Despite the SMR's recent demographic recovery, our data reveal a marked increase in both the genetic load and realized load in the extant populations when compared to the historical samples. Conservation management may have reduced the intensity of selection by increasing juvenile survival and relaxing intraspecific competition between individuals, resulting in the accumulation of loss‐of‐function mutations (i.e. severely deleterious variants) in the rapidly recovering population. In addition, we found a 3‐fold decrease in genetic diversity between temporal samples. While the low genetic diversity in modern populations may limit the species' adaptability to future environmental changes, future conservation efforts (including IUCN assessments) may also need to assess the threats posed by their high genetic load. Our computer simulations highlight the value of translocations for genetic rescue and show how this could halt genomic erosion in threatened species such as the SMR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: When COVID-19 hit the world in 2019, an enhanced focus on diagnostic testing for SARS-CoV-2 was essential for a successful pandemic response. Testing laboratories stretched their capabilities for the new coronavirus by adopting different test methods. The necessity of having external quality assurance (EQA) mechanisms was even more critical due to this rapid expansion. However, there was a lack of experience in providing the necessary SARS-CoV-2 EQA materials, especially in locations with constrained resources. Objective: We aimed to create a PT (Proficiency testing) programme based on the Dried Tube Specimens (DTS) method that would be a practical option for molecular based SARS-CoV-2 EQA in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Methods: Based on previous ISO/IEC 17043:2010 accreditation experiences and with assistance from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, The Supranational Reference Laboratory of Uganda (adapted the DTS sample preparation method and completed a pilot EQA program between 2020 and 2021. Stability and panel validation testing was conducted on the designed materials before shipping to pilot participants in six African countries. Participants received a panel containing five SARS-CoV-2 DTS samples, transported at ambient conditions. Results submitted by participants were compared to validation results. Participants were graded as satisfactory (≥ 80%) or unsatisfactory (< 80%) and performance reports disseminated. Results: Our SARS-CoV-2 stability experiments showed that SARS-CoV-2 RNA was stable (-15 to -25 °C, 4 to 8 °C, (18 to 28 °C) room temperature and 35 to 38 °C) as well as DTS panels (4 to 8 °C, 18 to 28 °C, 35 to 38 °C and 45 °C) for a period of 4 weeks. The SARS-CoV-2 DTS panels were successfully piloted in 35 test sites from Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, and Seychelles. The pilot results of the participants showed good accuracy, with an average of 86% (30/35) concordance with the original SARS CoV-2 expectations. Conclusion: The SARS-CoV-2 DTS PT panel is reliable, stable at ambient temperature, simple to prepare and requires minimal resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Seychelles blue bond is an innovative finance mechanism that has played a pivotal role in shaping the global landscape of blue bonds. Seychelles leadership in the blue economy sets a significant precedent. However, this precedent has also raised concerns among various stakeholders. This study evaluates of Seychelles' sovereign blue bond, which was co-developed by the government of Seychelles and the World Bank. Three themes are explored, how the blue bond relates to other actors and donors in the blue economy space of Seychelles; how the blue bond contributes to advancing the national agenda and blue economy of Seychelles; and the key strengths, enablers and weaknesses of the blue bond. A series of considerations for future blue financing and blue bond mechanisms are presented, based on the findings of this study, to ensure that financing extends beyond blue washing and contributes meaningfully to the holistic transition to a sustainable blue economy. Our findings imply significant considerations for stakeholders in sustainable finance, suggesting ways to enhance the efficacy of blue bonds and emphasising the need for further research on their long-term impact and integration with other financial instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Climate change is a major challenge for SIDS. • SIDS have used the Blue Economy to reframe ocean-climate governance. • Geopolitical imaginaries underpin Seychelles' Blue Economy construction. Climate change and ocean management are significant challenges for small island developing states (SIDS). Compounding these challenges, research suggests that the ability of SIDS to enact environmental governance, and their ability to mobilise international support, remain constrained by resource limitations and broader geopolitical discourses of marginality. However, Seychelles' Government has challenged these imaginaries via its engagement with the "Blue Economy" as a framing for ocean-climate governance. This paper argues Seychelles' construction, and utilisation, of the Blue Economy is built upon particular