Letter to the Editor |27 May 2025

How accessible is accessibility in Seychelles?

As elections draw near, I find myself reflecting on the meaning of the right to vote in Seychelles, a right, though qualified, enshrined in our Constitution under Article 113:

“A citizen of Seychelles who is registered as a voter in an electoral area is entitled to vote, in accordance with law, in the electoral area at an election for the office of President; at an election of members of the National Assembly; or in a referendum held under this Constitution.”

Every five years, we, the citizens of Seychelles, are allowed to shape our democracy through the ballot. Yet, I am compelled to ask: How many of our brothers and sisters with diverse abilities are truly able to exercise this right?

For many persons with disabilities, voting is not a matter of walking to the polling station and casting a ballot. It is often a logistical and physical challenge, a costly one at that. Movement is expensive. The infrastructure is not designed for them. And after all this effort, they are expected to wait in long queues like everyone else.

Trevor Louise

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