Le Seychellois (2026)

23/12/2025

One convicted murderer and two individuals serving sentences for drug importation and human trafficking have been quietly released from Montagne Posée Penitentiary on the authority of Patrick Herminie, raising questions about the circumstances surrounding their freedom.

The President of Seychelles is constitutionally empowered under Article 60 to grant pardons, a process typically guided by recommendations from the Advisory Committee on the Power of Pardon. While this authority is lawful, the lack of public disclosure accompanying the latest releases has drawn attention.

Notably, soon after assuming office, Herminie held an early meeting at State House with Jude Fred, the Chairperson of the Advisory Committee—an encounter that now takes on added significance in light of the recent developments.

Traditionally, prisoner releases are justified on clearly defined grounds, including exemplary behavior, terminal illness, or the completion of a substantial portion of a sentence—often three-quarters. Other considerations may include discipline records, health assessments, and participation in rehabilitation or labor programs, all aimed at preparing inmates for reintegration into society following a formal review process.

The three individuals reported to have been released are Fabio Soopramanien, Neddy Lagrenade, and Albert Morel. Each had been convicted of serious offences carrying heavy custodial sentences.

As of publication, no official explanation has been provided regarding the timing, rationale, or recommendations that led to their release—leaving key questions unanswered and fueling public interest in how the presidential power of pardon is currently being exercised.

21/12/2025

Questions are being raised over the recent appointment of Adrian Mondon as Chief Executive Officer of the Seychelles Petroleum Company (SEYPEC), with concerns focusing on whether the process complied with the country’s legal and governance framework.

Under the Public Enterprises Monitoring Commissioner (PEMC) Act, senior appointments within public enterprises are required to follow a competitive recruitment process. This procedure was applied in 2022 when Sarah Romain was appointed CEO after emerging successful from a pool of 12 applicants. That process included formal interviews and a psychometric assessment aimed at evaluating leadership capacity and professional suitability.

In the case of Mondon, however, multiple sources indicate that no such open recruitment process took place. Instead, he is understood to have been directly selected by the Minister for Finance, Pierre Laporte, and presented to the SEYPEC board for approval. This approach appears to be at odds with Clause 75(1) of the PEMC Act, which outlines the respective roles of ministers and boards in executive appointments.

Tensions escalated when Laporte publicly warned that any board member unwilling to endorse the appointment should consider resigning. Governance experts note that such statements raise concerns about board independence and the integrity of oversight mechanisms within public enterprises.

Over the last five years, a merit-based appointment system had been promoted by the former administration, with senior roles advertised publicly to ensure transparency and equal opportunity for qualified Seychellois candidates.

The current appointment has reignited debate over whether that system is being maintained. Critics point to Mondon’s familial link to the former Designated Minister as an example of what they describe as a broader return to politically connected appointments—an allegation the United Seychelles (US) administration has yet to formally address.

As scrutiny grows, the SEYPEC appointment is emerging as a test case for the government’s commitment to transparency, institutional independence, and the rule of law in public sector governance.

19/12/2025

The new Minister of Finance has moved quickly to consolidate his authority, emerging as a central figure in what appears to be a broader effort to dismantle remnants of the Ramkalawan's administration.

What remains unclear, however, is the rationale behind these actions.

The recent designation of Sarah Romain as a “high risk” to the Seychelles Petroleum Company (SEYPEC) has raised eyebrows across political and professional circles. Romain spent 15 years at SEYPEC, rising from Assistant Commercial Manager to several senior leadership roles under successive administrations led by James Michel and Danny Faure. In February 2023, she was appointed Chief Executive Officer. Until now, no public evidence has been presented to suggest that her tenure posed a strategic threat to the company.

The timing of this assessment is particularly striking. After years of service across multiple governments, it is only under Laporte’s watch that Romain has been deemed a liability.

This development invites comparison with another high-profile case. Following the change of government in October 2020, Veronique Herminie—wife of the then Opposition Leader—remained in office as Commissioner General of the country’s principal revenue-collecting institution. She continued in that role until January 2023, overseeing the mobilisation of domestic resources critical to public services, infrastructure, and national development.

At the time, the Linyon Demokratik Seselwa (LDS) party did not publicly question whether her position represented a conflict of interest or a potential internal risk. No concerns were raised about loyalty, influence, or institutional integrity.

Why, then, are such concerns being invoked now—and applied selectively?

Critics argue that the pattern reflects a governing style increasingly intolerant of perceived political association. Rather than strengthening institutions through transparency and due process, the approach risks signalling a shift toward punitive governance, where senior figures are removed not on the basis of documented misconduct, but as cautionary examples.

