Day: June 27, 2023

The minister for Telecommunications, Information Technology and Media, Mário Oliveira, said on Tuesday in the Province of Luanda that the government will continue making efforts to meet the demands from the complaint book of the workers of the National Company of Postal Services and Telegraphs of Angola.

Speaking to the press, the minister said that negotiations are underway with the Board of Directors of the company’s trade union committee, stating that dialogue is the best way to put an end to the stand-off.

The government official called for the workers of the Angolan Post Office to be committed to work so that the company can make its effective contribution to the national economy.

“The Ministry is committed to the leverage of the company”, he said.

Workers from the National Company of Postal Services and Telegraphs of Angola have been on strike since 5 June, demanding an increase of wages and the application of occupational qualifications.

With roughly 400 workers, the state-owned company is supervised by the Ministry of Telecommunications, Information Technologies and Media.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

The Angolan ambassador, Maria Filomena Delgado, Tuesday in Bern City presented to the President of the Swiss Confederation, Alain Berset, her Credentials for accreditation as Angola’s Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador to that European country.

According to a note from the Embassy of Angola in Switzerland, during the audience granted to the diplomat by the Swiss President, ambassador Maria Filomena Delgado shared key information on the political, social and economic transformations underway in Angola.

At the time, the diplomat expressed her willingness to strengthen relations of friendship and cooperation in different areas between the two countries.

Humanitarian actions such as mine clearance and construction of the Catofe Technical Agricultural School in Quibala Municipality, Cuanza Sul Province, are the main basis for cooperation.

The two states, whose political and diplomatic relations and cooperation date back to 1975, have established a political consultation process at the diplomatic level, which constitutes a useful mechanism to promote bilateral dialogue between them.

Therefore, Angola and Switzerland political consultations include, among others, bilateral relations, common interest regional and international issues, implementation of mutual agreement, as well as experience exchange related to common interest matters.

Therefore, political consultation between Angola and Switzerland includes, among others, bilateral relations, regional and international issues of common interest, the implementation of mutual agreements, as well as the exchange of experiences related to different issues

Source: Angola Press News Agency

As of Wednesday Angola will have fibre optics linking it to the neighbouring Republic of Zambia, with the aim of boosting its technological connection with the Southern African Development Communitty (SADC) region, said Tuesday in the Province of Luanda, the minister for Telecommunications, Information Technology and Media, Mário Oliveira.

Speaking to the press after a visit to the ministry by a parliamentary delegation from the Southern African Development Community (SADC), he revealed that the link will begin with the first tests so that the project can evolve.

At the time, the official took the opportunity to announce that the Republic of Congo would be the next country to be linked, noting that Angola was already linked to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Namibia.

During the meeting with the SADC deputies, Mário Oliveira spoke about the main projects that the ministry has been carrying out with a view to the country’s development, namely the space project.

In this regard, he said that Angola will soon supply satellite services to Zambia and South Africa to support agriculture, infrastructures and the environment, as well as for migration control.

The minister considered it appropriate to meet with representatives of public finance so that the SADC countries can obtain assistance and reaffirmed that the country is open to strengthening cooperation.

“Without money we can’t do anything, but with everyone’s support us we can create robust systems for the continent and for the world”, he said.

The focus on staff training, public internet, modernisation of the public media, as well as Angola Telecom state-owned telecommunications company were also mentioned by the minister.

For a two-days visit, SADC parliamentary delegation is in Angola´s capital city in the scope of the training programme on Public Finance Surveillance Procedure which was organized by the Secretariat of the SADC Audit Committee.

The delegation headed by the Zambian MP Warren Mwambazi, who,at the end of the meeting, acknowledged having received necessary information from partners for deliberation and better approaches to the service provided by the group he leads, which is the supervision of public accounts.

In addition to the Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology, the delegation also visited the Court of Audit and the Ministry of Finance.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

To better manage the expectation of visitors and achieve a greater degree of standardisation and professionalism within Seychelles’ tourism industry, the Department of Tourism aims to adopt a standardised grading system for establishments.

The tourism principal secretary, Sherin Francis, told reporters that it is important for tourists to be able to learn about each establishment’s standard before making a purchase, allowing them to know what to expect thanks to an established grading system.

She pointed out that it is critical to recognise that the grade of facilities and services available influences a visitor’s choice of destination.

