VICTORIA, Seychelles — A delegation led by President Wavel Ramkalawan was in Pointe Au Sel yesterday morning to assess one of the government’s key land bank initiatives. The project, which commenced in 2024, has faced ongoing challenges due to the area’s topography and remains in progress, with several steps still required before its completion.
Currently, connective roads have been earmarked, along with irrigation systems to facilitate water flow. Speaking to the media, Lands and Housing Minister Billy Rangasamy said the significant weather changes that took place in 2024 have imposed considerable constraints on the project’s progress. ‘However, we are implementing strategies to expedite the project with the goal of completing all road construction prior to the onset of the rainy season,’ he said.
The Pointe Au Sel land bank project is a central plank of the government’s strategy to increase land availability for Seychellois families and to address the chronic shortage of developable plots in the southern districts of Mahé. The project also includes the development of supporting infrastructure — such as access roads, drainage and water reticulation — required to make the new parcels habitable and serviceable. Land bank projects of this kind are typically developed in phases, with each phase released to qualifying beneficiaries through a structured allocation process managed by the Lands and Housing ministry.
The President’s visit signals the government’s continued attention to land reform and housing supply in the country. The visit follows earlier inspections of other land-bank sites on Mahé, Praslin and La Digue, as part of a national push to expand home ownership and reduce the waiting list for residential plots. The Ministry of Lands and Housing is expected to publish a progress update on the Pointe Au Sel project in the coming months.
