Préfète Déléguée Sylvie Feucher. (Robert Luckock photo)
MARIGOT--Préfète Déléguée of St. Martin and St. Barths Sylvie Feucher called on the population of the French side to turn a new page in the history of St. Martin this coming year.
“Today we are celebrating the end of 2019, a year of intense work marked by notable advances but also, unfortunately, by social tensions in St. Martin that we must address,” she said in her New Year’s message posted on the Préfecture’s Facebook page.
“It is time to turn this page and write a new one for 2020 with a single will, that of seeing St. Martin reborn.
“We must collectively propose concrete solutions to the population, to the problems of housing, unemployment, poverty, and especially the problems that face the youth. Reconstruction must be finalised to make way for new projects, those that will enable us to meet the challenges of tomorrow.
“Since my arrival, I have been aware of the difficulties faced by the youth of St. Martin and I have set priority actions for all government departments. Numerous projects where the State and the Collectivité are committed together are being finalised: the construction of two new secondary schools, but also the renovation of sports facilities, construction of a swimming pool, a multi-sports hall, local structures and educational social centres in the priority districts.
“Seven million euros have been mobilised as part of the skills investment plan to offer training courses adapted to the needs of the territory. The youth guarantee scheme, which helps young people between 16 and 25 years of age in a very precarious situation to find employment or training, is continuing and the adapted military training academy RSMA is still offering priority places for young St. Martiners. These places too often remain vacant.
“Seniors will not be forgotten with the construction of a medical-social centre and a new senior citizens’ home as part of the redevelopment of La Savane.
“We need to think about how to develop and sustain the island’s economy over the long term. This involves, for example, the requalification of the centre of Marigot and the boulevard of Grand Case. The road network will be renovated, public lighting will be replaced and modernised, and video protection will be reinstalled for greater safety.
“The territory’s resilience will be strengthened by the creation of new cyclone shelters, construction of which the State has earmarked six million euros for; the renovation of the water production plant and networks; and the continued burying of electricity networks. The financial resources are there, and we still have to start the work.
“The main orientations for the development of the island must be defined. The Collectivité is launching consultations for the development plan for St. Martin and the State will accompany it in this essential process to design the St. Martin of tomorrow: residential areas, economic and tourist areas, and those that will need to be protected by comprehensive developments to cope with the risks.
“In 2019, the State and the Collectivité drew up the Convergence and Transformation Contract 2019-2022 covering all the projects mentioned. The State will co-finance them to the tune of 67 million euros.
“An exceptional investment allocation of an additional 16.1 million euros has been paid to the local Collectivité to finance these first projects from the end of 2019 to the beginning of 2020. These projects should now be developed together for the territory of St. Martin and its inhabitants. They deserve it.
“I wish all the inhabitants of St. Martin and St. Barthélemy a very Happy New Year in 2020.”
