National Assembly |14 November 2023
Budget allocations for five entities approved
The Seychelles National Assembly yesterday approved budget allocations for five government entities namely Office of the President, the department of Legal Affairs, Seychelles Law Commission, Department of Defence and Seychelles Intelligence Service.
Vice-President Ahmed Afif was the one presenting the budgets for all five, in the company of their respective officials. He had to justify the R74.002 million budget for the Office of the President. The sum was approved by 21 members from the ruling Linyon Demokratik Seselwa party while the eight opposition United Seychelles members present voted against. There was no abstention.
The R64.750 million budget for the department of Legal Affairs was also tabled with R44.052 million for the Attorney General’s office and R20.697 million for the Office of the Registrar General. There again the budget was approved with 21 votes from LDS, while 7 voted against, with no abstention.
The National Assembly also considered a budget for the newly created Seychelles Law Commission, which came into being following the enactment of the law commission act recently. VP Afif explained that prior to the act, there was a law commissioner that fell directly under the AG’s office. However, the new entity will be an independent entity with its own budget of R 5.048 million for law revision and management. He informed the house that R2.1 million will be for wages and salaries while around R3 million will be for goods and services. 21 LDS members voted for, 8 US were against the proposed budget and there was no abstention.
The Seychelles Intelligence Service also presented its 2024 budget of R20.646 million which received the approval of 20 MNAs from the ruling party while 9 voted against and one abstained.
The only proposed budget that was approved unanimously was that of the defence department, with an allocation of R369.020 million. The 29 members present voted for the budget allocation.
Today the National Assembly will go over the budget allocations for the department of Immigration and Civil Status, Seychelles Prison Service, department of Police, and the Seychelles Fire and Rescue Services
Patsy Canaya