John Richardson passes away |25 June 2021

Seychelles’ chief information commissioner John Richardson has passed away.

Married to Ivonia Richardson and father to Sharon, Edmund and Danielle, Mr Richardson left this world on Tuesday June 22, 2021. He was 78 years old and also had seven grandchildren.

He received his instrument of appointment as chief information commissioner of the Information Commission from former President Danny Faure on April 4, 2019.

He was chosen from candidates proposed by the Constitutional Appointments Authority (CAA) and in consultation with the Speaker of the National Assembly as prescribed under Section 37 (1) of the Access to Information Act.

Mr Richardson was a professional accountant who worked both in government and the private sector. Before retirement in 2018, he was a partner at Halpern & Woolf, Chartered Accountants and Audit Firm. He was also chairman of board of governors of the International School of Seychelles and chairman of the Seychelles Theatre Club.

Mr Richardson came to Seychelles in late 1979.

Mr Richardson’s former work colleague at Halpern & Woolf, Elizabeth Sinon, has described him as “intelligent and a good tutor”.

“Mr Richardson was always calm, a good tutor and very intelligent. He also had a very good sense of humour. I learned a lot from him as he worked with a lot of integrity and was a trustworthy person,” said Mrs Sinon.

Gerard Govinden