The distorted world trade regime is an obstacle to development, the leader of the Seychelles told the General Assembly, calling for increased justice and fairness to recognize the specific needs of small island nations. “We should abandon ‘solutions’ which continue to enrich the rich and impoverish the poor and the vulnerable,” President James Alix Michel told the body’s annual high-level event.

Annette* is a small, lively woman in her early sixties. Married to an abusive husband -- who once threw boiling water on her, landing her in hospital -- she was not repeating the story with her alcoholic and drug-addicted son. Just as her husband was growing older and calmer, her son was getting increasingly violent.

The government of Seychelles shows its commitment to the use of ICTs in education despite simmering opposition to its tendering procedures. The first consignment of subsidized laptops promised to Seychellois teachers earlier this year was delivered this week. The 1500 Inspiron 1501 and 6400 Dell laptop computers are selling at only 25% of the local market price in order to popularise the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in education.

Government services in Seychelles are undergoing a major transformation as various departments are making information and resources available online to the public. Seychelles e-government goal is to make information and communication technologies (ICT) integral to the delivery of government information, services and processes. The implementations have encountered delays since Vice President Joseph Belmont first announced it in January 2006.