geopolitical imaginaries underpinning ocean-climate governance in SIDS. Drawing on elite interviews conducted in Seychelles in 2017, this paper explores how the Seychelles Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust (SeyCCAT) acts as a mechanism that incorporates ocean governance and climate adaptation. It argues the Blue Economy serves as a geopolitical imaginary that underpins Seychelles' ocean-climate governance. Moreover, elites have drawn upon three separate geopolitical island imaginaries to justify Seychelle's role within the Blue Economy, Seychelles as: a pristine island state, an island of experimentation, and a large oceanic state. This paper will argue that such geopolitical imaginaries underpin ocean-climate governance through the Blue Economy and highlight the significance of considering them in analysing the Blue Economy. Further, it highlights the important insight of elite perspective in uncovering the geopolitical logics underpinning ocean-climate governance in SIDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In sub-Saharan Africa over 52 million children are living with the death of one or both parents. Drivers of this parental mortality include afflictions at levels endemic to the region, including: HIV; malaria and other parasites; lower respiratory infections; diarrhoeal illnesses; and road accidents, among others. This paper examines the impact of orphanhood on learning outcomes among girls and boys in sub-Saharan Africa, conditional on school enrolment. By analysing test scores for approximately 60,000 pupils in 12 countries, we estimate the effect on student test scores by comparing paternal, maternal, and double orphans to non-orphans in the sample, specifically for the subjects of reading, mathematics, and HIV-AIDS knowledge. No previous study has analysed how orphanhood might influence learning by using student test score data, making this paper's approach unique in the literature. This study employs two estimation techniques: Coarsened exact matching calculates the sample average treatment effect on the treated, while matching on students' family structure, household wealth, school resources, and geographic location; and double lasso (DL) regression applies applying machine-learning for variable selection with high-dimensional controls for regional and school identifiers, school location, and student age. Our results show both CEM and DL consistently report a significant negative impact of orphanhood on test scores among specific countries, especially those which faltered in addressing the HIV-AIDS crisis.

[Display omitted] • Coastal landfills in Seychelles are a large source of GHGs and marine debris. • Profitability of MOL measures is dependent on SB material existing in the SIDS. • Small-scale MOL measures under CDM can be profitable for CER prices of 26 €/tCO 2 eq. • MOL can be cost-effective for GHG emission abatement from domestic climate efforts. • MOL measure contributes to certain SDG achievement – mainly SDG8, SDG13, and SDG14. Unclosed coastal landfills in small island developing states are major sources of greenhouse gases and other environmental impacts. This is a major problem for sustainable waste management systems mainly due to the lack of economic resources. The clean development mechanism (CDM) appears as a possibility to facilitate sustainable financing. Implementing a methane oxidation layer (MOL) emerges as a feasible technical option for this kind of small landfills since landfill gas extraction is usually not viable. This paper presents a techno-economic and environmental assessment of MOL implementation in the Providence landfill (Seychelles) as a small-scale CDM measure. Results show that the MOL measure could avoid by 2030 between 94 and 20 kt CO 2 eq. Concerning profitability, results clearly show that it depends on the existence of stabilized biomass material within the island. Thus, the MOL measure starts to be profitable in some scenarios for certified emission reductions (CER) prices higher than 26 €/t CO 2 eq. that seem possible depending on the emissions' market development. When not profitable under CDM, the MOL measure might be used to reduce CO 2 emissions from the domestic climate effort under the Paris Agreement since the unitary abatement costs is between 10 and 423 €/t CO 2 eq. Moreover, the MOL measure contributes to the sustainable development goals (SDG) achievement – mainly SDG8, SDG13, and SDG14. Finally, results call for a prompt action in Seychelles since the sooner the MOL is implemented after the landfill is closed, the more profitable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

