A government coordinating committee to intensify the consultations with key players in our development and formulate a national Macro Economic Plan for the next five years has been appointed by Vice-President James Michel.  

The setting-up of the committee follows the announcement by VP Michel in his Christmas eve budget address that the government would during the coming months intensify the discussions with all stakeholders in our development to produce an economic plan for the next five years and beyond.

The macro economic plan committee comprises Finance principal secretary Francis Chang Leng, President’s economic adviser Mukesh Valabji, Financial Control director general Lekha Nair, Economic Planning principal secretary Ahmed Afif, Economic Planning director Ronald Cafrine, International Economic Affairs director Vivianne Fock-Tave from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Research and Statistics director Caroline Abel.         

The consultations are ongoing after the start of meetings with representatives of the tourism industry. The team has also done a lot of work on fiscal and monetary issues.

Consultations will as from early February extend to other sectors of the economy including fisheries, agriculture, craft, industries, Seychelles Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Federation of Employers Associations, the offshore activities, and others. 

The purpose of the series of meetings is to listen to the views and concerns of the various players in the economy.

“The views and concerns of the various stakeholders in the economy will assist the government in the formulation of the macro-economic plan,” said Vice-President Michel as he named members of the committee.

In his Budget Address VP Michel said “it is very important that we get the participation of all, notably the private sector, in the design of the economic plan that will take us into the new golden era of our development”.

It was mentioned in the Budget Address that the country should, for example, look at new ways of financing capital projects and ways of improving Seychelles’ competitiveness.

“These would have an impact on foreign exchange generation,” VP Michel said of future financing and suggestions to render our country more competitive.

In the financial sector the Vice-President has already announced an Audit Committee, which he also promised in his Budget Address, to ensure better accountability in government.

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