Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke Market Temporary Relocation for Renovations 

Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke Market Temporary Relocation for Renovations

The Ministry of Agriculture, Climate Change, and Environment’s Department of Agriculture announced last Saturday that they’re giving The Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke Market also known as The Victoria Market a major facelift starting August 30th, 2024. They’re aiming to upgrade the facilities and services, making it a better place for everyone involved.

To get this done without too much hassle, the market will temporarily move to the old STC Supermarket in Victoria. This should keep things running smoothly while the renovations are underway. When it’s all finished, we can look forward to a market with better amenities, higher hygiene standards, and an overall nicer shopping experience.

The Agriculture Department is working closely with the vendors to make this transition as smooth as possible. They had a meeting at the STC Conference Room to talk about the move and answer any questions. Some of the key people at the meeting were Minister Flavien Joubert, Keith Arnephie from the Seychelles Infrastructure Agency, Market Manager Vincent Germain, Senior Public Health Officer Myra Bijoux, and Derrick Monthy from the SFA.

All Vendors to be relocated

Minister Joubert mentioned that the renovations will take about 6-9 months. During this time, all vendors, including fruit sellers, fishmongers, and butchers, will need to move out of the market. They’re currently cleaning and assessing the old STC Supermarket to make sure it’s ready. They’ll be doing a structural evaluation this week and, if everything looks good, they’ll start setting up spaces for the vendors, especially for the fruit and vegetable sellers. Fishermen and fish sellers will get different arrangements through the SFA.

Since the old STC Supermarket is an enclosed, air-conditioned building, they’re planning to improve air circulation and address any fire risks temporarily. They’re also working on drainage to keep the place clean and prevent vermin, especially after a recent pest problem. The building will mostly stay the same, structurally, with no major changes planned.

For those vendors who operate outside the market, the Department of Agriculture isn’t responsible for them. However, there’s a growing concern about the number of transactions happening outside the market. Minister Joubert highlighted the need for licenses for these operations and mentioned that Victoria might need more space to handle the increasing number of merchants and sales activities in the future.

So, big changes are coming, but it sounds like they’re taking all the right steps to make the transition smooth and keep improving the market for everyone!

Written by – J.R

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