The wooden footbridge attached to the Sandy Ground Bridge, which will be used for pedestrian access to Sandy Ground and Marigot during the bridge renovation. (Robert Luckock photo)
MARIGOT--A petition drawn up by District Council Four against the traffic diversion arrangement proposed by the Collectivité for part of the Sandy Ground Bridge renovation schedule has attracted some 200 signatures.
The Council predicts numerous difficulties will be encountered with the arrangement: medical evacuations; intervention by carers for home visits to the elderly; intervention by the Fire Brigade in case of accidents, fires or other situations; inconvenience to businesses; problems of public transport; access; and in particular for children going to or returning from school in Concordia or Sandy Ground.
The Council understands the renovation work for the bridge is necessary, but calls for a “parallel” solution to be put in place “to continue public service towards the elderly and fragile, school students, families and businesses.”
Press conference in progress with representatives of the various collectives on Friday. (Robert Luckock photo)
The main work to replace the drawbridge is about to start. The wooden footbridge attached to the bridge supported by scaffolding appeared almost completed over the weekend. Due to the traffic diversion by way of the Dutch side, the Collectivité has arranged for temporary Gendarmerie and Fire Brigade (reportedly 13 pompiers) posts to be installed on the Baie Nettle side of the bridge to respond to any incidents that might occur during the bridge renovation work.
The traffic diversion at the bridge was just one of several concerns and issues currently impacting the French side that were raised at a press conference convened Friday by representatives of the main collectives: Soualiga United Collective, Soualiga Grass Roots Movement, union Confédération Général des Travailleurs de Guadeloupe (CGTG) and United People Working for Saint-Martin (UPWSM). The union UNI.T 978 was not present.
“The Collectivité never consulted the District Council first about the plans for bridge and traffic diversions, even though the Préfecture did,” said council representative and UPWSM member Cédrick André. “The Collectivité has no respect for the District Council, they just do what they want.”
André suggested an alternative solution would be to have the army install one of their big military barges across the channel so cars could drive over.
The main topics at the press conference included the ongoing and unresolved Collectivité strike, the issue the collectives have with Director General of Services (DGS) Christiane Ayache still in her position, mandatory vaccinations and the health pass, the general disrespect for St. Martiners and the many injustices they have to bear.
The problems of property ownership that have befallen the Webster family after their property was requisitioned by the State for military use after Hurricane Irma were also explained in emotional detail by UPWSM member Luc Wellington.
André said a letter sent by the three collectives to President Daniel Gibbs requesting a meeting about the strike with the elected officials on Tuesday or Wednesday, August 17 or 18, to date has never been answered. Moreover, it was said at the press conference that Gibbs is off-island, but it was not known whether this was for Collectivité business or for vacation.
The letter demanded that Gibbs rapidly resolve the strike situation. If not, “we will decide to end all negotiations, all discussions, and it will be a strong action to end the suffering of St. Martiners,” the letter warned.
Soualiga Grass Roots Movement member Freddy Richardson reminded that the Territorial Accounting Chamber CTC had highlighted in its report many errors pertaining to the situation of salaried workers in the Collectivité that needed to be resolved.
Horace Whit of Soualiga Grass Roots said there have been many instances of disrespect towards St. Martiners.
“St. Martin people will not permit themselves to be disrespected. That’s the message we are getting across today. The DGS is dispossessing St. Martiners, supported by the president, and in that context, we also want her to leave.”
Lenny Mussington of Soualiga United denounced the “politics of discrimination” he said was being exercised by Ayache. “It’s clear this lady has neither the willingness nor the intention of integrating, encouraging and accompanying St. Martiners, not only at the top but also the bottom.
“If you don’t want to work with locals then you don’t have a local agenda. If you eliminate local professionals from top management positions, that is not acceptable to us. This is not a national institution. Our taxes are paying her, so her staff has to be a reflection of the workers of St. Martin. This sends the wrong message to students abroad who want to come back and make a contribution to the development of their country.”
He cited an example of a local St. Martin police officer based in France who was supposed to be transferred to St. Martin. She bought a house here in anticipation of the job, but, according to Mussington, Ayache did not do the paperwork for that woman to come back to St. Martin. “The result was she had to pack her bags to go back to France.”
Another concern raised was the issue of vaccinating children against COVID-19. Many parents consider children already have strong and healthy immune systems and are against vaccinating them.
“We reserve the right to decide if we are comfortable with having our children vaccinated versus it being mandatory,” Whit added.
Marcelline Dessout, Secretary of the CGTG health section, said she was wearing two hats and on this occasion was speaking as a member of Soualiga Grass Roots Movement.
She claimed a measure to be introduced in September about mandatory sick leave imposed if not taking the vaccine would result in one-third of one’s salary being deducted daily. That employee’s job will be forfeited without compensation in October if the vaccine is not taken.
“How can someone who has been working 20 or 30 years, who does not want to take the vaccine, not be paid? That is not just. They have loans, taxes, to pay. And if they can’t pay their taxes, are they going to jail, or to lose their properties? This is not human.”
Another press conference by the collectives is planned for Wednesday. A protest march is tentatively planned for September 3.
