VICTORIA, Seychelles — The National Assembly erupted in sharp political debate on Tuesday as opposition leader Hon. Bernard Georges delivered a scathing response to the proposed 2026 budget of R11,842,682,521, calling it a welfare document that promotes dependency rather than productivity and offers no clear plan to improve the economy in ways that inspire hope. The budget, a 4 percent increase of R458.2 million over the revised 2025 midyear budget, was presented last Thursday by Minister for Finance, Economic Planning, Trade and Investment Pierre Laporte, and represents the first major fiscal statement from the United Seychelles administration.
The budget debate is of direct concern to Seychellois households, as the decisions made in the Appropriation Bill will determine public sector wages, social benefits, capital project spending, and the country’s debt trajectory over the coming year. Both sides of the House offered contrasting visions for how government revenue should be deployed, with the opposition warning of long-term dependency and the government emphasising social protection and worker dignity.
Hon. Georges argued that the United Seychelles administration’s budget benefits leaders through extravagances rather than empowering citizens, contending that promising everything to gain power and then distributing government coffers without planning for tomorrow may bring electoral success but will produce a population that is less resilient, less productive, and more dependent on government. He contrasted this with the Linyon Demokratik Seselwa administration’s record, highlighting reductions in the debt-to-GDP ratio from 80 percent to 54 percent, inflation stabilised at 0.3 percent, and economic growth of 5.1 percent in 2025 compared to the global average of 2.5 percent. He also claimed that none of the capital projects announced in the new budget are original, as they were initiated under LDS.
Leader of government business Hon. Sylvanne Lemiel defended the budget as the people’s choice for a new direction and a social contract between the United Seychelles government and citizens, praising measures that recognise Seychellois workers including the restoration of benefits such as the long service allowance and the full 13th-month pay. She stressed that the government will never compromise on benefits for children, the elderly, and persons with special needs, and expressed confidence that if the plan is executed there will be no limit to what Seychelles can achieve.
The Finance and Public Accounts Committee, chaired by Hon. Georges, also convened a separate meeting with Auditor General Gamini Herath to scrutinise the 2026 budget estimates for the Office of the Auditor General, a process required under Section 25 of the Auditor General’s Act to maintain the independence of the supreme audit institution. Members reviewed financial variance reports highlighting shifting fiscal trends since 2023 and raised inquiries regarding the impact of proposed budget cuts on the OAG’s operations.
Budget debates in the National Assembly were set to continue, with other members scheduled to deliver their replies as the Appropriation Bill moves toward its second reading.
