Government introduces new measures to regulate fruit vendors at Beau Vallon |09 February 2023

(L to r) Ms Clarisse, Ms Lautoy and Supt. Desnousse during the press conference

● Registration compulsory as from March

All fruit and vegetable vendors at the Beau Vallon beach site should be registered by March this year, be in possession of a badge for identification purpose, and wear a t-shirt as uniform when carrying out business in that location.

The chief executive of the Enterprise Seychelles Agency (Esa), Lisa Lautoy, made the announcement at a press conference yesterday morning at the Care House in Victoria in the presence of Superintendent Antoine Desnousse, head of visible policing within the police department, and Denise Clarisse, director general for community affairs in the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs.

According to Esa, the exercise, which is being done in collaboration with the district authorities and public health, is to ensure that the fruit vendors are regulated and operating in an ethical manner.

Ms Lautoy said Esa has received numerous complaints from clients and passers-by at the way some of these vendors have been conducting their activities in the area.

“For example, some of them were harassing tourists, or dumping trash everywhere. Some did not have a proper license to operate as a business or the fruits they were selling had not been acquired in a proper or legal way,” said CEO Lautoy.

The exercise was initiated last year, with plans to implement it early this year. A site visit was held on January 18 to meet with the vendors and outline the requirements being put in place, such as the need for them to register their businesses with the Office of the Registrar, as well as with the Seychelles Revenue Commissioner for tax purposes. Registration, which is free of charge, started on January 25, 2023. So far a dozen persons have shown interest but Esa said only nine have collected the registration forms. They have been given until mid-February to complete the registration process.

Ms Lautoy said as from March, only registered vendors will be able to operate at Beau Vallon.

“As part of the registration process, the vendors will be issued with a card that will have their names, photo and national identification number as proof that they are registered businesses and can operate within the framework being set up,” explained Ms Lautoy.

She said this will apply to anyone setting up a stall on government property in Beau Vallon, even if they are not on the beach.

The public health authority will also ensure that they maintain proper hygiene at all times. Esa said they will not be allowed to leave their fruits overnight and will have to use only plastic tables. They must also have water available at all times to wash the fruits before sale.

To ensure the measures are respected at all times, the police department will be carrying out regular patrols in the Beau Vallon beach area and legal actions will be taken against vendors not able to provide proof of their badge and not wearing their t-shirt. Failure to provide proof of where they have received their supplies/products will also lead to legal actions.

“Unlawful possession of property is an offence. You need to be able to explain where you got the fruits and if you cannot do that, then legal actions will be taken against you. If you got your fruits from the woods, you need to be able to account for that, if you bought it with a person, then we want to see proof because we receive way too many complaints about stolen fruits,” said Superintendent Antoine Desnousse.

He added that the police will also intensify patrol in the area, as there are reports of drugs being sold as well. Discussions are under way to have a permanent police post on the Beau Vallon beach.

“Any unregistered vendors will have to move and if they are not able to prove where they got the fruits, then they will be arrested,” said Superintendent Desnousse.

Other than the monitoring and enforcement by the police department, Esa will also be doing weekly inspections to ensure that rules are being followed.

Esa said the framework being introduced at the Beau Vallon beach site is being done as a pilot and it will eventually be introduced in other districts.

Text and photos: Patsy Canaya