Roles and Responsibilities
The Chairperson
The Regional Assembly is presided over by the Chairperson of the House who may not be an "elected" Member, that is a Member who is elected through the FPTP or PR. Since its inception, the Assembly has had three Chairpersons, all of whom have been unelected Members. Once elected to the Chair, the Chairperson owes his loyalty to the dignity of the Assembly and although politics almost always determine the choice of a presiding officer, one of the most important qualities of a Chairperson is impartiality. He has to remain above party politics.
The main function of the Chairperson is to ensure that the Standing Orders and Rules of the Regional Assembly are complied with. The Chairperson interprets and enforces the Standing Orders and for the purpose of interpretation, recourse is often had to Erskine May's Parliamentary Practice. This reliance is explained by the fact that the parliamentary system in Rodrigues has its origin in the United Kingdom's (UK) Westminster system of government. Additionally, the Rodrigues Regional Assembly's conception was determined from the case study of the Tobago House of Assembly which itself has been living autonomously of the mainland Trinidad for decades now.
NAME: LEOPOLD
OTHERNAME: Joseph Christian
MARITAL STATUS: Married, One Child
Residential Address: Baie Malgache, Rodrigues
Occupation: Chairperson
Educational & Vocational Skills
- • Universite de La Reunion for a DEUG (Diplome d'Etude Universitaire General),
- • Universite de Nancy I for 'Licence de Biologie' et 'Maitrise de Biologie Vegetale'
- • PGCE (MIE)
- • PGDEL (MIE)
- • MA in Educational Leadership and Management (Middlesex University)
Career
- • Biology Teacher at Rodrigues College since January 1993
- • Member of Parliament from 2000 to 2014
- • PPS from 2011 to 2014
Roles and Responsibilities
The Deputy Chairperson
The Deputy Chairperson
At the beginning of each Assembly, the House also elects a Member to the position of Deputy Chairperson, proceeding in the same manner as for the election of the Chairperson. In the absence of the Chairperson or whenever requested by the latter, the Deputy Chairperson takes the Chair and has the same powers and functions as the Chairperson.
Roles and Responsibilities
The Majority Leader
The Majority Leader is Mr. Franceau Aubret GRANDCOURT, GOSK, Chief Commissioner of the Rodrigues Regional Assembly.
Roles and Responsibilities
The Minority Leader
The Minority Leader is Mrs Rose Marie Franchette GASPARD PIERRE LOUIS.
Roles and Responsibilities
The Clerk
Miss. Marie Lyndia Yannick LEGENTIL, Clerk of the Regional Assembly
The Secretariat of the Assembly is headed by the Clerk of the Assembly. She provides the Chairperson and Members with secretarial assistance. She is the chief administrative officer of the Regional Assembly and works under the control of the Chairperson. She has expert knowledge in parliamentary procedures and practice. She is the custodian of all documents and records pertaining to the Assembly. She advises the Chairperson and Members on matters of procedure. She sits at the Table during Assembly sittings. She sends to each Member a copy of the Order Paper.
In the performance of her duties, the Clerk is assisted by the Deputy Clerk.
Name: Marie Lyndia Yannick LEGENTIL
Date of Birth: 9 May 1983
Nationality : Mauritian
Address: Route de L’Autonomie, Papayes, Rodrigues
Email: legentilm0905@gmail.com | LyndiaYannick.LEGENTIL@rragov.mu
Mobile: (+230) 5 806 76 29
EDUCATION / TRAINING
Commission for Training, Rodrigues Regional Assembly
Legislative Drafting Course
University of Wolverhampton
LLM International Corporate and Financial Law
Mauritius Council of Legal Education
Barristers Vocational Course
University of Wolverhampton
LLB (Honours) Law
Rodrigues College (University of Cambridge Local Examination Syndicate [UCLES]
as examining body)
Higher School Certificate. Laureate For Rodrigues Open Scholarship
Rodrigues College (UCLES as examining body)
School Certificate
WORK EXPERIENCE
Rodrigues Regional Assembly
Acting Clerk, Regional Assembly
Member, Child Mentoring Committee
Deputy Clerk, Regional Assembly
Chairperson, Anti-Corruption Committee
Chairperson, Departmental Enquiry Committee
Chairperson, Departmental Enquiry Committee
Member, Preliminary Enquiry Committee
Flame Lily Flexible Staffing
Compliance officer
Citizens Advice Bureau
Trainee Legal Adviser
Terre Des Langues
English Language Tutor
University of Wolverhampton Residential Services
Residential Assistant (link officer between Residential Services and hall residents)
Open Day Staff / Customer Service Officer
Atkinson Spence Solicitors of 107, Soho Hill, Birmingham, West Midlands B19 1AY
Work Placement in Criminal Defence Law Practice
