July 01 2011 -- President James Michel has appointed the National Committee for Social Renaissance which will be working to steer the national dialogue which the President will be launching soon in accordance with his National Day address this year.

"We will hold debates and find the cure to the diseases gnawing away at our communities. This national debate is the first priority on my agenda for the next five years. It will provide the basis for all the decisions that government will take to enable all of us together to find strategies to fight the social ills in our country," said the President during the address on 18th June.

Minister Vincent Meriton has been appointed the Chairman of the new Committee, together with fifteen other members.
"I believe that the National Committee should reflect a wide spectrum of society and its members, appointed either in their official or private capacity, as the case may be; the prime consideration being the contribution they can make to this all important exercise accordingly," said the President.

The full composition of the Committee is as follows:

-    Designated Minister Vincent Meriton (Chairman)
-    Minister Joël Morgan
-    Minister Bernard Shamlaye
-    Minister Macsuzy Mondon
-    Mrs. Marie-Pierre Lloyd, Former Minister
-    Mr. Frederic Egonda Ntende, Chief Justice
-    Mr. Ronny Govinden, Attorney General
-    Mrs Germaine Michaud (Seychelles Chamber of Commerce and Industry-SCCI)
-    Mr. Bernard Elizabeth (SCCI)
-    Mr. Bernard Georges, Seychelles National Party Member of the National Assembly
-    Mrs. Joevana Charles, Parti Lepep Member of the National Assembly
-    Ms. Marie-Claire Elizabeth (media expert)
-    Mr. Patrick Victor (artist)
-    Mr. Andy Jean-Louis (Secretary to the Committee)

The Inter-Faith Committee has been invited to propose its representative on the steering committee, and is expected to do so shortly.
The Committee held its first meeting this afternoon.