14 November 2025 | State House.
Vice President of the Republic, Mr. Sebastien Pillay
Chief Justice, Rony Govinden
Acting President of the Court of Appeal
Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly
Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly
Leader of the Government Business in the National Assembly
Honorable Members of the National Assembly
Members of the Diplomatic Corps
Principal Minister & Cabinet of Minister
Distinguished invited Guests
Today I stand before you as the President of the Republic of Seychelles. And also stand before you as a former Speaker of the National Assembly, a position I served in for 10 years with respect, a position whose fundamental importance in our democracy I fully understand.
Together today, we begin a new chapter in the history of our country, a chapter that will be built on unity, transparency, dignity, as well as improving the standard of living of our people. In other words, a transformation to ensure a better future for Seychelles.
I know well and respect the role of the National Assembly in the governance of our country: its role of oversight, accountability, transparency, and balance of power as well as educating our people on their civic responsibilities and fundamental rights.
The Assembly must first and foremost be an example for our people, especially for our children and youth.
Over the past five years, the Seychellois people have shown that they follow our performance and competence very closely and that political power ultimately remains in their hands. We must not forget as politician that the people are supreme.
I first thank you for approving all the ministerial nominations that I proposed. Since the ministers were sworn in on Thursday 6 November, I have received a Cabinet of Ministers to help me implement my government’s programme.
My government will ensure that the Assembly receives the financial and institutional space it needs to do its work properly and freely. More than 10 years ago, the clerk whose is now the Speaker of the National Assembly and myself worked on project called the Administration of Parliament Act, which precisely aimed to give financial and administrative autonomy to the National Assembly.
Today, I ask Madame Speaker and the Assembly to send this bill to my office as soon as possible for approval.
In line with our declaration that we will make the Office of the Speaker independent, we will soon table a constitutional amendment seeking bipartisan support so that at last, we can have a Speaker who is not affiliated with any political party nor required to enter on a party ticket. In this way, the Speaker will be able to carry out their work impartially without interference.
This reform will be part of a group of constitutional amendments that my government will bring to this Assembly for discussion and consensus.
As part of this reform, we will review the proportional representation threshold, reducing it from 10% to 5%, to give smaller parties a fairer chance to enter the National Assembly.
Since we do not have a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly, we will seek bipartisan agreement to remove the infamous 10th constitutional amendment which grants the military police powers. The army must never be used against civilians except in instances of a declared state of emergency. I would like to proudly announce that the famous “ Tim Ibou” that was inflicting terror on our youths for the last five year is now shut down.
We will also seek bipartisan support to remove the 30-day transition period after election results are announced. Its first implementation after the 2025 election brought too many difficulties for the new administration.
I am proud to announce that our Social Contract with the Seychellois people for the first 100 days is not merely a slogan but a commitment of our party.
During our three-day Cabinet meeting this week, after consultations with the Ministry of Finance and other government agencies, my government has taken the following measures:
I have also established several commissions of inquiry, including one to investigate the circumstances surrounding the construction of the Assumption hotel in an extremely sensitive biosecurity area. This commission will be led by the former Chief Justice, Mrs. Mathilda Twomey.
I have also instructed the Planning Authority and the Ministry of Environment to immediately issue a stop notice, which they did yesterday.
The Seychelles Defence Forces have been put on standby to enforce this stop notice if developers refuse to comply, as happened in May this year.
Other commissions will also be established to investigate the Travisory issue, the CCCL explosion, Riot in the prison, among others. In the meantime, we are asking the Travisory to immediately stop asking Seychellois citizens to seek permission before entering and exiting their own country.
The police have been asked to reopen the investigation into the case of exhumed bodies found in the Takamaka Cemetery, now that two suspects have been identified.
My brothers and sisters of Seychelles, as I have always told you, our party is a worker’s party, and worker’s rights are sacred.
Some of our greatest strengths as a country are our public service workers. Government employs approximately 11,000 people in this sector. My government recognises their sacrifice, dedication, and contribution to improving the lives of our people.
Since 2021, many of the benefits they used to receive were put on hold. Today I come before you to give hope, to recognise their dedication, strengthen morale, and encourage a public service based on merit, stability, and justice.
We have listened to you. We have heard you. I am pleased to announce the following measures:
Long-Service Allowance
From 1 December 2025, we will reintroduce the long-service allowance for public sector workers and public enterprises. This measure shows that the government believes in you and encourages you to remain in public service.
I call on all workers to continue working diligently to provide our people with the best service possible. In principle when you have more experience you must be able to exhibit maturity and Knowledge in the way you execute your duties. I am counting on you to prove the same to the people of Seychelles.
I took the opportunity to plead with Public Service workforce, to accept the choice of the people to elect a new government, therefore your loyalty should be with the new government. I would like to clearly reminded that my administration will not tolerate laziness, disrespect, indiscipline, and sabotage
Secondly all Public Service employees will receive their full 13th month Salary in January 2026. This also applies to workers in public enterprises that traditionally receive it. It will be paid at 100% without any performance conditions and Tax.
