The Public Officers’ Ethics Commission, hereafter referred as (POEC) was established in Seychelles upon the enactment of the Public Officers’ Ethics Act, on 11th August 2008. Thereupon POEC was established. On 12th August 2008, the POEC’s Secretariat was set up. The foundation for an ethical culture had been laid.
It had initiated and launched an Ethics Sensitisation and Awareness Campaign Programmes as given below:
- A Symposium on “Building Strong Institutions in an Evolving Democracy” was held, which brought all stakeholders together.
- The weekly dissemination of ethics messages to the general public, in close collaboration with the Seychelles’ national Newspaper (NATION);
- Poem and Painting Competition for students in secondary schools to express their views and opinion on Corruption’ and its effect on society. Winners from both competitions were awarded a prize;
- The publication of a Code of Conduct and Ethics’ Handbook and its dissemination to all Public Sector’s organisations in 2009.
- Delivery of educational programmes to targeted audience across various hierarchical layers of Public Sector organisations.
Therefore, like any academic or non-academic skill, ethics or decent behaviour also needs to be developed and objectively assessed.
Over the last 5 years POEC has embarked on the following Programmes:
- A sample position survey on ethics in the public sector was carried out
- Training of Trainers from 26 organisations
- Ethics & Integrity training for Cohort of Procurement Officers
- Training Sessions on Creating and sustaining an Ethical Workplace
- Ethical Leadership sessions for supervisors/managers
- Inter-Government Ethics Quiz Competition