As this pattern unfolds, Laporte’s role appears to be expanding beyond fiscal stewardship into that of political enforcer—executing decisions that allow others at the apex of power to remain insulated from direct accountability.

Whether these moves will ultimately strengthen public institutions or erode trust in them is a question that remains unanswered—but one that demands closer scrutiny.

Video courtesy if TeleSesel.

18/12/2025

Finance Minister Pierre Laporte has dismissed Sarah Romain from her position as Chief Executive Officer of the Seychelles Petroleum Company (SEYPEC), in what has become his second high-profile removal of a state enterprise head since taking charge of the country’s finances.

The decision follows closely on the dismissal of Ashik Hassan, former chief executive of the Seychelles Trading Company (STC), who was removed from office just two weeks earlier. Together, the two firings have raised questions about the direction of governance and leadership within key state-owned enterprises.

Romain, who was appointed three years ago, made history as the first woman to lead SEYPEC, one of the country’s most strategically important parastatal organisations. During her tenure, SEYPEC expanded its operational footprint and was widely regarded as being on a stable and profitable trajectory.

No official explanation has been publicly provided for her removal. However, local media sources suggest that Romain’s perceived political proximity to opposition figures may have played a decisive role. Her husband, George Romain, is the elected opposition Member of the National Assembly for Anse Etoile, while her brother, Ahmed Afif previously served as Seychelles’ Vice-President.

The circumstances surrounding her dismissal have fuelled speculation that political considerations, rather than performance, are increasingly shaping appointments and removals within state-owned enterprises. Critics argue that such moves risk sidelining experience and institutional continuity in favour of political loyalty, particularly to individuals aligned with the ruling United Seychelles (US) party.

As the government continues to reshape leadership across major public bodies, observers warn that the long-term cost—to governance standards, investor confidence, and public trust—may outweigh any short-term political gains.

16/12/2025

Public claims made by Justice Mathilda Twomey and echoed by State House suggest that the National Assembly approved the establishment of a commission of inquiry into the Assumption Island tourism development. A closer examination, however, reveals a different reality.

Following Dr. Twomey’s appointment as lead investigator, official statements implied that the legislature had endorsed the commission. Parliamentary records and procedure indicate otherwise: no such approval was sought or granted by the National Assembly. The suggestion that lawmakers sanctioned the inquiry is therefore misleading and raises serious questions about respect for parliamentary privilege.

Under the law, a commission of inquiry does not require legislative approval. It can be constituted unilaterally by the President, without debate or vote in the National Assembly. Presenting the commission as having parliamentary backing blurs this distinction and risks misinforming the public about the limits of executive authority.

Since taking office, President Patrick Herminie has announced the establishment of multiple commissions of inquiry. Critics argue that the frequency and focus of these investigations point less to institutional reform and more to a sustained effort to scrutinize—and potentially discredit—his predecessor, former president Wavel Ramkalawan.

15/12/2025

At first light in Port Victoria, the cruise ship Aida Stella slipped quietly into dock, marking the calm arrival of a new day.

13/12/2025

Day 2 of the Seychelles Beach Volleyball Exhibition Cup reaches the quarter finals today.

13/12/2025

How Many Ambassadors Are Too Many?

As Seychelles prepares for next week’s sitting of the National Assembly, a quiet but consequential expansion of the country’s diplomatic corps is set to move forward—one that raises more questions than it answers.

The United Seychelles (US)–led majority is expected to approve the nomination of six new ambassadors, pushing the total number of Seychelles’ accredited diplomatic representatives from 11 to 17. On paper, the move appears routine. In practice, it has sparked a broader debate about priorities, purpose, and public cost.

Seychelles already maintains ambassadors to key multilateral and international centres, including the United Nations, the African Union, Brussels, and Geneva. The proposed appointments would significantly widen the country’s diplomatic footprint, even as little has been publicly said about the strategic rationale behind the expansion.

According to information obtained by Le Seychellois, two ambassadors are being recalled and another is preparing to retire. At the same time, government plans include the establishment of resident ambassadors for the first time in Cuba, Russia, and Mauritius—an ambitious shift for a small island state with finite resources.

What remains conspicuously absent from the discussion is clarity. There has been no detailed public explanation of Seychelles’ current foreign policy objectives, no breakdown of the budgetary impact of the new appointments, and no clear articulation of the diplomatic gaps these ambassadors are meant to fill.

