VICTORIA, Seychelles — Construction work on the new infrastructure to accommodate fish and produce vendors displaced from the old STC Supermarket has begun, with vendors expected to move in by late March or early April, Public Works Minister Billy Germain has said. The relocation follows the demolition of the former STC premises, which has left informal traders in need of a permanent base.
Speaking during a site visit, Mr Germain said logistics such as the tables to be used by the vendors, water supplies, souvenirs and small shop fittings are being arranged so that traders can be properly accommodated at the new site. Vendors are presently operating under temporary arrangements, and the minister said the new facility would offer a more durable home for the small businesses that have historically relied on the central Victoria location.
The construction, once completed, will be followed by an inspection before the new market is officially opened, the minister added. The relocation of vendors is part of a broader programme to modernise central Victoria and to bring informal traders into formalised commercial spaces. The old STC building served as one of the capital’s busiest retail and wholesale points for fish, fruit and vegetables for several decades, and its demolition has prompted concerns from vendors and shoppers alike about continuity of supply.
