GOING AND SOON TO BE GONE – BBC SET TO CLOSE SEYCHELLES’ SHORT WAVE STATION
(Posted 19th August 2014)
For many visitors to the Seychelles’ main island of Mahe are the transmission masts of the BBC’s Indian Ocean Short Wave Relay Station on Grand Anse’ a fixture, a place they remember from driving by when enroute to or from their resorts or taking a drive across the island. The station, which was built by the BBC in the 1980’s, has however served its purpose in this day and age of satellite communications. People in Africa and on the Indian Ocean islands today listen to the BBC World Service and the BBC Africa Service on web radio or watch the news live on TV and learning of the base closure therefore is not entirely surprising after the world’s foremost news service after ending active transmissions earlier last year already.
Information from Victoria speaks of bids being invited for equipment from the offices and stores though it is not entirely clear if the landmark masts will remain in place or be dismantled, then shipped elsewhere or perhaps sold as metal scrap. Also open is the question at present what will happen to the prime land though suggestions have been made that the site may be developed as it is close to the Grand Anse’ beach. Time for visitors to Mahe to take perhaps that one last look and picture before sooner or later this landscape feature will be gone.
