Street vendors to retail wares at ex-children’s playground |30 May 2016

Street vendors will as from the end of June be able to retail their wares at the ex-children’s playground.

They will do so nearer to the parking lots opposite the National Library instead of the site opposite the Maison du Peuple as originally proposed and which did not go down well with the street vendors.

Last week, Investment, Entrepreneurship Development and Business Innovation (MEDBI) Minister Michael Benstrong, accompanied by his principal secretary Marise Berlouis, visited the site.

Farida Afif, senior land lease monitoring officer within the Ministry of Land Use and Habitat, and Small Enterprise Promotion Agency’s (Senpa) marketing and promotion officer Greton Cecile were also present.

PS Berlouis told the media that the street vendors will be retailing at this temporary site for only a period of time as the road diversion project is expected to go through this part of Victoria.

The street vendors were selling goods and other wares on the streets under a tent, on pavements, under a shop, at the back of panel vans, twin cab pick-ups etc in Victoria. And this is considered as an illegal activity by the Seychelles Licensing Authority (SLA) and Land Transport department.

Individuals holding an import/wholesale license should not be involved in retail, and they should import and sell in bulk and as such do not need a sale outlet as they sell on delivery.

To be able to retail their products, the individuals need to apply for a retail license and need a premise/location. They will then be visited by officers of the SLA and other authorities.

In the National Assembly last week, Finance, Trade and the Blue Economy Minister Jean-Paul Adam said it is good the government is giving everyone the opportunity to run their own business but things have to be done in a structured way.