First Seychellois lady senior magistrate sworn in |20 November 2008

Samia Govinden took her oath in a short ceremony attended by her husband, Ronny Govinden, who is the principal state counsel, and by the master and registrar of the Supreme Court, Melchior Vidot.

Mrs Govinden was appointed as a magistrate in October 2006, after which she worked in Court B. She is the first Seychellois woman to hold that post.

She joined the Attorney-General’s chambers in 1999 and served as a notary before being promoted to senior state counsel in 2001.

During her years of service Mrs Govinden has occupied many posts, including vice-chairperson of the Family Tribunal and chairperson of the Employment Advisory Board.

She has also been on the boards of the National Arts Council and the Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation.

Mrs Govinden said she expects her duties will increase as she will now be dealing with the Juvenile Court as well as sitting on the Rent Board. She also said she expects the cases she deals with to be more complex.

There are now two women magistrates working in the courts, both of them Seychellois.