· Most marine turtles have a typical annual nesting season, and the number of nests laid during a season can be used as a proxy for population size to define trends and conservation status. · However, in some cases, two peaks in female emergences are detected during single year. · We show that estimates that fail to consider this bimodality into account can provide biased results both in terms of describing the phenology and quantifying the number of nests. · The shifts in nesting could be a strategy to adapt to present-day incubation temperatures, hatching success rates, and sex ratios in the context of climate warming. The seasonality of egg-laying in marine turtles is a well-known phenomenon that has been used to determine population trends based on an integration of the number of female emergences or nests during a season. However, in some cases, several peaks in female emergences are detected during single year. In this paper, we explore three such situations, two involving leatherback turtles laying eggs in French Guiana and in Northwest Coast of Papua, Indonesia and another involving green turtles in the Indian Ocean. In the three cases, we demonstrate the existence of a bimodal nesting season using a new statistical model. With this model, we show that estimates that fail to consider this bimodality into account can provide biased results both in terms of describing the phenology and quantifying the number of nests. The origin of these different groups of females is discussed based on the available information. This new model opens the door to a more rigorous analysis of egg-laying seasonality in marine turtles. Such rigor is essential in the current context of climate change, where shifts in seasonality can have a major influence on these species due to their temperature-sensitive sex determination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alcohol consumption has become very common among adolescents in recent years and its prevalence varies in different countries. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of alcohol consumption and related factors in adolescents aged 11 to 16 years. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on 288385 adolescents (girls, 53.9% of total) aged 11 to 16 years. In the present study, the GSHS data (2003–2018) available to public on the websites of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and WHO was used. To investigate the factors affecting alcohol consumption, univariate and multivariate logistics models with 95% confidence limits were used. Results: The overall prevalence of alcohol consumption in adolescents was 25.2%, which was 28.3% and 22.4% in boys and girls, respectively. Among the surveyed countries, the highest prevalence was in Seychelles (57.9%) and the lowest in Tajikistan (0.7). Multivariate analysis showed that the Age for 16 and more than 16 years old (OR = 3.08,95%CI: 2.54–3.74), truancy for more than 10 days (OR = 1.24, 95%CI: 1.08–1.43), loneliness at sometimes of the times (OR = 1.04, 95%CI: 1.01–1.07), insomnia at most of the times (OR = 1.85, 95%CI: 1.70–2.01), daily activity (OR = 1.03, 95%CI: 1.00–1.07), bullied for 1–9 Days in a month (OR = 1.24, 95%CI: 1.09–1.40), cigarette (OR = 4.01, 95%CI: 3.86–4.17), used marijuana for more than 10 days in a month (OR = 5.58, 95%CI: 4.59–7.78), had sex (OR = 2.76, 95%CI: 2.68–2.84), and suicide plan (OR = 1.48, 95%CI: 1.42–1.54) were important factors affecting drinking alcohol. (Table 4). In this study, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 42.79%, 93.96%, 70.80%, and 82.75. Conclusions: According to the results of the present study, the prevalence of alcohol consumption among teenagers was high. Therefore, it is suggested that demographic, family, and psychological factors should be taken into consideration in health programs for the prevention and treatment of alcohol consumption in adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Along the boundary between the Precambrian basement and the Permo-Mesozoic sedimentary basin of northernmost Madagascar, an extensive network of epigenetic quartz-barite veins can be found. The veins are extensional in nature and show a polyphase paragenesis. Some of the veins, especially in the northern part of the district, hold some minor Zn-Pb sulfides and erratically distributed, native gold mineralization. The latter has been exploited in the past and is currently subject to artisanal mining activity. Saline aqueous fluid inclusions in the various quartz and barite vein generations indicate involvement of a relatively cool (<100 °C), high-salinity (~24 eq. wt% NaCl) fluid and a hotter fluid (>160 °C) of lower salinity (~5 eq. wt% NaCl). Analyses of fluid inclusion leachates suggest that the high-salinity end member was a bittern brine, residual to seawater evaporation, whereas the low-salinity end member was a hydrothermal, metal-bearing fluid that had been sourced from the crystalline basement. Sporadic aqueous-carbonic fluid inclusions possibly represent involvement of a third fluid component of metamorphic or magmatic affinity that might have been responsible for the minor gold mineralization. The δ34S composition of the barites averages 20.6 ± 2‰ V-CDT and is indicative for a seawater origin of sulfur. Sulfate was sourced either from evaporite minerals (e.g., gypsum) present in the Early Mesozoic sedimentary sequence or was originally concentrated in the bittern brine. While the timing of mineralization remains enigmatic due to the lack of reliable radiometric age determinations, the metallogenic constrains support vein formation during or shortly after the establishment of evaporitic conditions, likely around the Middle Jurassic, in the intracratonic rift basin that developed between the East African and Madagascar-Seychelles-India plates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper examines the compulsory relocation of anti-colonial nationalists from other parts of the empire to