MARIGOT: Jean-François Carenco, Minister Delegate for Overseas Territories, has been visiting Saint Martin. His visit started last Saturday and will continue until next Tuesday. Here is a look back at a part of this official visit with a very busy program.
Arriving early afternoon on an Air France flight at Princess Juliana Airport this Saturday, October 15, the minister was welcomed by Vincent Berton, delegate prefect of the Northern Islands, and Louis Mussington, president of the Collectivity. Despite a slight delay on the long-haul flight, the delegation managed to get back on schedule during the day.
Babit Point – Oyster Pond
For his first visit on the ground, Minister Carenco went to the site of Babit Point in Oyster Pond to address the thorny issue of the border between the two parts of the island and the post-Hurricane Irma reconstruction of this part of the territory which was heavily impacted by the natural disaster. The meeting took place around the orientation table of Babit Point with the officials of the Collectivity and the State, without the presence of the media. During a press briefing, the politician considers that it is necessary to clarify the treaty of the Mount of the Agreements of 1648 on the whole border. A clear treaty on the subject is underway and Louis Mussington strongly insisted that the signing of such a document must be done in St. Maarten.
Whale Observatory – Oyster Point
During his second stop, Jean-François Carenco, still accompanied by the Prefect, the President of the Collectivité, and various officials, climbed the few steps leading to the platform of the whale observatory to discuss the issues of the coastal conservatory, again without the presence of the media. But according to the Minister Delegate, “the issue of the Galion beach is simple, there is an elected official who has the powers to initiate a discussion with its inhabitants, the coastal conservatory does not have its policy.” For him, the whole point of his visit lies in agreeing together on the measures and that everyone is united to achieve them: “After feeling and being immersed in things, to make politics without being moved, it makes no sense.”
Cul-de-Sac pier
This sequence dedicated to the ecological scourge of sargassum held the attention of Jean-François Carenco. Aware of the magnitude of this environmental problem, the Minister first praised Louis Mussington for his effective and rapid management of the exceptionally massive strandings that occurred during the 2022 season, and then recalled the support of the State on anti-sargassum devices up to 80%. Indeed, additional funding was agreed upon by Mr. Carenco during the steering committee last August 1st. Regarding the next tourist season, the State will invest €150,000 additional to fight against sargassum, with €60,000 for the installation of 4 sensors and €90,000 for the installation of 2 booms. The reflection on the collection at sea and the storage in a place close to the landfill is in progress. Louis Mussington confirms the political will to protect the Cul-de-Sac bay by taking the right measures to eliminate sargassum and is encouraged by the reactive response of Minister Carenco.
Grand Case Beach Club
Upon his arrival on site, a hedge of honor consisting of elected officials and tourism stakeholders including Jean-Francois Billot, manager of Grand-Case Beach Club, vice president of the Tourism Club of St. Martin, and personal guide for the occasion, was waiting for the Minister Delegate for Overseas and Mr. Prefect. The sequence began with a visit to the hurricane shelter financed by the European Regional Development Fund at 50%, which is used as a conference room all year round. The State convoy then headed to the terrace of the Grand Case Beach Club for a round table discussion on tourism in St. Maarten in the presence of the President of the COM Louis Mussington, vice-presidents Alain Richardson and Bernadette Davis, the president of the tourist office Valerie Damaseau, members of parliament Annick Pétrus and Frantz Gumbs, representatives of the tourism club and the CCISM. At the end of an hour-long meeting, three main topics were discussed: training of young people and the intervention of tourism executives, security, and tax exemption. Since the passage of Irma, the capacity of hotel rooms has fallen from 5,000 to 1,000. Four projects are currently underway to increase this hotel capacity because, according to the minister, “the tourism effort is to be made so that people work and the population of St. Martin is in the progression of activity.” Twice a year, parliamentarians who are the voice of St. Maarten, economic actors, and political decision-makers will meet at the Ministry in Paris to review the situation and its evolution towards “a general philosophy of simple and effective action.”
Words from the President of the Collectivity
After this first day of the official visit, Louis Mussington declared that he was very satisfied at the end of the visit insofar as Minister Jean-François Carenco is an open-minded man, willing to dialogue with a real desire to accompany Saint-Martin by having already taken the fold, within the framework of an official visit, to come to our territory for longer than previously, a request made by the President of the Collectivity during their last exchange in Paris
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