Assembly approves budgets for another ministry, its entities and for the Judiciary |24 November 2022
All the different entities that fall under the Ministry of Agriculture, Climate Change and Environment had their budget allocations for next year scrutinised and approved by the National Assembly members yesterday.
The vote on the allocations for the department of environment and the department of climate change were taken collectively with that of the ministry which is a total sum of R254.285 million while the vote for the budget of Landscape and Waste Management Agency (LWMA) – R270.897million – was taken separately.
Assembly members voted unanimously to approve the budget for the ministry.
Late yesterday afternoon the Assembly also approved the budget for the Judiciary.
Department of environment and department of climate change – R106.333 million
The Minister for Agriculture, Climate Change and Environment, Flavien Joubert, was in the National Assembly yesterday morning to defend the budgets of different entities that form part of his portfolio. In the morning he was flanked by the principal secretary for the climate change department, Tony Imaduwa, and the principal secretary for the department of environment Denis Matatiken when Assembly members examined the budgets of these two entities.
Giving an overview of the projects carried out by the two departments Minister Joubert stated that the department of environment has during 2022 launched the glass bottle recycling project and worked on different other policies as well as legislations related to waste management and collection, environment conservation as well as laws that will allow for the establishment of certain reserves in the country.
Work to set up a project unit in the department has also been carried out thus making it more independent and sustainable to prevent the risk of losing such a unit when projects are scarce.
Minister Joubert said that previously the unit was jointly managed in collaboration with the UNDP.
As for the climate change department, Minister Joubert said it has implemented the rebate programme at a cost of around R16.5 million which has resulted in the installation of 6.5 megawatt of photovoltaic in several places. This has helped considerably to increase renewable energy use in the country. It has carried out talks with China in relation to the low carbon energy project from which Seychelles is expected to benefit a lot.
“The company to carry out the project has already been selected as well as the sites and we are just waiting for the project to start so we can see the results,” Minister Joubert said.
Additionally the department has also managed to secure funds to review different energy related legislations including that for the PUC.
The budget allocation for the two departments has seen an increase of R5.8 million in the sum for wages and salaries which will cover the 13th month pay, salary adjustments and creation of two new positions among other expenses. Money allocated for goods and services has been reduced by R17.374 million and this is related to transfers of some functions from the department to the Land Waste Management Agency (LWMA). Meanwhile the budget for transportation and travel has increased by R944,000 and this is due to transfers of money for these expenses from State House and department of foreign affairs.
Minister Joubert went on to detail the different projects expected to be carried out by the two departments for next year and how they plan to address their different challenges.
Members questions centred on different projects in their respective districts among other issues.
Landscape and Waste Management Agency (LWMA) – R270.897 million
Assembly members also approved the budget for the Landscape and Waste Management Agency (LWMA) after 28 MNAs voted for, no one voted against while two abstained.
Minister Joubert was flanked by PS Matatiken and the deputy chief executive of the LWMA, Raoul Mangroo, to answer MNAs’ questions and clarifications on this sum.
Detailing some of the projects of the agency, Minister Joubert said during the year 2021 and also this year, it has implemented several waste management and collection measures including reviewing the landfill contract conditions which has allowed it to make a saving of R3.6 million per year; it has introduced a waste services regulation which has helped to better manage waste from businesses; it has completed landscaping works in different areas, including Victoria; and it has completed renovation work on several of its facilities to name but some.
Department of Agriculture – R147. 952 million
To assist Minister Joubert in answering members’ questions and clarify the issues they raised in relation to the work of the department which also include the biosecurity agency and the Seychelles Agricultural Agency (SAA), were the PS for agriculture Kevin Nancy among other key officials.
Mr Joubert reminded Assembly members that this department is one of three that falls directly under the ministry. Its mandate is to create the right environment to facilitate modernisation as well as put in place the necessary infrastructure to encourage continued investments in the agriculture sector and to implement different legislation, policies and strategies to boost the country’s food security, ease trade and protect the country from biosecurity risks.
Seychelles Meteorological Agency – R16.543 million
There was no debate on this allocation on which Assembly members voted unanimously.
Seychelles Energy Commission – R42.764 million
Altogether 28 MNAs voted for, no one voted against and three MNAs abstained on this budget line on which there was also no debate.
The Judiciary – R94.465 million
Late yesterday afternoon the Assembly examined and approved the budget for the Judiciary – a sum of R94.465 million when 20 MNAs voted for the allocation, no one voted against while 10 of them abstained.
Meanwhile today the National Assembly will scrutinize and consider the budgets of the Ministry of Employment and Social Affairs, the Agency for Social Protection including Benefits and Approved Programmes of ASP, Social Workers Council, Anti-Corruption Commission, department of Fisheries and department of the Blue Economy.
Marie-Anne Lepathy