On the morning of Monday 24th February 2025, a delegation comprised of Programmes Manager and Small Branches Coordinator of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Mr. Jack Hardcastle, and Secretary General of the People’s Majlis of Maldives Ms. Fathimath Niusha, paid a Courtesy Call on the Speaker of the National Assembly Hon. Roger Mancienne. The Hon. Speaker was accompanied by Clerk Mrs. Tania Isaac and Deputy Clerk Ms. Alexandria Faure.
The delegation is currently conducting a benchmarking visit to Seychelles in collaboration with the National Assembly, with the aim of assessing the adherence of the Legislature to international democratic standards, as well as identifying potential areas for reform and future support. Hon. Mancienne welcomed the delegation and opened the floor to Mr. Hardcastle, as the head of the delegation, to elaborate on the upcoming week. Mr. Hardcastle began by acknowledging the positive and longstanding relationship between the National Assembly of Seychelles and the CPA, particularly through the CPA Africa Region Branch.
The benchmarking assessment was noted to be one of self-assessment, conducted through interviews and consultations, and follows the “process owned” system. This allows for the National Assembly to lead the information gathering aspects of the assessment and take responsibility for optimizing areas of improvement in all operations. The assessment will produce a report which will be used to create various plans of action and allow for future collaborative opportunities with the CPA.
The Hon. Speaker thanked Mr. Hardcastle for the opportunity to take part in such a venture, and briefly discussed the areas of importance for the development of the legislative system in Seychelles, particularly the creation and implementation of an autonomy Bill. This would provide the legal framework for the Assembly as a branch of government, to improve its scope in terms of legislation, shaping national policies, and enhancing general operations. This was noted by the delegation as a commonly faced issue throughout other small jurisdictions. The Secretary General Ms. Niusha gave her commendations to the Speaker on the advancement of such a direction.
A final discussion on the levels of engagement with international affiliations took place, with the Hon. Speaker emphasising that the National Assembly takes great pride in the commitments to various bodies such as the SADC PF, PAP, and of course the CPA.
The fruitful discussion then concluded with best wishes to the delegation during their various engagements in Seychelles, before taking a souvenir photograph
