THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM IN COUNTRY PROFILE 2017–18 SEYCHELLES SUMMARY Seychelles is a republican democracy working towards elected local government after 22 years of appointed local administration. There is no constitutional provision or protection and the main legislative text is the Local Government Act 2015. The current appointed local administration has no powers to raise revenue and all funds are transferred from national government via the Ministry for Social Affairs, Community Development and Sports. Through the local administration and 25 appointed district community councils, the government facilitates community-based services and the intervention of various agencies operating in the districts.

1. NATIONAL GOVERNMENT to participate in the governance Seychelles is a unitary republican and development of their local area. democracy with bicameral However, the Act has not yet come parliament.38.1a The president is the into effect and local government executive head of both the state and the officers remain appointed. The previous government and is directly elected by legislation, the Local Government Act universal suffrage for a five-year term. The 1991, was suspended in 1993 when the president appoints a cabinet of ministers new constitution was introduced and from among the citizens of Seychelles, the national assembly voted to dissolve with the approval of parliament. The district councils. Currently, public unicameral parliament is known as the service orders regulate the functions of national assembly and currently has a state administrative officers posted to membership of 35: 25 members elected district administration roles. Financial KEY FACTS using the first-past-the-post system, management regulations govern non- and up to ten additional members, administrative transactions. POPULATION (2016 estimate): allocated proportionately to all parties participating in the election, on the basis 94,600 2.3 Proposed legislative changes of one seat for each 10% of the vote won. No known proposed legislative changes. AREA (UN 2006): All members of the national assembly, 452 sq km whether elected directly or indirectly, CAPITAL: hold office for five years. Following the 2.4 National urban policy Victoria 2016 national election, 21.2% of elected There is no national urban policy but representatives were women.38.1b there are dynamic national policies38.2c : on housing and land allocation. Seychellois (SCR) 2. LEGAL BASIS FOR HEAD OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT: LOCAL GOVERNMENT 3. STRUCTURE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT President Danny Faure 2.1 Constitutional provisions 3.1 Local government within the state Whilst there are no specific constitutional There is one level of local governance, FORM OF GOVERNMENT: 38.2a democratic republic provisions or protection for local the district community council, which government, there is provision for local runs each of the 25 constituencies/ PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM: administration under relevant legislation districts. unicameral STATE STRUCTURE: unitary 2.2 Main legislative texts The Local Government Act 201538.2b LANGUAGES: enables the creation of elected English and French (official); Seychellois district councils to enable citizens Creole (recognised)

NATIONAL ELECTIONS: Table 38.1a Distribution of councils and population Presidential – last: Municipality District community Population Population % rural 2015, turnout: 90.1%; next: 2020 councils (2010 Census) (2016 estimate) (2010) Parliamentary – last: Greater Victoria 8 28,500 na na 2016, turnout: 87.5%; next: 2021 North Mahé 3 11,661 na na WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT (2016): 21.2% West Mahé 4 13,297 na na

LOCAL ELECTIONS: South Mahé 3 11,226 na na no elected local government in Seychelles East Mahé 4 13,855 na na

WOMEN COUNCILLORS: Praslin 2 8,603 na na na La Digue 1 3,045 na na LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE as percentage of total government Outer Islands (Ols) – 758 na na expenditure 2013/14: 0.02% TOTAL 25 90,945 94,600 44.7