“The national grading system establishes standard levels across the board. To be issued a license, the authorities look at the minimum physical standards – the amenities, the size of the establishment and so forth. However, the aesthetic, and services provided are not necessarily looked at under licenses. If you want to increase the standard of services in a destination these parts are important to be looked at,” said Francis.

The grading system will consist of two programmes – the Star Rating System and the Seychelles Secrets programme – and will better showcase the product diversity, and allow establishments to better market and sell their products.

Establishments with 51 rooms or more will automatically fall under the Star Rating System and will be provided with a star rating between three to five stars. There are 21 hotels that fall under this category and their participation in this grading programme is compulsory. It is optional for establishments with 50 rooms or less to partake in this grading programme.

The Seychelles Secret programme is geared towards smaller establishments like self-catering establishments, guesthouses and small hotels. Here establishments will receive one of three grades – Bronze, Silver, and Gold, following the assessment.

A set of criteria against for evaluation has been developed by the Department of Tourism and comprises physical, comfort, service, universal accessibility and sustainability assessment areas.

Currently, there are over 730 tourism establishments in the country, 75 percent of which are self-catering.

The Department of Tourism will commence this process with a sensitisation programme with the establishment owners, where the purpose and benefits of the grading system will be detailed.

In September, the department will start assessing establishments. The full roll-out of the programme is anticipated to take place about a year from this month.

“It is important that we can assess all mandatory and voluntary establishments before we publish their ratings. We want the ratings to be published at the same time to ensure no participating establishment is placed at a disadvantage,” said Francis.

In May this year, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the Tourism Development Standards Regulations. Once the regulations come into force and the tourism department launches the grading programme officially, the establishment will no longer be able to publish any other rating system currently being used unless it is one provided by the department.

Once graded, establishments will be issued a plaque, with the grading, which they will be able to showcase in a visible area of the establishment.

The director for product development, Sinha Levkovic, outlined that “once an establishment is graded, the grading will be valid for 2 years.”

She added that “normal routine visits will continue and we will look to see if the standard is being maintained, but the formal reassessment will take place close to the end of the two years.”

Source: Seychelles News Agency

The government will redesign and expand Itare dam, Posta dam, Soin-Koru, Itare-Litein water supply, and Londiani dams to accommodate and serve thousands of Kericho residents with enough water supply. Principal Secretary (PS) for the State Department for Water, Sanitation, and Irrigation, Dr. Paul Rono, said Itare Dam in Nakuru will be remodeled to supply about 20 per cent of its water to Kipkelion East in Kericho. The PS, who held a water consultative meeting Monday together with leaders from Kericho, who included Kericho Governor Dr Erick Mutai, Kericho County Women Representative Ms Beatrice Kemei, Ainamoi MP Benjamin Langat, and Soin Sigowet MP Justice Kemei, said that the Itate-Litein Water Supply Project will also be upgraded to supply more water to parts of Kaplong, Kapakatet, and Litein in Bureti Sub County. The PS, who was also accompanied by Lake Victoria South Water Works Chairperson Mr. Odoyo Owidi and the Kericho County Commissioner Mr Michael Lesimam, urged the leadership of Kericho and the residents to encourage the youth to establish tree nurseries, especially for indigenous trees, where the government will purchase the seedlings, adding that the projection for Kericho County is to plant more than 10 million tree seedlings every year in order to help combat climate change. Rono observed that the country was increasingly becoming water scarce, and efforts to restore wetlands and water springs and conserve the existing water bodies and rivers should be enhanced through active reforestation programs where individuals, communities, and institutions can jointly participate. Speaking to the press outside the governor’s office, Rono reiterated that they have revived an orthodox reaction to the illegal water peddlers and those who steal water in the county, leaving residents with an unanswered outcry. ‘We will ensure that every household in the Country gets access to a reliable and adequate supply of clean water to enhance better living and help boost animal and crop production,’ Rono said. Meanwhile, the PS helped in launching a Water Police Unit to oversee the curbing of water wastage and illegal water connections, which were depriving many residents of getting enough water in their households. The PS also said that other small dams and non-dam water points will be constructed across the country in order to encourage more water supply to communities in the country, which will assist in realizing the President’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA). Kericho Governor Dr Erick Mutai, who spoke at the function, reaffirmed their commitments as a county to the national government projects, citing that they have signed a credible Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the State Department, Ministry of Water, Sanitation, and Irrigation and they are welcoming Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) sectors to join them.

Source: Kenya News Agency