Regional & Local Government

Seychelles has local appointed administrations which run each of the 25 districts and through which the government facilitates community-based services and agencies. Local administrations have no powers to raise revenue and are funded by the central government. The Local Government Act of 1991 was suspended in 1993 under the new constitution which allows for local administration but there are no direct constitutional provisions or relevant legislation to support this. The minister of local government within the Community Development Department (CDD), part of the Ministry for Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCDYS), is responsible for monitoring local administration in the 25 districts. In addition, district community councils were reintroduced in 1999; 12 members of each district community council are appointed by the minister of local government for two-year terms. The councils are advisory and bring forth the expressed wishes, aspirations and day to day concerns of the community. The District Social Committee and the District Team coordinate local programmes and encourage community development work. Seychelles’ 25 administrative districts comprise all of the inner islands: eight districts form the capital and are referred to as Greater Victoria, another 14 districts make up the rest of the main island of Mahé, two districts on the island of Praslin and one on La Digue. Given the lack of inhabitants in the outer islands, they do not have administrative districts or formal government.