Remarks by Mr. Charles Fonseka, Minister for Internal Affairs, on the occasion of Certificate Presentation to the new Marriage Celebrants

Thursday 06th July 2023, National History Museum, Victoria.

It’s a pleasure to be with you all here today, on this special occasion, to recognise and appoint the twenty (20) men and women whose dedication and effort towards the cultivation of a hidden talent, have earned them the accolade of Marriage Celebrant. This is a great occasion whereby you can turn it into an opportunity of a lifetime.

When Government took the decision last year to decentralise the conduct of civil marriages, we did so in order to entice local participation in all aspects of its planning and administration. The idea was to open up the sector and provide talented Seychellois with the opportunity to take ownership in the shaping up of this highly-prized niche tourism market, which can only grow alongside the growth of international travel and the realisation of the country’s plans to expand and diversify the tourism product offering.

The decentralisation initiative is also very much about upgrading service quality; hence the reason why all prospective celebrants are having to go through a comprehensive training programme at The Guy Morel Institute. The intricacies and demands of the marriage clientele is such that the celebrants have to be well versed in the techniques of personalised service.

Potential marrying couples, may they be locals or foreign visitors, are almost always inclined to look for a wedding experience tailored to their individual needs and preferences. They want to make it special and memorable. It is said that tying the knot ranks among the most significant occurrences in one’s adult life. I would tend to think it’s the most daring leap! Therefore, the need for wedding planners and celebrants to get it right all the time cannot be emphasized enough.

In seeking excellence as the ultimate objective, the image of professionalism has to be projected right from the start and here, celebrants know all too well that attention to detail in appearance, behaviour and speech is paramount.

And so, to you the newly graduated celebrants, I would like you to take notice that this new status has catapulted you to the forefront and in the frontline of a delicate enterprise, where expectations are high; but where the rewards can be substantial.

Be conscious of your role as ambassadors and use every opportunity to promote our values and culture within your clientele and through your marketing efforts. Competition is healthy. Do compete with each other, but not against each other. I extend to you my sincere congratulations and wish you success in your endeavour. This decentralisation effort and the preparation of the celebrants in the new setting, has been possible, thanks to the Department of Tourism which has been instrumental as a partner since the programme’s inception.

I would also like to express my appreciation to The Guy Morel Institute for its invaluable support in the conceptualisation and delivery of the course programme and our own Civil Status Division for spearheading the initiative and the co-ordination effort.

I am gratified to note that Civil Status, Tourism and The Guy Morel Institute will continue to work together to ensure the guardianship of this new initiative, which can only add value to the wedding experience of Seychellois and foreigners alike.