Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Director of Mauritius’ tourism academy found dead in Seychelles

The lifeless body of guest of honour of the STA’s graduation ceremony discovered yesterday afternoon off Anse Lislet near Port Glaud church.

 The director of Mauritius’ tourism academy, Harmon Chellen died in mysterious circumstances yesterday afternoon. His body was discovered after he had walked out of a police interview. The 52 year-old Mauritian national was residing at the Constance Ephelia hotel and was supposed to leave Seychelles yesterday. The police did not wish to divulge the identity of the man before his family had been notified of the tragedy, but Constance Ephelia confirmed in a press release last night that the body found was indeed Mr Chellen’s.



According to a press release from the hotel, Mr Chellen left the establishment at 9.30 am in the company of the police. Police spokesperson Jean Toussaint told TODAY that a female worker at his hotel had accused Mr. Chellen of having sexually assaulted her on Sunday night. The matter was reported to the police yesterday morning. The police say that when they interrogated him, his attitude was «uncooperative” and that he “walked out” on them, some time between 1.30pm and 2pm. Then, at around 2.50pm, the police received the report that a lifeless body had been found in the sea near Port Glaud church. The police say they are treating the case as a possible suicide but are waiting the postmortem for confirmation.

 Mr Chellen arrived in Seychelles last Wednesday to attend the graduation ceremony of the Seychelles Tourism Academy (STA) as its guest of honour. Poignantly, Minister Alain St Ange who was very well acquainted with the late Mr Chellen, sent out a press release yesterday before Mr Chellen’s body had been found to inform the press of the warm words Harmon Chellen had had for him. “Mr Harmon Chellen showed that the ties of friendship between Mauritius and Seychelles were solid and based on nothing less than mutual respect. Mr Chellen, the Training Centre Manager at the Mauritius Institute of Training and Development and the Ecole Hotelière Sir Gaetan Duval, praised the accomplishments of the Seychelles and congratulated the work undertaken by Minister Alain St.Ange, the island's Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture”, the press release from the ministry of Tourism read.

 Mr Chellen unwittingly made the last speech of his life at the Seychelles Tourism Academy last Thursday during its graduation ceremony. Addressing the graduates, he quoted Mark Twain and said: "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

 In a press release sent last night, Constance Ephelia said that the “wellbeing and privacy of its guests and team members is at the heart of the resort’s concerns. The resort would like to express their sincere condolences to the bereaved family. The resort will offer counselling and support to all team members who are aggrieved by this situation. An enquiry is under way and the resort cannot comment further at this stage”.

Harmon Chellen leaves behind him a wife and two children.

Source: Today