SLA to introduce provisional licenses as part of legal framework modernisation |12 February 2024
The Seychelles Licensing Authority is gearing up for significant improvements in its legal framework, to accommodate new business activities.
Making the announcement on Thursday, chief executive Ronny Antat clarified that the Seychelles Licensing Authority (SLA) is working on a new framework to grant provisional business licenses.
These licenses will fill the gap for business activities not currently covered by existing regulations while the authority works on introducing appropriate licenses for them.
"Our regulations are really restrictive, and even our Act is restricting in a sense. There are lots of new activities which it does not cater for,” Mr Antat stated, emphasising the need for this update.
The SLA aims to introduce the provisional licenses within the year, indicating progress in the initiative.
Furthermore, the authority plans to undertake a comprehensive review of the Licenses Act 2010 and its accompanying regulations. This ambitious project will involve launching a tender process to modernise the legal framework and remove obstacles hindering new and innovative activities.
In line with efforts to enhance customer convenience, the SLA is in talks with the department of information, communication, and technology (DICT) to digitise its services.
Mr Antat explained that all transactions are processed through designated programmes developed by DICT. Despite occasional hiccups with the systems, the authority is committed to implementing changes and introducing new capabilities, ensuring smoother processes for business and traffic-related licenses. This is in line with its three-year technology roadmap.
Expanding its reach, the SLA will soon open a new office on Praslin island, extending its services beyond the main island of Mahe. This move aims to better serve customers on the inner islands.
However, the authority is not without it challenges. Human and financial resources remain the biggest hurdles.
With the upcoming changes, SLA hopes to improve its service delivery to the business environment, and the community at large.
Laura Pillay