Vice President Ahmed Afif chaired a scheduled meeting of the Cabinet today, Wednesday 14th December in which a number of policy and legal memoranda were approved.
Cabinet was briefed on the status of La Digue island concerning the moratorium imposed on the development of accommodation establishments, including change of use. Following the status briefing, Cabinet approved for the moratorium to be extended until December 2023. This will allow the Department of Tourism time to make informed decisions on the way forward based on the recommendations of the Accommodation Establishment Strategic Development Plan which will guide sustainable tourism accommodation development on La Digue.
Cabinet was briefed on the challenges being faced by the local meat producers in Seychelles. Cabinet considered several proposed measures and mechanisms to ensure the sector remains on the path of sustainability and food security. The Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Finance, National Planning and Trade will be meeting the farmers this Friday to put forward the measures considered.
Cabinet endorsed the recommendation to open the lobster fishing season for two months from 15th January to 14th March 2023. The total number of licenses will be maintained at sixteen. Ten licenses will be allocated for Mahe residents, four for Praslin and two for La Digue. There will be no reallocation of licenses. The compliance bond of SCR5,000 will be maintained.
Cabinet approved to repeal and replace SI33 of 2018 “Value Added Tax (Amendment of First Schedule) Regulations, 2018” and its subsequent Regulations. This is necessary to review the VAT exemption list to include some essential medicines; fire-fighting vehicles and ambulances; and other changes to align with changes in the World Custom Organization Harmonised Commodity Description and Coding System 2022.
Further details to the media will be provided by the relevant Ministry.