Source: MSACDS communication with CLGF and 2010 Census38.3a

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3.2 Ministerial oversight 4.4 Women’s representation 8. MONITORING SYSTEMS The Community Development and Sports No information is available. The internal auditor at the MSACDS and Department (CDSD) within the Ministry for the auditor at the Ministry of Finance Social Affairs, Community Development examine the accounts of each district 38.3b 5. SYSTEMS FOR and Sports (MSACDS) has responsibility COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT administration. The auditor general, for overseeing local governance in the 25 holder of a constitutional post, also 5.1 Legal requirement district community councils. The minister checks the accounts. The ombudsman in charge of local government performs There is no legal requirement for may intervene to investigate complaints his or her functions under the direction community consultation. relating to such transactions. of the president. The CDSD comprises a secretariat and three divisions: human 5.2 Implementation 9. FINANCE, STAFFING AND RESOURCES resources and budget management, Although local government in Seychelles is 9.1 Local government expenditure programmes development and special appointed, it nevertheless brings together Budgets for local administrations are set events, and community management. many groups, with some elements of by national government. The principal secretary ensures the democratic consultation and participation. effective planning and implementation There is an annual public meeting held 9.2 Locally raised revenue of all national government projects at the in each district at which members of the grassroots level and implements any other community can ask questions or seek No taxes are assigned to the local decisions of national government relating clarification on local issues. (district) administrations. to the districts. 9.3 Transfers 5.3 ICT use in citizen engagement 3.3 District community councils Local government is entirely financed by No information is available. District community councils were national government. The MSACDS pays reintroduced in 1999. The Minister for a sum in advance every quarter to each Social Affairs, Community Development 6. ORGANISED LOCAL GOVERNMENT local administration. Once allocated, and Sports, being responsible for local 6.1 National local government association the districts exercise control over their governance, appoints the 12 members There is no local government association. allocated budget. Each district receives of each district community council a yearly allocation of approximately for a two-year term. The councils, SCR140,000 to meet basic operational 6.2 Other associations of local government which meet every two months, are expenses. Personal emoluments are advisory and function under the aegis In 1994 the Association of the Districts not included. A total annual allocation of the MSACDS. The appointed district of Victoria was set up. This is registered of SCR1,200,000 is also allocated to administrator convenes and chairs under the Registration of Associations the districts for undertaking small meetings and supervises operations. The Act 1959, as subsequently amended, and community projects (see Table 38.2a). local member of the national assembly its chairperson was granted the status of (MNA) sits on the council. The other mayor in 1997. Since 2003, the minister responsible for local government appoints 9.4 Loans council members represent sub-district No information is available. areas. Local residents known for their the mayor with the cabinet’s approval interests, experience or contribution for five years (previously, on behalf of can also be appointed as members. its districts and forming part of the 9.5 Local authority staff Both sub-district representatives and association, the MNAs of Victoria elected District administrators are appointed MNAs bring forward the expressed the chairperson). Receiving financial aid by the Minister for Social Affairs, wishes, aspirations and day-to-day from the government and other sources, Community Development and Sports concerns of the community. The other the association assists local authorities in to lead local authorities on a two-year two district-based structures are the their socioeconomic, sports and cultural renewable contract, and are responsible district social committee (DSC) and the activities. The Mayor of Victoria represents to the principal secretary at the ministry. district team (DT). Both are chaired by the capital of Seychelles both nationally The district administrator recruits staff, the district administrator and members and internationally. Only legislators subject to approval by the ministry; the meet on a monthly basis. The DSC is and representatives of the districts of typical structure is three officers and made up of community life programme Victoria are admitted to the association. some general workers. The staff usually representatives, who operate at the The executive committee consists of includes an office manager, office district level. The main aims of the the mayor, a secretary and a treasurer. assistant, secretary, works supervisor, DSC are to coordinate the planning The latter two are elected for one year cleaner and field technician. and implementation of programmes, at the association’s annual general facilitate dialogue, optimise resources assembly. The mayor both chairs the and ensure unity in local actions. The association and is its executive head and DT ensures the collaborative actions of spokesperson. A 12-member consultative body, whose members represent the Table 38.2a Anse Royale District – 2015 all partners in undertaking community transfers from national government development work. The team is the various segments of the capital’s society, custodian of the ‘local common agenda’. is appointed by the mayor for five years to Government transfers SCR (000s) help him/her execute projects in Victoria. Much is done to enhance partnerships Operations and maintenance 110 with the private sector and non- governmental bodies. 7. INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS Sports 63 District administration offices operate with the close collaboration of national Community life programmes 25 4. ELECTIONS government officials and committees. An 4.1 Recent local elections, 4.2 Voting inter-agency consultative committee for Community small projects 1,200 system and 4.3 Elected representatives services has also been established at the TOTAL 1,398 Local government is currently appointed, Community Development Secretariat not elected.38.4 and meets quarterly to address pertinent Source: MSACDS communication with CLGF issues raised by all 25 districts.

