Former Seychelles' parliamentarian Rosie Bistoquet laid to rest, deeply appreciated for her work

Bistoquet was a resident of the Pointe Larue district and was born on July 26, 1961. (National Assembly) 

The late member of the Seychelles National Assembly, Rosie Bistoquet, who was found dead at home last week, was laid to rest in an official ceremony held at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Victoria on Saturday.

Bistoquet was a resident of the Pointe Larue district and was born on July 26, 1961. She served her first term in the National Assembly as a member of the Linyon Demokratik Seselwa (LDS) ruling party, as a proportional member.  

In his sermon, Father David Alcindor, said, "Jesus tells us do not let our hearts be troubled. Do not worry. In life, some events and situations trouble us and bring sadness. Today the words of Jesus come with all the force of the word of God. It tells us that although there are difficult things in our lives but God is always faithful to us. He is always there. [...] Do not be afraid because he is always there at our side."

During the ceremony, there were various testimonies about her life, where the acting executive director of the Guy Morel Institute, Patrick Bristol, spoke of the former nurse's career, how she started working for the police, before switching to the health sector.

"The love that she had developed for her career as a nurse, pushed her to work in numerous countries in southern Africa, such as Angola, Namibia and Swaziland," said Bristol.

The leader of Government Business in the National Assembly, Bernard Georges, read numerous messages sent by those close to Bistoquet.

A message sent by the vice chairperson of the committee on communicable diseases, HIV/AIDS and sexual reproductive health, Egbert Aglae, wrote that  Bistoquet has been a chairperson who persevered in the health sector as a priority in her work within the parliamentary committee.

"She was a brave woman who stood for her principles, to make things move as part of the committee," Georges read.

He added that just before her passing, she had made numerous plans for what the committee was to achieve next year and here Aglae said that the committee will ensure that all that she had planned comes to fruition.

Roger Mancienne, the speaker of the National Assembly, said, "In time, the Assembly will restart life and work without Bistoquet, but we will miss her and will continue to think of her whenever we talk about the subjects close to her heart."

Bistoquet's passing, aged 62, is being treated as a murder by the police, with a suspect, her daughter remanded in police custody. 

Her body was laid to rest at the Mont Fleuri Cemetery.