President assents to infrastructure agency legislation |27 November 2021
President Wavel Ramkalawan on Thursday assented to the Seychelles Infrastructure Agency (SIA) Act 2021, making provisions for the establishment of a centralised body dedicated to handling infrastructure and maintenance projects within government.
The Bill was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers on October 20, 2021 and the National Assembly on November 9, 2021. The entity, which is to be operational by January 1, 2022, is mandated to provide technical services for government construction projects and maintenance of government properties by consolidating all construction professionals currently working in government under a single work and management structure.
As he assented to the Bill, President Ramkalawan highlighted the issues government was faced with in the past with regard to capital projects, noting that most ministries, departments and agencies lacked the proper expertise and capacity in planning and executing the projects.
“Hopefully this will help our country to better plan buildings and infrastructure, but also to see that projects are realised in the timeframe that we set out. It does not mean that because we are setting up the infrastructure agency that the private sector no longer has a role to play, or that they will be eliminated from the process. The private sector will continue to have a role in government infrastructure, and the agency will not be one that will go out to do the construction itself, but it will have oversight, will give its views and advise government. So, there will be this continued partnership between the government and private sector,” President Ramkalawan stated reassuringly.
Through the agency, it is expected that projects will be better planned and organised, that there isn’t duplication and that projects are aligned with national development strategy of the country.
Additionally, the agency will serve to aid government to prioritise financial and human resources, to bring about standardisation and gradually improve on the established standards.
Laura Pillay