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All change in Seychelles’ environmental officialdom

Seychelles’ President, James Michel, has revitalised the country’s environmental administration with a new team taking the reins at the top of the Ministry of Environment.

As part of a wider restructuring of government announced in early July – which has seen the number of ministries cut from ten to eight – former Minister for Environment Ronny Jumeau has left the ministry to take up a post as Seychelles’ representative to the United Nations and United States. He has been replaced by the former Minister for Land Use and Habitat, Joel Morgan.

The post of Principle Secretary, the head civil servant in each department, has also been changed, with Dr Rolph Payet moved to State House as Special Advisor on Environment and the University of Seychelles project. Replacing him as PS for Environment is Didier Dogley, a long time employee of the ministry, with a background in forestry and botany.

The restructuring has been greeted with approval by stakeholders Nature Seychelles, in letters to the President and newly appointed Minister, which has restated its strong commitment to working alongside the government for the good of the environment.

“Nature Seychelles is the largest environmental organization independent of the government and has received international acclaim for its pioneering work. As such the Ministry is our most important partner. The new appointments herald openness and collaboration and therefore we look forward to a different working relationship and a new era in general,” said Nature Seychelles’ CEO Nirmal Shah in a letter to the President and new Minister.