Ciel Properties is striving to make the region benefit from its Integrated Resorts Scheme (IRS) project, Anahita. It has launched several initiatives to make sure the inhabitants of the region will be the first ones to take advantage of the 1,200 jobs that will be available between now and 2010 when the whole project is ready. But a first recruiting exercise will start at the beginning of next month for the opening in December of the Adamante and the Golf court (see inset).

Between 200 and 300 people will be employed by Anahita between July and September for the launching of the first phase of the project next December. Soon afterwards ? in January and February next year ? the second phase of the IRS, comprising mainly the Four Seasons Resorts, is expected to employ 500 more.

One of the main objectives of Anahita is to give a chance to the people living around the site. ?Democratisation is a concept that is also implemented in private companies. The general idea is that a greater number of people can take advantage of a project,? comments the communication manager of Ciel Group, David Martial. Hence, the Anahita Centre for Excellence was set up in October last year to be the link between the people interested in a job at Anahita and the level of qualification needed. More than 3,000 people have enrolled for the training so far while 500 have already started their courses. All courses are free even if ?there is no guarantee that they will come and work with Anahita. They have the freedom to go and work in another hotel of the region,? declares Sharmila Lochun, in charge of the Anahita centre for excellence.

But the eastern region has a number of specificities that Anahita had to respect when the Ciel Group decided to launch their IRS project in Beau-Champ. A socio-economic study helped see what the region really needed to develop more. The results were clear: high unemployment rate affecting mainly young people, low-skilled employees, low level of education, low level of literacy, lack of professional training, to mention only a few.

<B>Unqualified and inexperienced</B>

Hence, it is no surprise to see that more than half of the 3,162 applicants at the centre for excellence hardly have a School Certificate. Only a small majority of the applicants actually have their Higher School Certificate (220) and even less diplomas or degrees (75).

Likewise, 2,404 of them are unqualified and inexperienced applicants. Those with no experience are first given a general idea of the hospitality industry. It is only if they show an interest in this first module that they are then directed towards more specific sectors. First training sessions have started in housekeeping in the mock-up villa and other technical courses are expected to start very soon. Teaching of literacy in collaboration with Caritas is also planned in a near future and as courses in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish some time later.

However, Anahita also wants to create 5,000 indirect jobs between now and 2010. This may be why they have launched a programme of help for entrepreneurs. A free Help Desk for entrepreneurs will be set up with the collaboration of Price Waterhouse Coopers to give tips to entrepreneurs to better take advantage of the IRS project.

The communications manager of Ciel Group insists that PwC will help potential entrepreneurs to ?make up for the inadequacy between the potential businesses and the needs of Anahita or the region?. Didier Lenette, a senior manager of PwC, adds: ?The objective is not only to give practical tips to people who will be employed by Anahita. We hope the free advice will help many other inhabitants of the region.?

Ciel Group also plans to create a cooperative with local fishermen and small planters for the supply of fish, fruits and vegetables. ?Of course, we do not have the capacity of taking all those interested on board and all projects will not be fit for Anahita but we really think a lot of inhabitants of the region could become businessmen or women with Anahita,? says David Martial.

Moreover, the Rs 3,000,000 Social Integration Fund for this year should help finance a number of projects related to education and training, fight against poverty, alcoholism, drugs, prostitution and gambling as well as help disabled people. All this will be done with the collaboration of Fondation Nouveau Regard ? in charge of social projects for the Ciel Group. The recruitment of social worker, Steeve Appolon, by Anahita is expected to help identify the valuable social and infrastructure projects of the region.

MARKETING OF THE VILLAS

<B>Successful sales so far?</B>

This phase of the Anahita village that extends on 200 kilometres will be ready next December. The 70 flats ? ?front -sea residences? ? have already been sold since last June. ?We sold all of them and quite easily, we must admit,? says David Martial. He, however, acknowledges that it is the ?less expensive part of the project?. As for the 46 luxury villas of the Four Seasons Resort, half had already been sold in December while the others are being marketed at the moment. The Four Seasons already benefits from a worldwide reputation of luxury and quality and ?this is actually a very specific market where clients are traditional ones who already know the product?. Finally, the last phase of the project, which will end in 2010, is the only part where the villas will be branded ?Anahita?. The 28 villas of the ?Lunea? project will start to be sold in about a month.