Cabinet Secretariat
The Cabinet Secretariat is the administrative backbone of the executive branch, operating under the Office of the Governor but serving the entire Cabinet of Mohéli. Its primary role is to ensure smooth coordination among the various ministries and to facilitate effective decision-making at the highest level. The Cabinet Secretariat schedules and organizes Cabinet meetings, where the Governor and all Ministers convene to discuss and decide on policies and projects. Prior to these meetings, the Secretariat prepares the agenda, compiles reports from ministries, and circulates necessary documents so that every Cabinet member is informed. During meetings, the Cabinet Secretary (or Secretary-General) records minutes, noting decisions, action points, and any follow-up required
After the Cabinet has made decisions, the Secretariat communicates these decisions to the relevant ministries and monitors their implementation. For example, if the Cabinet resolves to launch a new island-wide healthcare initiative, the Secretariat will ensure the Ministry of Health has all directives in writing and possibly set milestones to report back on progress. In this way, it acts like the implementation watchdog of the Cabinet’s collective decisions.
The Cabinet Secretariat also handles official correspondence on behalf of the Mohéli government. When communicating with the Union government’s Presidency or other islands’ governors, often letters and briefs are drafted by the Secretariat for the Governor’s approval. They ensure that Mohéli’s positions are clearly articulated and sent through proper channels. In dealing with crises or urgent matters, the Secretariat is pivotal in convening emergency Cabinet sessions and disseminating instructions rapidly.
Another function is providing administrative support to ministers. The Secretariat may offer centralized services like translation (between French and Comorian or other languages), record-keeping, or legal vetting of proposals before they go to Cabinet (in consultation with the Justice Ministry). It maintains the official records of government – storing laws, executive orders, proclamations, and signed agreements that the Mohéli government enters. Essentially, it is the institutional memory of the island’s administration.
The Public Service Management might also be tied to the Cabinet Secretariat in a smaller government setup – overseeing HR matters for the civil service, like appointments, promotions, and training (though some islands have a separate Civil Service Commission, in Mohéli it could be streamlined under the Secretariat’s oversight for efficiency).
