The Office of the President formally announces that the President of the Republic of Seychelles, Mr Wavel Ramkalawan and Vice President Ahmed Afif will both voluntarily forego their end-of-year gratuity. This is in solidarity with the workers of Seychelles who will not be paid their 13th month pay and the constitutional appointees who will not be eligible for their end-of-year gratuity following the enactment of the Suspension of Thirteenth Month Pay and End of Year Gratuity Act, 2020.

The non-payment of the end of year gratuity will legally apply only to the Vice-President, the Ministers, and the Members of the National Assembly, including the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition and the Leader of Government Business.

The Bill to amend the Act was passed by the National Assembly last week, and was assented to by the President on Friday 11 December 2020. The Act will soon be published in the Gazette.

Although the Act does not apply to the President of the Republic (as under article 58(3) of the Constitution the salary, pension, allowance and gratuity of the President shall not be altered to his disadvantage), President Ramkalawan has confirmed that both he and VP Afif will be foregoing their end-of-year gratuity for 2020, in accordance with the statement he made before  the National Assembly on 17th November 2020.

Despite the country's current economic challenges, the Government however encourages private organisations with sufficient financial disposition to consider awarding their employees end of year bonuses at their own discretion.