01 September 2026 | Legal Affairs.
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Mr. Sabino, firstly let me begin by congratulating you on your appointment as Attorney General and on taking your oath of office today.
I also acknowledge the Constitutional Appointments Authority for the discharge of its responsibilities under our Constitution in the appointment process.
Attorney General, today you assume leadership of an Office that occupies an important place in the constitutional architecture of our Republic.
Our democracy rests upon institutions with distinct responsibilities. The Executive governs according to law, the Legislature exercises its constitutional mandate, and the Judiciary administers justice independently. Within this framework, the Office of the Attorney General carries responsibilities that are fundamental to the rule of law and to good government.
Government must be able to rely on the Office for legal advice that is sound, timely, objective and fearless. There will be occasions when the correct legal advice may not be the easiest advice to give, or the advice Government would prefer to hear. Give it nevertheless.
The Attorney General serves Government best by ensuring that Government itself remains faithful to the law.
Your Office also plays an important role in shaping the laws by which our country is governed. Through legislative drafting and law reform, it must help ensure that our laws are clear, coherent, enforceable and responsive to the changing needs of our society.
The world is changing rapidly. Technology is transforming how we live and do business. Criminality is becoming more sophisticated. New economic and social realities are emerging. Our legal framework must evolve accordingly, while always remaining firmly anchored in our Constitution.
The Office equally carries important responsibilities in prosecution. Those responsibilities must be exercised professionally, objectively and on the basis of the law and the evidence.
And here, one principle must remain beyond compromise: the law must apply equally to all.
No position, uniform, title, influence or association should place anyone beyond legitimate accountability.
Equally, every person is entitled to due process and the presumption of innocence.
Accountability and due process are not competing principles. The rule of law demands both.
This responsibility takes on particular importance as Seychelles confronts one of the most serious challenges facing our society today , the scourge of drugs and the criminality and social disorder that too often accompany it.
The damage caused by drugs goes far beyond trafficking. We see it in addiction, in families under strain, in young lives being lost to dependency, in crime within our communities, and in the wider social consequences that affect the safety and quality of life of our people.
We cannot accept this as normal, and we cannot allow it to define the future of Seychelles.
My government is determined to confront this problem with the seriousness and urgency it demands, and we expect the Office of the Attorney General to be equally firm and resolute within the exercise of its constitutional and legal responsibilities.
Where the law needs strengthening, we expect your Office to advise Government and help bring forward the necessary reforms. Where cases are brought for prosecution, they must be pursued rigorously, professionally and without fear or favour. And where weaknesses or gaps in our legal framework impede the national response, we expect the Office to help Government address them decisively.
The same resolve must extend to the social nuisances, violence and persistent disorder that affect the daily lives of our citizens. These matters should not be dismissed as minor when they undermine the security of our neighbourhoods and the ability of ordinary Seychellois to live in peace.
The law must have consequence. Our people must see that wrongdoing is addressed, that their safety matters, and that the institutions established to protect the public interest are prepared to act.
The fight against drugs will require the combined effort of Government, law-enforcement agencies, the Office of the Attorney General, our health and social services, communities and families. Each has a distinct role, and each must fulfil that role effectively.
Attorney General, within the mandate entrusted to your Office, we expect you to be a strong partner in this national effort ; resolute in the application of the law, uncompromising on integrity, and proactive in ensuring that our legal framework gives the country the tools it needs to confront drugs, associated criminality and the social harm they cause.
Our objective must be clear: to break the grip of drugs on our communities and to work relentlessly towards a Seychelles where our children and future generations can grow up free from this scourge.
For the Seychellois people, the rule of law is not an abstract constitutional principle.
It is the confidence that when a crime is reported, institutions will respond. That when public authority is abused, there will be accountability. That when a citizen encounters the power of the State, he or she will be treated fairly.
Justice must not depend on who you are, whom you know, or the position you hold.
Attorney General, you therefore inherit not merely an Office, but an institution whose credibility must be protected and whose capacity must continually be strengthened.
Build an Office known for excellence. An Office that develops its people and strengthens our national legal capacity. An Office that produces high-quality legislation, provides Government with principled legal counsel, and approaches its prosecutorial responsibilities with professionalism and integrity.
Strong institutions must be greater than the individuals who lead them.
As you begin your tenure, there will undoubtedly be difficult questions and difficult decisions. When those moments come, let the oath you have taken today remain your compass. Let the Constitution be your foundation. Let the law be your guide. Let integrity define your Office. And let the public interest remain at the heart of your service.
Attorney General, I congratulate you once again and wish you, and the men and women of the Office of the Attorney General, every success.
May your tenure strengthen the institution you now lead, reinforce confidence in the rule of law, and contribute to a safer, fairer and stronger Seychelles.
Thank you.
