The Committee on Environment, Fisheries & Tourism (CEFT), convened its first meeting since its unanimous establishment by the National Assembly on 27th March 2026 through a Motion which was presented by the Deputy Speaker Hon. Egbert Aglae.
The first part of the meeting was presided over by the Clerk to the National Assembly Mrs. Tania Isaac in order to allow the Members to elect a Chairperson, which was unanimously agreed to be the Speaker Hon. Azarel Ernesta. The Speaker then chaired the election of the Vice-Chairperson and in a move to ensure a bipartisan approach to the Committee’s mandate, it was agreed that a Member of the Opposition would assume this position; consequently, Hon. John Hoareau was unanimously elected as the Vice-Chairperson. Following this, the Parliamentary Service staff assigned to the Committee were introduced namely: the Deputy Clerk Ms Alexandria Faure as the Committee Clerk for Environment and Fisheries, Ms. Samia Lebon as Committee Clerk for Tourism, and Ms. Petra Tirant as Committee Clerk Assistant. Other Committee Members present were the Deputy Speaker Hon. Egbert Aglae, Hon. Churchill Gill, Hon. Valdana Sultan, Hon. Cecile Larsen, Hon. Gervais Henrie, and Hon. Robert David.
The Committee subsequently discussed an outline for its upcoming work plan, focusing on educational outreach for the Members with key stakeholders as a foundational step. Members proposed several key areas of oversight and action which include the evaluation and monitoring of the implementation of the newly signed EU-Seychelles Fisheries Agreement, reviewing the use of funds from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and National Grants and to assess how it supports community based environmental projects. Further areas were also proposed relating to the initial reviews of existing national policies across all sectors within the purview of the Committee to ensure alignment and to formalise its engagement with the international organization ‘Climate Parliament’.
The Speaker, Hon. Azarel Ernesta has stated that; “One of Parliament's foundational roles is to represent and engage the community. I believe that all Members of this Committee will join me in ensuring that the Committee's work is geared towards localising the policies that shape our sustainable development around these key thematic areas. As we discussed in our first meeting, we need to find ways that will ensure that our local communities see themselves actively engaged and benefitting from grants that are provided precisely for their own development. I am honoured to have been chosen as the Chair and with the assistance of the Members and the Vice-Chair, we shall work towards providing relevant and strong proposals for all affected communities in the country.”