Allow me to elaborate:
Our party maintains that the 13th month salary is a worker’s right. For too long, workers have effectively worked extra days each month, except in February, without compensation. For us as a forging and progressive party, this is purely exploitation. When added together, these days equal a 13th month.
To avoid burdening small businesses, the government will allocate SR 5 million to support them.
We want each and every employee to feel appreciated without fear and confusion. We would like to clearly state that a performance system in the public service will continue, it is an important tool to measure individual work ensuring that the objective of the organization is realize, to give bonuses when possible, and used for promotion and career development, but not as criteria for paying the 13th month salary. The idea that a bonus should depend on performance appraisal is a neoliberal capitalist concept that my government rejects.
My government will continue to respect its obligation to pay 13th Month salary for the IOT workers like it was practiced in the past before 2020.
Necessary amendments with the law and in the Employment Law to make this possible will be presented before the National assembly soon.
Workers on contract who stopped receiving gratuity will also receive the 13th month salary this year until gratuity is reinstated.
Gratuity for continuous service workers has not been revised for years. From January 2026, gratuity payments will increase as follows:
Gratuity systems for teachers, nurses, contract workers, and special schemes are under review, and revisions will be announced in the 2026 budget speech.
The government will introduce a one-off SR 2,000 allowance for all professional centre students from Praslin and La Digue who come to study on Mahé from 2026. This will help them with travel expenses and settling on Mahé.
Reintroduction of the Unemployment Relief Scheme (URS) from January 2026, the URS will be reintroduced. According to second-quarter 2025 statistics, youth unemployment (ages 15–24) is 9%. URS will evaluate each individual’s situation and help them secure employment, including training and reskilling and competency development by employment department. Participants will receive a monthly allowance.
Department of Poverty Alleviation after visiting many families over the past five years, I have seen too many living in difficult conditions and in deplorable homes. The government will re-establish the Department of Poverty Alleviation.The housing repair programme budget will increase from SR 10 million to SR 20 million under this department.
The government will also introduce a living wage more details to come in the budget speech.
Removal of Environmental Sustainability Levy for Small Tourism Establishments from 1 January 2026, the SR 25 levy on visitors staying in small tourism establishments will be abolished, making Seychelles more affordable and supporting the tourism sector.
In line with the United Seychelles manifesto, from 1 January 2026, the retirement age will be reduced from 65 to 63. The age for Social Security retirement benefits will also reduce to 63.
We have also committed to increasing the Social Security retirement benefit to SR 10,000 per month by 2029. From January 2026, it will increase by SR 800 per month.
The Seychelles Pension Fund retirement age remains at 65 as investment options and contribution levels are assessed for long-term sustainability.
My government remains committed to reducing the cost of living. We will conduct a full review of STC to ensure it fulfills its role of maintaining affordable prices of basic commodities.
We will open an investigation into the new STC cold store whose construction cost doubled compared to its approved budget. Serious concerns exist about its operations, 3 containers of oranges were recently wasted due to temperature problems, and 72 tons of onions valued at SR 600,000 were destroyed after rotting in storage.
I am pleased to announce that after several negotiations, the government has succeeded in purchasing the 22% shares in Nouvobanq. These funds will eventually support our pension fund.
As promised, we will wage an aggressive fight against corruption and the culture of “Ek nou, pa ek nou.” (favoritism /nepotism))
We will soon bring to the Assembly a law on asset declaration requiring all politicians, their spouses, and their children to declare their assets.
We will also criminalise “ek nou pa ek nou” (favoritism /nepotism) through a new Fair Administrative Act. The new law will soon be brought before the assembly
Our vision is clear:
A Seychelles that works for everyone, not just for a few. (For the many not the few)
A country where prosperity is shared, justice is real, leadership listens, and every Seychellois feels valued.
We will govern with humility, courage, and determination. We will serve the people, not just lead them. And we will never forget that real power lies with the Seychellois people.
Today I would like to ask the Seychellois people to rise up, we are regressing as a nation, our neighbor Mauritius has left us behind and today we are not even amongst the 10 top countries in Africa on the purchasing power index. IMF mentioned that we have a strong economy but us as a people has gotten poorer. Before, Cape Verde was being asked to come to Seychelles to learn primary health Care, today we found ourselves going to Rwanda this is a humiliation.
Our Country henceforth is still very divided,and unity is essential. To bring closure to TRNUC, I am establishing a Committee on Unity chaired by former President Danny Faure. It will meet with the Victims Committee to discuss implementation of TRNUC recommendations.
This week I also wrote to Mr. Ralph Hoareau, brother of the late Gérard Hoareau, to agree on his brother’s rightful place in Seychelles’ history.
I know these proposals are sensitive in a politically polarised population.
But we must find the courage deep within our hearts to forgive and move forward.
Only in unity can we progress.
Let us rise together. Let us build together. Let us serve together.
We must do it for Seychelles, because Seychelles is for Seychellois people!
May God bless our nation.
Thank you very much.
