VICTORIA, Seychelles, July 10, 2026/APO Group/ —
As part of the Government’s ongoing efforts to ensure the Police Force operates from safe and effective facilities, President Dr Patrick Herminie yesterday visited the former Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) headquarters at Hermitage, Mont Fleuri, to assess the building’s suitability for the temporary relocation of the Public Order and Tactical Response Unit (POTRU), whose facility at Petit Paris was badly damaged in the December 2023 CCCL explosion.
The President was accompanied by a delegation from the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Police Force, led by Minister James Camille and Commissioner Godfra Hermitte, reflecting the collaborative approach being taken to restore full operational capacity for the unit.
The visit follows an earlier assessment President Herminie conducted at POTRU’s current site at Petit Paris, following which he took the decision that the unit would need to relocate temporarily, as the facility was no longer considered safe or conducive for operations.
The delegation was guided through the former SBC premises by the Corporation’s Deputy Chief Executive, Ms Nathalie Rose, who briefed the President and accompanying officials on the current state of the building. During the visit, the President also took time to interact with SBC staff still working at the old building.
Speaking to the press following the visit, President Herminie said the police services will move to hermitage once SBC moves out completely which is expected to be by September, this year. He added that, given the age of the building, its long-term future lay in demolition rather than renovation, noting that the cost of renovating the structure would exceed that of constructing a new one, making a new building the more economical option.
The Hermitage building has a long institutional history, having previously served as both a school and a hospital before SBC took occupation of the premises in the early 1990s.
