Françoise Larue new chairperson of Ceps   |13 September 2021

The executive members of the new board. Mrs Larue is second left, seated

Françoise Larue is the new chairperson of the Citizens Engagement Platform Seychelles (Ceps).

Mrs Larue was elected during Ceps’ annual general meeting held on Saturday at the platform’s headquarters, Orion Mall.

She replaces Jude Fred who served as chairman of the board for two consecutive terms.

The board has been strategically revised to include seven members only compared to eleven members as was the case in the past.

Other executive members elected are Michel Pierre (vice-chairperson), Albert Duncan (treasurer), Marion Orphee (secretary) and Beryl Dodin, Justin Freminot and Margaret Maillet as ordinary members.

Apart from the post of vice-chair and that of ordinary members, the candidates elected for the other posts had no challengers as they stood alone in the election. Except for Mrs Larue as a member of the previous board, all other members on the board are new.

It is to be noted that Mr Pierre was Ceps’ former chief executive officer and he left the post early this year.

The new board has a three-year mandate and is seen to represent a gender and age balance.

Seventeen non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were present for the AGM and election, the required quorum as per the constitution.

Following her election as the new chairperson of Ceps, Mrs Larue said that while they will continue to build up on the previous board’s achievements, they will also be working with the NGOs and other affiliated partners on how to, innovatively, move the civil society forward, amid the challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.

She also urged the NGOs to do their upmost to stay on track with their projects although faced with challenges caused by the pandemic.

She thanked the members for putting their trust in her and other members on the board.    

The AGM started one hour late as it waited for the required quorum. The meeting was supposed to be held since March 2021, to elect a new board but were cancelled four times because of Covid-19 restrictions.   

Due to health reasons, Mr Fred could not make it to the meeting but he presented a recorded video on Ceps’ activities for 2020.

He said that although faced with many challenges, he is satisfied with Ceps’ achievements over the years, with the support gained from government, to assist the civil society.

He added that the platform was also engaged in discussion with many organisations within the government, in the private sector and on the international scene, where the well being and role of the civil society, as part of the country’s development, was put at the forefront. 

He said that the memorandum of understanding (Mou) of ‘Open Government Partnership’ with government had been able to allow both parties to work together, in the name of transparency and accountability, especially during the pandemic, to address common issues in relation to work undertaken by the civil society.

He also highlighted Ceps’ contribution in the setting up of the Indian Ocean Civil Society Platform and engagement with many civil societies across the globe, for the benefit of the local NGOs.

In presenting Ceps’ secretariat report for 2020, Mr Pierre, the former CEO, said that despite the challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic, 2020 was a fruitful year and brought about new ways of thinking and doing things within the civil society.

He added the secretariat managed to relook and re-strategise its objectives in line with its strategic goals in order to attain them.

He noted the lack of participation from some members, lack of resources and the many activities that had to be cancelled due to the pandemic as some of the challenges faced by Ceps in 2020.

He expressed his heartfelt gratitude and sincere thanks to staff and members for their support rendered in 2020.

The AGM and election was held in the presence of the Ceps’ chief executive, Alvin Laurence, and members of the secretariat.

Patrick Joubert