Day: July 17, 2023

Transparency Initiative Seychelles (TIS) has joined forces with Transparency Mauritius to strengthen collaboration and promote transparency, good governance, and integrity in their respective countries.

TIS said in a press statement on Monday that this will be done through three newly signed memoranda of understanding (MoU).

The MoUs focus on several key areas of cooperation and in the promotion and advocacy of transparency and good governance. the two countries will collaborate on joint initiatives and campaigns.

Both organisations said they are excited about the prospects of this collaboration and are committed to making a lasting impact in the fight against corruption and the promotion of transparency and good governance.

Chrystold Chetty, chairman of TIS, said, “Through our collaboration, we aim to make a significant impact in combatting corruption and fostering integrity in our countries.”

He added that “This partnership represents a major step towards strengthening governance and promoting transparency. By working together, we can drive positive change and create a more accountable society.”

On her part, Brinda Devi Dabysing, director of Transparency Mauritius, said “We are delighted to partner with Transparency Initiative Seychelles to advance our shared goals of transparency and good governance.”

The areas of cooperation will be geared towards advocating for anti-corruption measures, and integrity in the public and private sectors, and raise awareness about the importance of transparency in society.

Under the exchange of information, TIS and its Mauritian counterpart will establish a mechanism to share relevant information, best practices, and research findings on corruption, transparency, and good governance.

Both bodies will also collaborate to facilitate access to climate funds by promoting the elements of transparency and accountability in climate finance mechanisms.

Combatting corruption and anti-money laundering are other areas of cooperation, including sharing experiences, knowledge, and best practices. TIS and Transparency Mauritius will support initiatives to strengthen legal frameworks, promote transparency in financial transactions, and enhance anti-corruption measures.

Both parties will also collaborate to support and promote the development of investigative journalism capacity.

They will actively participate in open government partnership (OGP) initiatives by advocating for the adoption and implementation of OGP commitments and contributing to the development of effective open government policies.

Youth and integrity are also covered under the MoUs and will include workshops, mentoring programmes, and awareness campaigns, empowering young people to foster transparency and integrity.

Both TIS and Transparency Mauritius emphasised that cooperation is an evolving process and remain open to exploring additional areas of collaboration in the future.

They commit to maintaining regular communication to evaluate the need for expanding their collaboration and identify new opportunities for cooperation.

Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, maintained its top ranking for the sub-Saharan African region in the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) released on January 31, 2023.

The island nation retained the position for the 5th consecutive year and 23rd ranking globally attained in 2022 with 70 points once again.

Transparency Initiative Seychelles is a non-profit organisation committed to promoting transparency, accountability, and anti-corruption efforts in Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean.

Its counterpart, Transparency Mauritius, is a leading non-governmental organisation dedicated to promoting transparency, accountability, and good governance in Mauritius.

Source: Seychelles News Agency

The Seychelles Ports Authority (SPA) is digitalising its services with the launch of a Management Information System (PVMIS) with the aim to make them more efficient and faster.

The project is expected to be fully operational by January 2024 and the final details will be worked on in the coming months. The whole project will be trialed before the full launch so that the issues raised can be addressed.

Agencies and organisations involved in all the port’s operations on Friday met in an open discussion forum to address concerns and give suggestions to make the system better for everyone.

The PVMIS is a centralised information system where all the forms, such as at the departure port before the boats can go about their business, can be filled out earlier and in real-time.

“The importance of this system is that everyone working at the port will be linked by a central system to ensure that they are all working with the same information, that is available at a single point,” said the deputy chief executive of SPA, Egbert Moustache.

He added that this will ensure that there is no confusion or people with varying information about the same thing.

Moustache said that this digital system will be better for the environment, as it will eliminate the use of paper in these processes.

The PVMIS will incorporate a variety of systems, such as accounts, procurement as well as accounting, and web-based solutions designed for real-time planning and management of port operations.

During the discussions, a number of issues were raised, such as internet access for the vessels themselves, as the system necessitates an internet connection and link with the customs system (ASYCUDA), among others.

Seychelles is part of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and this project is part of the standards set by the Convention of Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic, called the FAL Convention.

The FAL Convention contains standards and recommended practices and rules for simplifying formalities, documentary requirements, and procedures on ships’ arrival, stay and departure.

Under the FAL Committee, IMO developed standardised FAL documentation for authorities and governments to use.

Since April 2019, the FAL Convention makes it mandatory for ships and ports to exchange FAL declarations electronically, and from January 2024, the single window approach will be mandatory in all ports.

Source: Seychelles News Agency