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National Assembly |17 October 2019

Highlights of yesterday’s sitting

 

• The leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, Wavel Ramkalawan, yesterday strongly censured the use of state resources for the alleged promotion of President Danny Faure.
Mr Ramkalawan brought a motion to denounce the department of information, communication and technology (DICT) for updating computers in some ministries, departments and agencies with screensavers depicting President Faure.

The screensavers were honouring President Faure’s three years in office.

However Mr Ramkalawan described the action as “unethical, unacceptable and pure political campaigning”.
“Mr Danny Faure has already been named as the presidential candidate for a political party and, although we realise that he is also the President of the Republic, it is clear that this situation required for tax payers money to be used and this is a form of campaigning.”

Following the censure, the leader of government business, Charles De Commarmond, stated that there was “no need for alarm” since the screensavers were taken down around noon yesterday and affirmed that the screensavers had nothing to do with any political agenda.

“There was a general command to deactivate them at 12.15pm and this was done accordingly,” Mr De Commarmond stressed while also requesting Mr Ramkalawan to remove the motion.

Mr Ramkalawan said that he was satisfied with this action but also noted that the Seychelles Broadcasting Company (SBC), an entity dependent on state budget, should also not broadcast the scheduled programme detailing President Faure’s accomplishments over the last three years. The programme was expected to be aired yesterday evening.

All 13 LDS (Linyon Demokratik Seselwa) MNAs present voted in favour of the motion while eight United Seychelles (US) MNAs voted against it.

 

• The National Assembly yesterday deferred the vote on the supplementary budget of R310.3 million since it has yet to receive certain information from the Agency for Social Protection (ASP) that will better inform their decision on the budget.

Deputy Speaker Afif noted that the deferral has been agreed upon by both sides of the table in the National Assembly.

The decision was made easier due to the fact that the Minister of Finance, Trade, Investment and Economic Planning, Maurice Loustau-Lalanne and ASP chief executive, are both currently not in the country.

 

• Additionally, the National Assembly yesterday ratified the Revised Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Certificates, Diplomas, Degrees and other Academic Qualifications in Higher Education. It is also known as the Addis Convention.

The convention was brought for ratification through a motion set by Mr De Commarmond.

The Addis Convention is aimed at strengthening and promoting inter-regional and international co-operation in the field of recognition of qualifications;defining and putting in place effective quality assurance and accreditation mechanisms at the national, regional and continental levels as well as to harmonise qualifications across Africa.

 

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