National Assembly   PNQ on review of Constitutional appointees’ salaries |18 October 2023

•          Vice-president says no concrete proposals on the table yet

An independent committee appointed by the President to review the salaries of Constitutional appointees has presented only a preliminary report on their evaluation so far.

“There are no concrete proposals on the table,” Vice-President Ahmed Afif stated firmly yesterday when answering a private notice question tabled by the leader of the opposition, Sebastien Pillay, who was querying about proposals made to date on the revision of salaries.

Vice-President Afif stressed that the report was preliminary and the next step would be for the committee, headed by Yvonia Richardson, to consult other branches of government, namely the National Assembly and the judiciary, and other related-bodies relevant to the exercise.

“They have not reached any final state of making recommendations to government, because the consultative process is not completed,” he explained.

In his supplementary question, Hon. Pillay insisted that preliminary proposals were made to cabinet on July 20, 2023 as stated on the State House website and as published in the Seychelles NATION newspaper of July 21.

He read out what he said were new proposed salaries derived from the preliminary proposal citing a salary of up to R239,000 for a president, R166,000 for a vice-president, a salary of R133,000 for a designated minister, R84.6 thousand for senior magistrates, as well as R123,000 for MNAs. He said this would mean the country would need an additional R142 million to cater for their end of term gratuity after five years.

He explained this means that a person earning R166,000 would earn more than R3 million in gratuity after a five-year term compared to a teacher who earns R15,000.

“That is the proposal we want to get details from the vice-president,” stressed Hon. Pillay.

“At the moment we do not have any proposal on the table. The exercise is being done in a transparent manner by an independent committee,” reiterated the vice-president.

For her part, the committee’s chairperson, Yvonia Richardson, outlined their tasks since their appointment in March, which have been to relook at all the existing laws, identify the changes that should be done, as well as work on several proposals to make these changes.

“When we looked at the salaries, we looked at them together with the Constitution, what are the provisions made in the constitution, what the laws say and the proposals being made,” explained Mrs Richardson.

The independent committee is tasked with evaluating the salary structure and conditions of all the constitutional appointments, past amendments in the law, and compare the salaries and their responsibilities, among others.

Meanwhile, following yesterday’s private notice question, the Office of the President issued a press release stating the figures that were quoted by the opposition in the assembly were hypothetical propositions by the committee as a basis for further consultation.

“The public is being advised not to take these figures with any level of seriousness or credibility as the consultation process is on-going and final figures will be presented to them eventually,” read the statement.

It added that in July 2023 the cabinet was apprised of an independent body chaired by Yvonia Richardson had been set up to have a fresh look at constitutional appointees’ salaries and the committee made a preliminary assessment and report.

It added that consultations with the offices of various constitutional appointees would be done and this would include among others the National Assembly and the Judiciary. It is only after these consultations have been done that a final proposal would be considered.

Similar to all laws dealing with constitutional emoluments, this would have to be tabled to the National Assembly for final approval.

“One of the biggest concerns that arises today is whether or not the country can attract professionals and offer them the right package that will go hand in hand with the various responsibilities entailed in the different positions under our legal framework. At the end of the day, much will depend on the economic realities of the country at the appropriate moment in time,” read the statement.

Patsy Canaya