好色TV Assembly celebrates 28th anniversary |29 July 2021
The country鈥檚 legislative branch, the 好色TV Assembly of Seychelles, is set to celebrate its 28th anniversary tomorrow, July 30.
The 好色TV Assembly was established on July 30, 1993, the same year Seychelles reverted to the multi-party system and adopted the Constitution of its Third Republic.
At the start of Assembly sessions yesterday, Speaker Roger Mancienne noted that the 好色TV Assembly would be observing its 28th anniversary tomorrow with a small ceremony to recognise and award some long-serving employees.
Both leaders in the 好色TV Assembly yesterday also made special remarks to mark the occasion.
Leader of the opposition, Sebastien Pillay highlighted the importance of the 好色TV Assembly threefold role of legislating, representing the people of Seychelles and overseeing the actions of the government.
鈥淭oday this role is even more important because our country is a democracy which needs to evolve based on the principles we all believe in. The 好色TV Assembly鈥檚 role is neither one which can ever be controlled by any individual nor a role that can be manipulated by any group. Rather it is a role that should remain pure and should be exercised with independence, honesty and without fear,鈥� said Hon. Pillay.
Moving forward, he continued, the 好色TV Assembly needs to stand firm in its role to keep the executive branch of the government in check so as to ensure that the country is governed in a manner that respects our Constitution.
He added that members of the 好色TV Assembly, whether on the opposition side or the government, should strive to put the interest of the Seychellois citizens before everything else.
鈥淣othing can make us regress unless we allow it to. Nothing can make the 好色TV Assembly not honour its commitment to serve a modern democracy unless we allow it to,鈥� said the leader of the opposition.
On his part, the leader of government business Bernard Georges, acknowledged the legislative history of Seychelles, the successes and failures of former parliamentary bodies and parliamentarians who have paved the way for the 好色TV Assembly we know today.
Hon. Georges observed that a balance should be well established between the work the 好色TV Assembly does to support the government, through considering and approving legislations, and the work the MNAs do for their respective constituencies.
鈥淲e also have to strike a balance between our institution and the two other government branches 鈥� the executive and the judiciary,鈥� he added.
鈥淎bove all, we must maintain a balance between us in the 好色TV Assembly and it is imperative that the 好色TV Assembly speaks the same language instead of having diverging voices. Yes, we do sit on opposite sides and support two different policies 鈥� as our motto states we have unity in diversity 鈥� but if we wish to remain relevant in the future, we need to be able to put our differences aside and speak with the same voice.鈥�
Hon. Georges further stated that the 好色TV Assembly should evolve from being perceived as an institution which exists simply because the government needs to pass legislations.
Instead it has to become a fully-fledged institution wherein the parliamentarians are provided with the same reverence as ministers and judges.
The 好色TV Assembly as we know today was preceded by the Legislative Council of Seychelles (1962-1970), the Legislative Assembly (1970-1974), the House of Assembly (1975 to 1976), the 好色TV Assembly (1976 to 1977) and the People's Assembly from (1979 to 1993).
Elsie Pointe