For the first time in fifteen years of existence, the opposition has voted for the 2008 budget put before Parliament by the finance Minister Danny Faure.
The leader of the Seychelles National Party (SNP) and the Parliament opposition, Wavel Ramkalawan justified his party’s vote in favour of the budget by the fact that the government has adopted some o the opposition’s demands. For example, the withdrawal of the goods and services tax on several food products and the promise of an act to oblige MP’s and Ministers to declare their interests. Thus, as from 2008 MP’s with a job in the civil service will no longer be allowed to draw two salaries. For his part, the Minister of Finance Mr. Danny Faure characterised the opposition’s vote as “historical” and a leap forward for democracy, considering it “the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the
The 2008 budget does, however, contain certain tax increases on services unpalatable for the population, which has seen the price of certain products explode following the 52% devaluation of the Seychelles Rupee in October 2007. On the other hand, the MPs cannot complain, because their salaries were sharply increase, as were those of the President, Ministers and judges, a total of 63 people in constitutional or elected posts. While the monthly salary of the President James Michel rose from 26,000 to 38,000 rupees (8 rupees are worth $1), the Speaker of the National Assembly, Patrick Herminie comes second place with salary that rose from 19,000 to 34,000 rupees a month. Ramkalawan, for his part, had the same pay rise as the Leader of Government Business in Parliament, Marie-Louise Potter, i.e. from 19,000 to 28,000 rupees a month. Pay rises like this can encourage people to take up politics and calm down divergences of opinion.