VICTORIA, Seychelles — Police officers were deployed to Anse Source D’Argent, La Digue, on Wednesday to dismantle a kiosk owned by local businessman Antonio Ernesta. The chaotic incident between Mr Ernesta, supported by other family members and the local authorities, was captured in a video that was widely shared on social media. Around ten police officers were present at the site, and the demolition took place in the morning under heightened security. The kiosk is reported to have been almost completed two weeks before the demolition, and the owner claims to have spent R100,000 on the facility.
Mr Ernesta, when contacted by phone, said the police told him he had constructed the kiosk illegally. He argued, however, that all the kiosks constructed on the beach do not have a plan, and that the only reason given to him was that he did not have permission to build. I kept asking if they have permission from the court to destroy my kiosk, and no one could provide me with one, he said. The owner expressed frustration at the absence of any written documentation supporting the decision to pull the structure down, and at the absence of a clear answer on which authority had issued the order.
Mr Ernesta’s older brother, Melton, told the local press that the whole family was present on site on Wednesday morning, along with around ten police officers. We have asked for any official paper or document that gives permission to pull down this kiosk, and they could not provide us with anything. Anse Source D’Argent is a public domain, and according to my sources, the land does not belong to l’Union Estate, he said. The kiosk was built to sell fresh juice and fruits to clients, he added.
There are currently five kiosks at Anse Source D’Argent. Both the Enterprise Agency Seychelles (Esa) and l’Union Estate on La Digue told the local press that they do not have anything to do with the management of the beach or the kiosks built on public beach. The police on La Digue have indicated that they received the order to remove the structure from Mahé, and that no further paperwork was required. The local press sought clarification from the Seychelles police on Wednesday afternoon about who had ordered the take down and on what grounds, but had not received any response at the time of going to press.
The question of who is responsible for the management of the kiosks at Anse Source D’Argent has been a source of confusion for several years. The beach is a public domain, but the kiosks have been built by private operators and have historically been tolerated, even though they do not have formal planning permission. The latest demolition is likely to revive the debate about how the beach should be managed, and about the rights of small operators to invest in facilities on public land. The owner of the demolished kiosk has indicated that he intends to seek legal advice on whether the demolition was lawful.
