The Finance & Public Accounts Committee (FPAC) of the National Assembly hosted a two-day peer review workshop in collaboration with the Southern Africa Community Organization of Public Accounts Committees (SADCOPAC) at the Savoy Hotel from 19th-20th May 2022. The peer review workshop also involved the participation of various key stakeholders such as the Office of the Auditor General (OAG), the Citizens Engagement Platform (CEPS), the Association of Media Practitioners Seychelles (AMPS) and the Ministry of Finance. The delegation of SADCOPAC which comprised of the Chairpersons of the Public Accounts Committees (PACs) and Committee Clerks, also participated in meetings and courtesy calls before the workshop started to engage officials on its remit. The exchanging of best practices and benchmarking which took place during the visit of the delegation is an important collaborative framework that contributes to the development of strong PACs that respond to the dynamic, ever changing global political and economic landscape.
During the two-day workshop the delegates present, which also included Parliamentary Officers from the National Assembly Secretariat, discussed the importance of independent institutions, including ways to improve their respective parliamentary procedures. The respective Chairperson of the PACs of the SADC Member states, including Hon. Sebastien Pillay carried out presentations on the functions of their respective Committees, its development as well as the challenges being faced. The Members present addressed pertinent questions to the presenters and panelists on practices for public hearings, bi-partisanship and the chairmanships of the PACs. The Auditor General, Mr. Gamini Herath highlighted the functions of his Office and further discussions ensued on the importance of continuing the practice of the PACs working very closely with Supreme Audit Institutions, as well as the importance of bi-partisanship towards the work of the Committees as crucial oversight mechanisms. During the workshop, it was highlighted that the PACs should play a crucial role in promoting and supporting the Office of the Auditor Generals to be independent, it was tabled that South Africa and Seychelles were the only countries present that ranked highly in the Supreme Audit Institutions Independence Index 2021 Report by the World Bank.
The Citizen Engagement Platform (CEPS) and the Association of Media Practitioners Seychelles (AMPS) were also invited to the workshop as the current FPAC wants to engage different stake-holders. Mr Alvin Laurence from CEPS and Ms. Joana Nicette both made presentations on how the media and civil society contribute to the work of the FPAC, as well as being crucial oversight entities. Ms. Astrid Tamatave and Ms. Seylina Verghese from the Ministry of Finance presented key provisions of the Public Finance Management Act of Seychelles and the different ways that the country is combatting illicit financial flows (IFFs).
The successful workshop has welcomed Seychelles back as an active Member of SADCOPAC. The Committee looks forward to strengthen to actively participate as the organisations aims to revive and shift paradigms in the region especially in respect of strengthening the PACs as strong parliamentary scrutiny regimes which are an essential part of combating corruption and promoting good governance and transparency.
Editor’s Notes: SADCOPAC is an autonomous and independent association of Public Accounts Committees from SADC states established to promote mutual support; foster the exchange of ideas, knowledge, and experiences; act as a recognized voice of Public Accounts Committees within the SADC community; and promote accountability, good governance and transparency in the SADC states. The Member States are as follows; Seychelles, Angola, Botswana, DRC, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
