The Minister for Finance, National Planning and Trade, Naadir Hassan announced that the government’s budget for 2024 will see an increase in several social benefits.
Minister Hassan told the house that the revision was done over a year of consultation with key partners and it was in line with government’s strategy to provide social benefits that is equitable and sustainable.
“It is important to note that certain benefits have not been revised since 2016 and it is clear that the way they were revised in the past was not done in a structured way,” said the minister, adding that a formal structure will be in place in the future, that will not only formalise the way the social benefits are revised, but also to observe whether they were achieving their goals taking into account the social and budgetary aspects. He told the National Assembly that the revision will amount to R31 million surplus per year “but taking into account who will be benefitting and the adjustments made, it is justifiable”.
Out of the R1.41 billion sum proposed for the health sector, the biggest amount of R693.4 million will go towards renumeration and salaries, while a sum of SR 639.6 million is for Goods and Services. A sum of SR 79.3 million is going towards capital projects which include the maintenance of the existing Seychelles hospital, renovation work on the BaieSte Anne hospital, additional work in La Digue for stand-by generator and alluminium ceiling, renovation work at the ex-NIHSS, additional facilities on the new NIHSS building, new medical storage facility in Providence , new sewereage for Seychelles hospital, extension of the ICU, renovation of the Les Mamelles health centre, construction of a BaieLazare health centre as well as renovation of various health facilities.
