Justice Bernardin Renaud took his Oaths as the Chairperson of the Seychelles Human Rights Commission in the presence of the President of the Republic, Mr Danny Faure, during a swearing-in ceremony held at State House this morning.

In March this year, four members including the Deputy Chairperson of the Commission were sworn-in. Honourable Justice Bernardin Renaud was appointed as the Chairperson Designate of the Commission since he was still serving as Justice of the Seychelles Court of Appeal. He took his retirement in May this year.

During the ceremony, Judge Bernadin Renaud took two oaths, the Oath of Allegiance and the Official Oath.

President Faure has appointed the Chairperson and Members of the Seychelles Human Rights Commission following consultation with the Speaker of the National Assembly and from candidates proposed by the Constitutional Appointments Authority as prescribed in Paragraph 5(1) of the Seychelles Human Rights Commission Act, 2018.

Judge Bernadin Renaud is one of the longest serving public officers, having joined the civil service in 1965. He served as Labour Commissioner from 1979 to 1985. He played a key role in the transition of Seychelles from a One Party State to a pluralistic system when he chaired the meetings of Constitutional Commission that laid out the foundations for the Constitution of the Third Republic, and was the Director of Elections for the Referendum that approved the Constitution, as well as for the first Presidential and National Assembly elections in 1993. Judge Renaud was sworn in as the first Ombudsman of the Republic of Seychelles in November 1993. He was elevated to Judge of the Supreme Court in January 2004 and then served as Justice of the Seychelles Court of Appeal from May 2017 until his retirement in May this year.

The other members of the commission are Mrs Michelle de Lacoudraye-Harter as the Deputy Chairperson of the Commission along with three Commissioners; Mrs Barbara Carolus-André, Ms Michelle Marguerite, and Mr Roger Toussaint.

Also present for the ceremony at State House was the Vice President, Mr Vincent Meriton, Designated Minister, Mrs Macsuzy Mondon, the Ombudsman, Mrs Nicole Tirant Gherardi, Secretary of State for Cabinet Affairs, Mr Mohammed Afif, members of the Constitutional Appointments Authority, and other distinguished guests.