Minister for Employment and Human Resource Planning Patricia Alexander embarked on a strategic visit to key financial‑services firms on Friday, March 27, aiming to bolster partnerships with one of Seychelles’ most vital economic pillars. Her tour included Appleby Global Services – which employs 100% Seychellois staff, many with long tenure – as well as Abacus (Seychelles) Limited and ACM & Associates, where local workforce representation stands between 70% and 80%.
During presentations by company leaders, recurring sectoral challenges emerged: specialist‑skill shortages and abrupt regulatory changes imposed by government authorities with minimal advance notice. These sudden shifts disrupt operations and erode client trust, executives reported. In response, some firms have developed tailor‑made online training modules to upskill existing and new staff – a self‑help approach that underscores the gap between regulatory expectations and available human capital.
Minister Alexander praised the high level of Seychellois employment within these finance, accounting and offshore‑service entities, noting their substantial contribution to national revenue and job creation. Yet she acknowledged that for the sector to evolve sustainably, “government support is required to create an environment where the landscape is more equitable.”
A consensus emerged that closer collaboration with education and training institutions is essential to cultivate local talent pipelines. “Today’s exchange reasserts my ministry’s commitment to upholding cross‑sectoral collaboration for sustainable growth,” Alexander stated. The visit, part of her broader strategy to engage with major employing organisations, signals a recognition that regulatory predictability and workforce development are twin pillars for maintaining Seychelles’ competitiveness in the global offshore‑services market.