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Table 38.2b Local government expenditure 38.2b Local Government Act 2015 as a percentage of total government expenditure 2013/14 www.seylii.org/sc/sc/ legislation/Act%207%20of%20 2013/14 actual 2015%281%29_optimized.pdf SCRm 38.2c Policy on land allocation and housing www.luh.gov.sc/default. Total government expenditure 5,834.4 aspx?PageId=34 Total local government expenditure 1.4 38.3a 2010 Population and Housing Census National Statistics Bureau Local government expenditure as a percentage of total government expenditure 0.02% www.nsb.gov.sc/wp-content/ uploads/2012/12/Population_and_ Source: MSACDS communication with CLGF Housing_Census_2010_Report.pdf 38.3b Local government department Disciplinary power rests with the district government network (EGN) for use in www.localgovernment.gov.sc administrator acting under delegated internal government communications; powers, in compliance with public the computerisation of core government 38.4 National Election Commission service orders. National government services; and the provision of online www.ecs.sc pays officers’ salaries and the wages of services to the public. All 25 district 38.5 No reference for this section employees in the establishments run by administration offices are connected 38.6 No reference for this section the local administration. to the EGN system, enabling a range 38.7 No reference for this section of government organisations to deliver 38.8 No reference for this section services at district level. Similarly, all 10. DISTRIBUTION OF SERVICE 38.9 Based on figure provided in district administrators have an official DELIVERY RESPONSIBILITY the profile by the MSACD for government email address via which one council (Table 2a) and the 10.1 Overview of local government they can communicate electronically. service delivery responsibility executive summary of the national Structures and mechanisms have been government budget 2013/14 established to ensure enhanced service 10.3 The role of local government www.statehouse.gov.sc/uploads/ delivery at the local level. The local in achieving the UN Sustainable downloads/filepath_28.pdf administration office is seen as the focal Development Goals (SDGs) 38.10 Stakeholders to convene for point through which service providers The Government in collaboration with national dialogue on SDGs www. engage with the community. Through the the United Nations Development finance.gov.sc/press-releases/71/ local administration, the CDSD facilitates Programme, has convened stakeholders Stakeholders-to-convene-for- general leisure, recreational, health and from across various levels and sectors for national-dialogue-on-integrating- social services and encourages active a national dialogue on integrating SDGs SDGs-into-national-plans-and- citizenship through various established into national plans and budgets38.10. budgets-in-Seychelles programmes and clubs. 38.11a UN statistics surface area REFERENCES AND USEFUL WEBSITES http://unstats.un.org/unsd/ 38.1a. Seychelles government portal demographic/products/dyb/ 10.2 ICT use in service delivery www.egov.sc dyb2006/Table03.pdf The Seychelles’ e-government project, 38.1b. Women in national parliaments. 38.11b Commonwealth Local which began in the late 1990s, has laid Inter-Parliamentary Union Government knowledge hub a solid foundation for the country’s http://archive.ipu.org/wmn-e/ www.clgf.org.uk/resource-centre/ future e-government initiatives. Under classif.htm knowledge-hub the direction of the Information 38.11c UNDP HDR Seychelles country Communications Technology (ICT) 38.2a. Constitution of the Seychelles profile http://hdr.undp.org/en/ department, the project has three www.ecs.sc/pages/legislations/ countries/profiles/SCY targets: the expansion of the electronic constitution.aspx

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Annex 38a Summary of service provision in different spheres of government in Seychelles

Delivering authority

Services National government District community councils Remarks GENERAL ADMINISTRATION Police n Fire protection n Civil protection n Criminal justice n Civil status register n Statistical office n Electoral register n EDUCATION Pre-school (kindergarten and nursery) Primary n n Secondary n n Vocational and technical n Higher education n Adult education n SOCIAL WELFARE Family welfare services n n Welfare homes n n Social security n PUBLIC HEALTH Primary care n Hospitals n Health protection n HOUSING AND TOWN PLANNING Housing n Town planning n n Regional planning n TRANSPORT Roads n n Transport n Urban roads n Urban rail n Ports n Airports n ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC SANITATION Water and sanitation n Refuse collection and disposal n Cemeteries and crematoria n Slaughterhouses Environmental protection n Consumer protection n CULTURE, LEISURE AND SPORTS Theatres and concerts n Museums and libraries n n Parks and open spaces n n Sports and leisure facilities n n Religious facilities UTILITIES Gas services n District heating n Water supply n Electricity n ECONOMIC Agriculture, forests and fisheries n Local economic development/promotion n Trade and industry n Tourism n

n sole responsibility service n joint responsibility service n discretionary service

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