History
The Seychelles islands were probably known to sailors for many centuries, but they were not really ‘on the map’ until the Portuguese began to explore the region. 'The Outer Islands’ long remained enigmatic and it was at various times said gold and silver mines, amber and sulphur could be found ashore in quantity, but it was all myth. Formal possession was taken of the Amirantes in 1802 by France and passed to England at the end of the Napoleonic Wars. Early correspondence tells of various outer islands being used as fishing camps, temporary bases and slave camps. Things eventually came under stricter control, but island populations remained small.
By the 1860s, the coconut had become Seychelles’ only commercial crop. The outer islands were ideal for plantations. Despite the extra costs involved in transport and labour, they became very much viable. Some of the islands were also exploited for their deposits of guano for fertilizer. Conditions were Spartan. When the schooner disappeared over the horizon, there was no contact with the outside world for months, until the next ship was due. Following Independence, President France Albert Rene wrote, after a visit to outer islands in 1981, that “…the principle obstacle… (was)…the lack of communication… The people who work on the outlying islands do not have contact with Mahé. They do not know what is going on there. They are not able to see a doctor if they are sick and often have no news from their families. The boat arrives only at two to three month intervals.” With the aim of putting all this to rights, the Islands Development Company was created with the hope of ensuring the outer islands would be “…developed to the full in crop and animal farming, fishing, tourism, timber production and salt making.”
By 1982, IDC owned Farquhar, Desroches, Coëtivy, Cosmoledo, Astove, Providence, Marie Louise, Rémire, Platte, Poivre and Alphonse. Silhouette became an IDC island later and was the last addition. A training school was created on Coëtivy for island staff and managers. Farquhar and Desroches also had airstrips but the only plane in which to fly to the islands was an Islander, belonging to the Ministry of Defence. The Cinq Juin was used to make trips every two months and there were schooners going to the islands. IDC’s first vessel was the Argo, a small boat originally built by Harry Savy, which was purchased from the Navy.
Construction activities increased with the rebuilding of island houses. Straw huts were replaced with wooden structures. Sawmills were built on Coëtivy and Desroches to process casuarina for house building. Eventually these timber houses were replaced with half timber and half concrete buildings and today the houses are concrete with timber cladding. In 1984 IDC built the first fish processing plant on Coëtivy.
By the mid-1980s, tourism in the outer island became a serious proposition. The first hotels were those on Silhouette and Desroches, which were in operation by 1987, and were built by IDC. Both hotels were very profitable and in 2000 IDC went forward to construct Alphonse Resort. Tourism in turn opened the door to redevelop agriculture.
Since the mid-1980s there have been air links to the islands. IDC had access to an Islander plane and later acquired a Merlin aircraft. In 1990 and 1995 IDC purchased Caravans. In 1996 a first Beechcraft was purchased to service hotels in the outer islands. The IDC air service has become profitable and it is hoped that a larger IDC air fleet will eventually be established.
Today there are more young people working on outer islands, especially with the advent tourism. IDC now has a staff of about 800, and with hotel staff provides employment for just over 1,000
By the 1860s, the coconut had become Seychelles’ only commercial crop. The outer islands were ideal for plantations. Despite the extra costs involved in transport and labour, they became very much viable. Some of the islands were also exploited for their deposits of guano for fertilizer. Conditions were Spartan. When the schooner disappeared over the horizon, there was no contact with the outside world for months, until the next ship was due. Following Independence, President France Albert Rene wrote, after a visit to outer islands in 1981, that “…the principle obstacle… (was)…the lack of communication… The people who work on the outlying islands do not have contact with Mahé. They do not know what is going on there. They are not able to see a doctor if they are sick and often have no news from their families. The boat arrives only at two to three month intervals.” With the aim of putting all this to rights, the Islands Development Company was created with the hope of ensuring the outer islands would be “…developed to the full in crop and animal farming, fishing, tourism, timber production and salt making.”
By 1982, IDC owned Farquhar, Desroches, Coëtivy, Cosmoledo, Astove, Providence, Marie Louise, Rémire, Platte, Poivre and Alphonse. Silhouette became an IDC island later and was the last addition. A training school was created on Coëtivy for island staff and managers. Farquhar and Desroches also had airstrips but the only plane in which to fly to the islands was an Islander, belonging to the Ministry of Defence. The Cinq Juin was used to make trips every two months and there were schooners going to the islands. IDC’s first vessel was the Argo, a small boat originally built by Harry Savy, which was purchased from the Navy.
Construction activities increased with the rebuilding of island houses. Straw huts were replaced with wooden structures. Sawmills were built on Coëtivy and Desroches to process casuarina for house building. Eventually these timber houses were replaced with half timber and half concrete buildings and today the houses are concrete with timber cladding. In 1984 IDC built the first fish processing plant on Coëtivy.
By the mid-1980s, tourism in the outer island became a serious proposition. The first hotels were those on Silhouette and Desroches, which were in operation by 1987, and were built by IDC. Both hotels were very profitable and in 2000 IDC went forward to construct Alphonse Resort. Tourism in turn opened the door to redevelop agriculture.
Since the mid-1980s there have been air links to the islands. IDC had access to an Islander plane and later acquired a Merlin aircraft. In 1990 and 1995 IDC purchased Caravans. In 1996 a first Beechcraft was purchased to service hotels in the outer islands. The IDC air service has become profitable and it is hoped that a larger IDC air fleet will eventually be established.
Today there are more young people working on outer islands, especially with the advent tourism. IDC now has a staff of about 800, and with hotel staff provides employment for just over 1,000
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