Maldivian Company Takes Over Felicite

Felicite island near La Digue, taken over by a Maldivian company.

The Maldivian company, “Per Aquum,” has taken over the management of Felicite, the largest of the cluster of islands around La Digue and once favourite haunt of former President Albert Rene.

Felicite, which boasts several nice beaches, was also reportedly the location where Rene’s first daughter, Pandora, born to an English wife was wedded some years ago.

There is even a tennis court on Felicite built to accommodate the former first lady, Sarah Rene, so that she could enjoy her favourite sport.

Felicite, sister island of Marianne, purchased by Guinness PLC, was for many years, after being acquired from the Cauvin family in 1979, run by La Digue tycoon Gregoire Payet as an extension to his La Digue Island Lodge.

Per Aquum is a subsidiary of “Universal Enterprises”, which is already operating Labriz hotel at La Passe, Silhouette, and is planning another 40-room hotel at Grand Barbe on the other side of the island. This may indicate that the whole of Silhouette, Seychelles’ third largest island, has been taken over by the Maldivian company.  Silhouette is also the second highest island after Mahe, and the Maldivians, whose own coral islets could be swamped by the sea level rise within a few decades, are no doubt aiming as high as possible.

The hotel on Felicite has until now been rather small and exclusive. Per Aquum is initially building another 6 villas and a jetty, according to official documents.

 But the Maldivians are known to also think big. This has been the case at Northolme, in north Mahe as well as Allamanda in South Mahe, where every square metre of buildable land has been used to put up more chalets.

“Per Aquum” is owned by people like Tom Mcloughlin who signed the Silhouette agreements, has a 15% stake and is linked to Hilton Hotels. Another shareholder is Maldivian police commissioner Brigadier Adam Zahir, known for the 2004 crackdown on the opposition in the Maldives. Some other owners have family ties to President Maumoon Abdul Gayoon.

January 25, 2008
Copyright 2007: Seychelles Weekly, Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles