Hansard: The modernisation of the National Assembly’s parliamentary reporting unit |16 May 2023
The Hansard team and deputy Clerk Alexandria Faure in a souvenir photograph
“Hansard is a central part of parliamentary transparency and helps voters to hold politicians accountable for their words and actions” – Rt Hon Lord Fowler, Lord Speaker of the House of Lords.
This year the National Assembly is set to celebrate its 30th Anniversary, and with this momentous occasion there have been many developments and improvements taking place in the run-up. One especially important change has been the renaming of the Parliamentary Reporting Unit to the Hansard. The Hansard is an important resource, made up of seven trained staff who attend sessions of the legislative body and transcribe everything that is said, which includes speeches made by members of parliament, questions and answers, debates, and other proceedings. The official reports of these proceedings are known as the ‘Verbatim’ and can be challenging to produce due to the level of detail and complexity needed in transcription, and in understanding debates, legislations, and motions especially in Kreol.
The Chief Hansard Editor, Florette Monaie, remarked that this change has widened the scope of the job roles, allowed for career progression, and most importantly empowered staff by enhancing the importance of the work undertaken within the secretariat.
Assistant Hansard Reporter, Michelle Cupidon reaffirmed that the Hansard Unit “must not be afraid of change, as it is leading us to a new beginning”.
The Hansard is a valuable resource for multiple reasons. First, it provides a detailed record of the legislative process, including the arguments made by different parties and the decisions that were taken. This can be useful for historians, researchers, and journalists who are interested in studying the political process and how laws are made.
Second, the Hansard serves to hold elected officials accountable for what they say and do in the legislative body. By supplying a public record of their speeches and actions, citizens can review and evaluate the performance of their representatives.
Finally, the Hansard can also be a valuable resource for members of the legislative body themselves. By reviewing transcripts of past sessions, they can refresh their memories of previous debates and decisions and use this information to inform their current work.
Samia Lebon, the Senior Hansard Editor, stated that this is “a milestone for the National Assembly and for the Unit. [We] look forward to this new chapter and embrace it in a positive way”.
The Hansard is the official record of the proceedings of the legislative body in many countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. This change has brought the National Assembly of Seychelles on par with international standards and has refreshed the job roles for Hansard staff.
Hansard Reporter Donatienne Chetty noted that “Transitioning to Hansard is a step in the right direction for a brighter future”. This change has opened up opportunities to Hansard staff for international training, increased coordination with the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, and future collaborations with parliaments worldwide. This development prompted Assistant Hansard Reporter Georgina Balette to comment that “as we step into the next level, we anticipate the new challenges ahead”, with her colleague Cosette Songoire echoing the sentiment by noting that “this change is the way forward”.
The Hansard Unit is directly responsible to the Deputy Clerk of the Assembly, Alexandria Faure, who remarked that "as a National Assembly Service we are growing and continuously ensuring that we implement the best parliamentary practices, procedures and services so that we are on par with other Commonwealth Parliaments. We are a small legislature but continue achieving milestones”.
Text & photos contributed