Seychelles during British colonial rule. It explores how these colonial policies of forced expulsion that were used to contain anti-colonial political activity unintentionally enabled political exiles to create new trans-imperial networks of resistance. From the late 1800s, the British Colonial Government exiled to Seychelles over 500 anti-colonial leaders and their followers from Egypt, Somaliland, Ethiopia, Gold Coast, Palestine and other colonies; the last political exile was Greek Cypriot leader Archbishop Makarios who arrived in Seychelles in 1956. Based on archival and empirical research this paper examines their experiences of exile and how, despite feelings of loss and isolation, they continued to challenge colonial authority by mobilising new forms of contestation. Through a colonial geographical imaginary, Seychelles was constructed as distant, remote and isolated, a place where political agitators could be safely confined and prevented from infecting others with their anti-colonial sentiments. Instead, however, these movements brought colonised people together from across the empire and created spatially extended networks of ideas that became significant in connecting these ‘remote’ islands to other places. Exiles disrupted the authority of the British Colonial Government through mundane and small acts of resistance in which they made constant, almost daily, demands for their right to return home and better living conditions. This study, on a much under-researched form of imperial mobility and confinement, contributes to debates on colonialism, space and resistance by identifying networks produced by colonised people and, through an exploration of translocal subaltern agency and resistance, confounds place-bound notions of politics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This article explores how the Seychelles post-independence labour market has experienced gradual demographic shifts, due in part to the islands' sustained economic expansion, which has resulted in an increasing dependence on foreign or expatriate labour. The article uses the split labour market theory, in combination with a descriptive research approach based on a single case study qualitative methodology to make sense of the present configuration and some of the structural problems that beset the Seychelles labour market. The main objective of the study is to build on previous analyses of labour market reform initiatives, which are aimed at both alleviating human resources shortages and at the same time control the growing use of expatriate labour. This research also fills a gap in literature from the perspective of the 'Seychelloisation' of the domestic labour market. Research findings demonstrate that the labour localisation (Seychelloisation) quota policies have been constrained by structural barriers such as policy contradictions, perception and tacit social exclusion, an emerging 'mudir syndrome' and rent extraction. The paper also demonstrates that national employment policies alone are not enough to achieve policy targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hermes, J. C., and Reason, C. J. C. 2009. The sensitivity of the Seychelles–Chagos thermocline ridge to large-scale wind anomalies. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 66: 1455–1466.The Seychelles–Chagos thermocline ridge (SCTR) in the southwest tropical Indian Ocean is important for regional climate, the Madden–Julian Oscillation, as well as upper-ocean nutrients and related phytoplankton and zooplankton densities. Subsurface variability in this region has been proved to influence the overlying sea surface temperatures, which in turn can influence eastern African rainfall. There is evidence that austral summers with a deeper (shallower) SCTR tend to have more (less) tropical cyclone (TC) days in the Southwest Indian Ocean. The importance of this relationship was underlined during the 2006/2007 austral summer, when areas of Madagascar and central Mozambique experienced devastating floods, because of ten named tropical storms, including several intense TCs, effecting on these areas. At the same time, the SCTR during this season was anomalously deep, partly because of a downwelling Rossby wave that propagated across the South Indian Ocean during the previous austral winter/spring. In this paper, a regional ocean model is used to investigate the effect of remote forcing on this region and to study the sensitivity of the SCTR to changes in the large-scale winds over the South Indian Ocean, with a particular focus on the events of the 2006/2007 austral summer. