CSI President Marie-Paule Rousseau-Cornette gives her introduction at the meeting on Monday. (Robert Luckock photos)
MARIGOT--French Quarter-based Association Centre Symphorien d’Insertion (CSI) organised an information meeting on Monday for French Quarter entrepreneurs, associations and new start-up businesses to understand how to apply for European funding to bring projects to fruition in the district and create jobs for the youth.
The meeting was held in the training centre Institut Supérieur de Gestion Commerce et Numérique (ISGCN) on Rue de Liberté, Marigot.
This CSI initiative is being organised in collaboration with partners ISGCN, Soualiga Education and Répit Solidarité Insertion (RSI). Since 2021, CSI has been encouraging French Quarter inhabitants to create their own associations or companies to develop the district. A meeting was already held at the Collectivité on the subject of qualifying for subventions.
CSI President Marie-Paule Rousseau-Cornette explained: the projects already created represent a diverse field of activities, from agriculture, agro-tourism, music, recycling, the CSI garden project, environment, education, sport education, farming, and security and road safety.
On safety and security CSI has always been a strong advocate for scooter-riding young people to wear helmets, and has organised several helmet awareness days in collaboration with partners and the Gendarmerie. And to curb delinquency, social mediators will be recruited at a meeting next week to talk to young people and keep them on the right path.
“The directors and presidents of these associations or business owners, there are 17 in all, will be taking a management training course with ISGCN leading to certification, to better prepare them,” Roussea-Cornette stated. “This programme is only for French Quarter for now, but other interested persons can call me. I’m happy to share my ideas with other associations, as together we will develop the economy of the island and provide jobs.”
Participants at the meeting, or representatives of associations, included ASAMB, Attackers Football Club, Baker Foundation, Biodegradables, Gorilla S. Association, Prevention Sécurité Routière, Répit Solidarité Insertion (RSI), SXM Sport Evasion, Titi Moto Association, Triple C, United Hand of SXM, VME, Team JCO, Sucré Salé, and Island Location.
Speakers included Marie-Paule Rousseau-Cornette, ISGCN Director Jean-Luc Bristol who is also the Treasurer for Soualiga Education, President of RSI Glance Fleming, and Director of Contractual Politics Rodrigue Angely for European Social Funds (ESF) at the Collectivité since 2014.
Angely explained European social funds were developed to create a more equal level of development among the different European outermost regions (ORs) particularly territories that have fallen behind. The other European funding arm is the structural aspect, European Regional Development Fund (FEDER)
“It’s a financial aid that takes the form of a grant or subvention,” Angely explained. “In St. Martin, Guadeloupe, and other outermost regions it permits associations, businesses, different structures, Collectivités and governments to have their projects financed up to 85 per cent of the total cost. But ESF does not finance the regular operating costs of the project or business, nor does it finance investment. FEDER on the other hand will finance investments.”
Following Angely’s presentation, the floor was open for questions and answers.