As Parliament moves closer to approval, the central question lingers: is this a strategic strengthening of Seychelles’ international presence, or an expansion in search of a purpose?

12/12/2025

Seychelles’ former head of state is stepping back into the national spotlight, this time under the glare of an inquiry unlike any the country has seen before. Wavel Ramkalawan, the nation’s fifth President, has announced that he will “fully cooperate” with a Commission tasked with scrutinizing a controversial tourism investment on Assumption Island.

The Commission—established by the Patrick Herminie administration and led by the the Court of Appeal's Justice Mathilda Twomey—signals a new era of accountability, or, as some critics argue, a new front in Seychelles’ increasingly fraught political battles. Never before has a foreign direct investment deal been subjected to such sweeping public examination. To supporters of the inquiry, it’s overdue transparency; to others, it’s a targeted political offensive against the previous government.

Ramkalawan, clearly aware of the political stakes, is pre-emptively demanding that any testimony he gives be broadcast live across radio and television. It’s a calculated move, aimed at ensuring the process unfolds in full public view.

The former President has also called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to release all records relating to his June 2023 state visit to the Maldives—documents that Justice Twomey’s Commission intends to scrutinize closely. What those files contain, and how they fit into the broader Assumption Island inquiry, may prove pivotal in determining whether this investigation uncovers misconduct or merely fuels the country’s deepening political divide.

10/12/2025

A Legislative Misfire Exposed

Sebastien Pillay arrived at the National Assembly for his maiden appearance with the self-assurance of a man convinced he was in command. Newly sworn in as Vice-President and eager to assert authority, he came prepared to push the Mental Health Care Agency Bill, 2025 through with minimal resistance.

What unfolded instead was a revealing legislative misfire.

Behind the scenes, a critical procedural step had been missed. The Scrutiny of Bills Committee (SBC), chaired by United Seychelles’ Johan Loze, had failed to process one of the Bill’s most essential components: the proposal detailing the appointment and functions of the Agency’s Chief Executive Officer. Without this, the very structure Pillay hoped to build could not legally stand.

The oversight surfaced publicly, and abruptly, on the Assembly floor.

Faced with the procedural gap, Pillay attempted to salvage the moment by urging the Assembly to suspend its own Standing Orders—specifically the 72-hour rule governing substantial amendments. It was a bold ask, one he appeared confident would sail through.

It didn’t.

Opposition members reminded the chamber of what they viewed as Pillay’s earlier display of arrogance during his right of reply. Their response was swift and pointed: they would not bend procedure to cover for the government’s lapse.

The clash exposed more than a simple administrative error. It revealed a deeper tension around Pillay’s leadership style—one that, according to critics in the chamber, carries an air of entitlement that risks hardening into political resentment.

And the timing could not be more consequential. In the coming days, Pillay plans to present two of the administration’s flagship priorities: mental-health reforms and legislation aimed at strengthening the fight against drug abuse. Both require broad cooperation—cooperation that may now be harder to secure.

For a Vice-President attempting to set the tone for his tenure, today’s blunder was more than a technical mishap. It was a public reminder that confidence without precision can quickly turn legislative momentum into political friction.

08/12/2025

The Curious Case of Dr. Louange

A quiet yet consequential shift has unsettled Seychelles’ health sector. The newly appointed Minister for Health, Dr. Marvin F***y, has dismissed Dr. Danny Louange from his position as CEO of the Health Care Agency (HCA)—a decision executed with minimal public explanation and growing national curiosity.

What makes the move particularly striking is that the HCA was never singled out during the new administration’s election campaign. Unlike the Seychelles National Institute for Culture, Heritage and the Arts (SNICHA), which was openly targeted for restructuring, the HCA did not feature in any policy discussions or in the government’s widely publicised 100-day plan.

Dr. Louange, regarded as the country’s leading orthopaedic specialist and appointed to the CEO role in 2017 under former President Danny Faure, has since been reassigned to regular ward duties. Yet, he has reportedly received no formal briefing on the fate of the agency he has led for nearly eight years.

This abrupt transition has sparked a series of pressing questions: Is the HCA Act of 2013 being quietly amended or repealed? Who will assume leadership of one of the health system’s most important institutions? And if not policy, what is driving such a decisive change?

So far, silence from both State House and the Red Roof at Victoria Hospital has only deepened the intrigue. With no clear rationale offered for the removal of a sitting CEO from a fully operational government agency, the episode remains clouded in uncertainty—leaving the public to wonder whether this is a strategic restructuring, or a more personal matter playing out behind closed doors.

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