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Copyright of Aquatic Living Resources is the property of EDP Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Aquatic Living Resources is the property of EDP Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article is an assessment of the country's governance and the likelihood that the country can break free from the shadow of former President Rene and his one-party state. The paper examines eight key areas of democratic governance: the constitution and rule of law; the judiciary; the National Assembly; elections; civil society; the internal security forces; economic life; and the executive. Although it finds some changes for the better over the last few years, old habits remain of a politicised judiciary, a blurring of the boundaries between party and state, regime policing, partisan distribution of state benefits and a constrained National Assembly. It concludes with a discussion of the likely role of the former incumbent, given that he still retains the chair of the ruling party and shows little sign of allowing the new President to be his own man. The likelihood of further governance progress for Seychelles depends on the political courage of President Michel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Konkan and Kerala Basins constitute a major depocentre for sediment from the onshore hinterland of Western India and as such provide a valuable record of the timing and magnitude of Cenozoic denudation along the continental margin. This paper presents an analysis of sedimentation in the Konkan–Kerala Basin, coupled with a mass balance study, and numerical modelling of flexural responses to onshore denudational unloading and offshore sediment loading in order to test competing conceptual models for the development of high-elevation passive margins. The Konkan–Kerala Basin contains an estimated 109 000 km3 of Cenozoic clastic sediment, a volume difficult to reconcile with the denudation of a downwarped rift flank onshore, and more consistent with denudation of an elevated rift flank. We infer from modelling of the isostatic response of the lithosphere to sediment loading offshore and denudation onshore infer that flexure is an important component in the development of the Western Indian Margin. There is evidence for two major pulses in sedimentation: an early phase in the Palaeocene, and a second beginning in the Pliocene. The Palaeocene increase in sedimentation can be interpreted in terms of a denudational response to the rifting between India and the Seychelles, whereas the mechanism responsible for the Pliocene pulse is more enigmatic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper summarises up to 16 years of data on the productivity of Roseate Terns and Lesser Noddies on Aride Island, Seychelles, in order to assess: (1) the magnitude of variation in reproductive parameters, (2) the factors influencing their breeding success, and (3) whether common factors influenced the productivity of the two species. With the exception of 2002, the productivity of Lesser Noddies on Aride Island was always higher than that of Roseate Terns. The frequent mass mortalities of chicks on Aride were more common for Roseate Terns (an almost null productivity occurred in 44% of the years) than for Lesser Noddies (productivity less than 0.10 chicks per breeding pair occurred in only 20% of the years). Hatching success of both species was positively correlated, but there was no correlation for productivity, which suggests that stochastic variation in short-term food availability affected both species differently. Our results indicate that food shortage is the main factor explaining the breeding success of both species on Aride; the impact of other factors, such as tick infestation, depended upon the extent of food shortage. The underlying causes of food shortage are difficult to predict, although annual variation in marine productivity seems to be the ultimate factor determining productivity of Roseate Terns and Lesser Noddies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an outline of the development and trialling during 2004 of the Literature Study Programme (LSP), a literature programme designed for use in the junior secondary classes of Seychelles. The programme was developed as a teaching and learning component concerned with the study of literature within the English language programme in the Seychelles, which had been hitherto absent in both the enacted and intended English language curriculum of the country. This paper reports on the structure and organisation of the LSP, its design philosophy, the assessment procedures employed, the results of the evaluation, and the implications for teaching literature at the junior secondary level in Seychelles. The results of the evaluation show a high level of support for literature as an area of study by both students and teachers. The programme as an initial design for teaching literature has also received a high level of approval from participants. Recommendations for the programme are also highlighted in this paper. The writer concludes with a word of caution against relegating literature study to the background. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper problematises language use as being characterised by indeterminacy, heterogeneity and struggle. It discusses some of the issues that have resulted in a need for a critical literacy approach to language study. As the paper works towards a definition of critical literacy, it analyses the arrangements of power in society and the role of language in maintaining such arrangements. The current place of critical literacy in the English curriculum of the Seychelles is discussed, along with the possibilities and necessities for a critical approach to language study in the Seychelles classrooms. Finally, the paper reviews possible approaches for the teaching of critical literacy in secondary English classrooms of Seychelles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]