Roche Caiman’s makeshift market to be redeveloped |13 October 2020

The current farmers’ market at Roche Caiman (Photo: Anel Robert)

By Elsie Pointe

With Roche Caïman’s makeshift farmers’ market ‒ situated next to Plaisance primary school and opposite Butcher’s Grill ‒ attracting a number of customers, the government is forging ahead to re-develop the location.

The development encompasses the setting up of a demountable fruits and vegetables market and road widening, which will be made possible by taking up presently undeveloped land on the primary school premises.

The current ‘farmers’ market’ is an ad hoc yet convenient location for vendors to sell their agricultural produce, and sometimes even fish, for consumers residing in the vicinity and passers-by in vehicles which often causes traffic congestion on the stretch of road from the Roche Caïman petrol station to the Plaisance junction.

Ashley Philoé, planning analyst at the Seychelles Planning Authority, explained that the new development has been devised to act as crowd and traffic control in the area.

It also seeks to address concerns around the safety and security of primary students and pedestrians as well as ensure health regulations in regards to the selling of food items are upheld.

A plan that started in 2018, assisted by an independent architect, the demountable market development falls under the purview of the Seychelles Agricultural Agency (SAA). The cabinet of ministers gave the go-ahead when it approved the project last week.

“What has been proposed is what is called a demountable market concept. This will be situated at the area just opposite Butcher’s Grill, at the Roche Caïman junction,” stated Mr Philoé.

“The concept takes into account already existing conditions whereby there are a lot of demands for farmers to sell their agricultural produce on this stretch of road causing traffic congestion and raises safety issues. The project hopes to address this in a more organised and systematic manner.”

“The vendors will come during the day and set up their stall, and at night the stalls can be demounted and stored away to be used the next day,” explained Mr Philoé.

Senior architect at the planning authority, Eric Talma expounded on the means by which this development will be achieved.

Mr Talma explained that SLTA will enlarge the two-lane main road which will morph into three lanes ‒ one lane for vehicles heading towards Plaisance/La Louise and two lanes for those travelling down towards the petrol station.

Meanwhile, a slow lane will be built to cater specifically to vehicles accessing the farmers market which will be located in between the slow lane and the main road.

Part of the development includes a new entrance at the Plaisance primary ‒ at the fenced area facing the road and marsh ‒ for school buses and also to allow for an entryway for emergency services.

“The school has an unutilised expanse of land which it discourages its students to use because of the dangers, and now we hope to utilise this space, turning it into the administration block. There were also concerns from the fire and rescue agency that the Roche Caïman area had become too congested for its machines so this new entrance will facilitate the flow.”

It is to be noted that the Traffic Management Plan for Victoria was taken into account in designing the new Roche Caïman development, with the design receiving the stamp of approval from the Seychelles Land Transport Authority (SLTA).

The final development concept which was presented to the media yesterday was considered the better option after the planning authority and other stakeholders weighed the pros and cons.

Mr Talma explained that the larger vacant piece of land at Roche Caïman facing the car wash and petrol station would not have been ideal for the farmers’ market development, partly due to traffic constraints.

It will be up to the oversight agency, the SAA, to provide further details on the market.

“The design has already been done but in regards to its implementation and application, we will have to wait on the government to take its decision to devise the cost and so on,” Mr Talma concluded.