Le Club Francais
French Language Tutor
Rodrigues Educational Development Company Ltd (Le Chou College)
Secondary School Educator
VOLUNTARY / SOCIAL
Rotary Club of Rodrigues
Board Director
Rotary Club of Rodrigues
Vice President
Rotary Club of Rodrigues
President
Rotary Club of Rodrigues
Secretary/ President-Elect
Papayes Village Committee
Vice-Secretary, Executive Committee
Rotary Club of Rodrigues
Board Director
Papayes Village Committee
Secretary, Executive Committee
Papayes Village Committee
Vice-Secretary, Executive Committee
Parents Teachers Association, Grand La Fouche Corail Government School
Vice-Secretary, Executive Committee
Vicariat Apostolique de Rodrigues
Zenes en Mars: - Secretary of the Executive (organising) Committee
Parish of St Esprit, La Ferme, Rodrigues
Interim Secretary/Receptionist/Data entry assistant
Jerry WEVER, PHD student (University of Iowa, United States of America)
Translator, Interpreter and research assistant
Interests
Social Work
I have been involved, throughout college years, and after, in many social groups whose main aims are to combat social discrimination, sensitize the young on major issues of the society such as drug taking and prostitution and alleviate poverty. Throughout my university years, I held on to my interest in sociology as a whole while I worked part-time. I was also a volunteer for Girlguides UK and the Citizens Advice Bureaux. Upon coming back to Rodrigues in 2012, I have been elected to serve on the Village Committee of Papayes. I was also on the PTA of Grand La Fouche Corail Government School for two years (2013-2014).
Till date, I remain keenly interested in social work and will spare no effort when it comes to volunteer work.
Other Involvement
While at University, I was a member of the Student Law Society and the Advocacy and the Bar Society of the University of Wolverhampton. I was also a member of the Student Representative Council for 2005-2006.
I have also been a residential assistant in the halls of residence of the University of Wolverhampton. My role as a residential assistant consisted of assisting halls’ residents, mainly newcomers, to act as a mediator and facilitator where necessary.
Moreover, in Rodrigues, I have always been, and I remain, passionately driven to our Rodriguan traditional music and dance.
Roles and Responsibilities
The Mace and the Sergeant at Arms
The Mace of the Rodrigues Regional Assembly is a gift from the National Assembly, offered at the setting up of the House in October 2002. The Mace is the symbol of authority in the House and when it is not within same, no parliamentary business can be carried out.
The Sergeant-at-Arms’ main duty is to maintain order and security in the Chamber as well as regulating security and access within the precincts of the Assembly House. He has power to arrest, without warrant, upon the orders of the Chairperson, any person executing a disturbance in the Assembly precincts.
His ceremonial duty is to lead the procession at the beginning and end of each sitting of the House, bearing the Mace on his right shoulder and preceding the Chairperson whenever she is entering or leaving the Chamber.
Roles and Responsibilities
The Secretariat
The administration of the Parliament is through a Secretariat of the Assembly, which is headed by the Clerk or the Secretary General of the Assembly. The latter provides the Chairperson and Members with secretarial assistance. Above and beyond his duties of heading the Table inside the Chamber, the Clerk is the custodian of all documents and records pertaining to the Assembly. She further has to advise the Chairperson and Members on all matters of procedure. The Clerk and/or her deputy also act as secretary to Committees of the Assembly.
Roles and Responsibilities
The Library
The Assembly’s Library is meant for the exclusive use of Members of the Assembly. It is involved in the collection, organization and dissemination of information. The library has a variety of volumes, consisting of books, journals, newspapers, parliamentary publications, debates and legislation. Members of the Assembly also benefit from Internet facilities.
Roles and Responsibilities
The Regional Assembly Reporters
The Regional Assembly Reporters’ role is to take down, word-for-word, what is being said in the debates. These reporters take their notes in shorthand before transcribing them. The notes are then compiled and published as the Official Reports of the Assembly, more popularly known as the Hansard. The reporters record in verbatim the proceedings in the House and take turns to sit in the Chamber for 10 minutes. The Regional Assembly reporters also take down the note for the meetings of the various committees of Parliament.
