National Assembly chamber getting new configuration |13 January 2023

•      SONA intended to be early March

The Seychelles’ National Assembly’s chamber is getting a facelift, to reconfigure the sitting arrangement, changing from the current portrait format to landscape, stated Speaker Roger Mancienne.

Based on the sketch being proposed, the chamber’s sitting arrangement will now be semi-circle, with the parliamentarians facing the Speaker at all times. 

Speaking to Seychelles NATION earlier this week, Mr Mancienne said the new configuration will be an improvement for the National Assembly since the semi-circle arrangement focuses on the Speaker.

He said the way Seychelles’ National Assembly chamber was designed “was not the traditional way for a parliament”.

“With the current configuration, most members of parliament were not facing the speaker but rather looking at him from the sides. In all legislatures, members are supposed to address the presiding officer, therefore it is important they face the presiding officer. This new configuration will allow everybody to face the speaker and symbolically it represents more unity of the legislature,” explained Mr Mancienne.

He said the project, which started in December last year, also involves renovation work on other parts of the building, mainly areas affected by heavy rain a few months back and places damaged after a water tank located in the ceiling part of the building malfunctioned and overflowed, flooding one of the rooms, and blew up the air conditioning unit, which caught fire and spread everywhere including in the gallery.

Mr Mancienne said the gallery’s flooring is also being replaced as it was not hard wood and was therefore susceptible to damp.

The project is being overseen by Godfra Hermitte, former director general for Corporate Services and Facilities of the National Assembly, who retired at the end of December.

Speaker Mancienne explained that since he started the project and was abreast of all the work, the National Assembly opted to keep him on board on a consultancy basis until the project is completed.

The entire work is at a cost of R950,000 and according to Mr Mancienne part of the fund comes from insurance claims due to damages caused by heavy rain, while the rest comes from their own savings.

“We did not get any specific budget from the Ministry of Finance, National Planning and Trade for this project,” he stressed.

It should be noted that although the National Assembly is in recess, its employees are still on duty. However, this week employees are working from home. Mr Mancienne explained this is allowed when dust and the level of noise are excessive.

“As much as possible they are reporting for work and disruption to staff schedule is minimal. This is not affecting our work at the moment.”

He said the project is expected to go on for two months and be completed by February 15.

Mr Mancienne said the intended date for the State-of-the-nation Address (SONA), which is usually delivered in February, is now early March.

“It is not extraordinary or unusual for SONA to be at this time as it has happened in the past, when it has been held in March. Although my preference is to have SONA early and in practical it would be in mid-February usually but due to the work being carried out we have to put it at the later date,” explained Mr Mancienne.

It should be noted that the new configuration sits forty persons in the chamber, and the present door being used by the Speaker to enter into the chamber is now at the other end, of the same side.

Patsy Canaya