In tandem with the re-shaping of Cabinet by President France Albert, a number of other changes in the structure of Government, all of which take effect from January 5, 2004 will also take place.

A new Department of Internal Affairs will be created which will include the portfolios for Civil Status, Immigration and Prisons. This Department will be headed by Mrs Marie-Ange Hoareau as principal secretary and will be under the ministerial responsibility of the President.

The Police will now comprise a newly structured Department on its own, also under the President, and will be known as the Department of Police. It will be headed by Mr Andre Quilindo as Commissioner of Police.

The Management Information Systems Division (MISD), the Telecommunications Division and the Information Division, which presently form part of the Ministry of Information Technology and Communications, will become new Divisions under the Ministry of Economic Planning.  The Ministry of Information Technology and Communications will cease to exist.

Mr Errol Dias, who is currently principal secretary for Information Technology and Communications, will take up new duties as managing director of the Seychelles Licensing Authority. The present incumbent in that post, Mr Willy Confait, will become the managing director of the Seychelles Pension Scheme.

A new Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources is being created with two Departments responsible respectively for Environment and for Natural Resources. The principal secretary for Environment will be Mr Rolph Payet, and the principal secretary for Natural Resources will be Mr Finley Racombo.

Mr Maurice Loustau-Lalanne, currently principal secretary for Environment, will be the new principal secretary for Health.

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment will henceforth comprise two Departments each headed by a principal secretary. The Social Affairs Department will be headed by Ms Antoinette Alexis, and the Employment Department by Mrs Marja McGaw.

The Ministry of Land Use and Habitat will also comprise two Departments. Mr Raymond Chang Tave will be principal secretary in the Land Use Department. The nomination of the principal secretary in the Habitat Department will be made in due course.

In the Ministry of Local Government, Sports & Culture, Mr Olsen Vidot will be principal secretary for Local Government. Mr Patrick Nanty remains principal secretary for Sports and Culture.

Other ministries and departments remain as at present.

With the announcement of the restructuring in Government and new responsibilities at ministerial and chief executive levels, the President has taken the opportunity to call on all ministries and departments to make a renewed commitment to the achievement of the Governmentís goals and greater efficiency in the delivery of services to the people of Seychelles.

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