MINISTERIAL VISIT / Manuel Valls: “We will not abandon Saint-Martin” | FAXINFO

March 18, 2025

Overseas Minister Manuel Valls made an official visit to Saint Martin last Friday, marking a symbolic milestone for the territory.

After his arrival at theJuliana Airport In the early afternoon, under a sky punctuated by showers, he expressed his emotion in front of elected officials and the press: "You cannot know the happiness for me to be in Saint-Martin because in my previous visits, I had the misfortune to start with Martinique and Guadeloupe, and political events in Paris had led me to interrupt my trip to Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin. It had remained as a trace which marked my political career for years and it was necessary réparer, it's done ".

After visiting the site, he proceeded to reveal the plaque of the future administrative and judicial city, an emblematic project for the structuring of the island's public services. In the process, he visited the construction site of the College 900, where he was accompanied, among others, by Prefect Cyrille Le Vély, President of the Collectivité Louis Mussington, MP Frantz Gumbs and Senator Annick Pétrus. Christian Climent-Pons, project director for the Rector of the Guadeloupe Academy, presented the progress of the work.

Ce educational project is a major step forward for Saint-Martin, where nearly 9000 students are enrolled. The work, which began in April 2023, is on schedule with a delivery expected in June 2025, although adjustments remain possible depending on the ancillary works for which the project management group is not responsible. For the overseas minister, this project is essential for youth of Saint-Martin, insisting on the need to strengthen the workforce teachers and improve school infrastructure.

College 900 Budget Update

Many contradictory figures have been communicated regarding the budget for the future Collège 900, which has caused misunderstandings among the population. Initially planned at €24 million for the work by the architectural firm IDP Antilles, the project management group's lead firm, the initial budget did not include the additions related to the construction of the gymnasium and the cyclone-resistant parking lot, nor the bio-environmental aspect. In addition to these additional demands, the war in Ukraine generated a 30% additional cost on materials. Another important point is the location of the water table, which generated an on-site adaptation and an additional cost of €5 million to reassemble the building. In total, the budget for the construction of Collège 900 amounts to 36M € excluding intellectual services.

Security and the fight against crime: a priority issue

After this educational sequence, Manuel Valls headed towards the fire station of La Savane, under the direction of Captain Anthony Arnould. He attended the presentation of the Territorial Fire and Rescue Service (STIS, created in June 2024) by Steven Cocks, member of the board of directors, to ensure more autonomous management of emergency responses. This independence from Guadeloupe represents a major breakthrough for the speed and efficiency of rescue on the island.

Then the visit continued to the barracks of gendarmerie, where he exchanged with Commander Hugues Loyez on the security challenges of Saint-Martin. The latter drew up a worrying inventory: 126 armed robberies recorded in 2024, with 24 arrests, and a resurgence of acts of violence linked to drug trafficking. To deal with this growing threat, the commander stressed the need to strengthen human and investigative resources.

Manuel Valls took note of these requests and reiterated his commitment to a OFAST antenna (Anti-Narcotics Office) directly attached to the local command, and no longer in Martinique. Commander Loyez also pleaded for the creation of a new barracks in the east of the island, a necessity after the destruction of the old one by Hurricane Irma. "We need to be at a high level of commitment " he said. He also stressed the importance of the CCTV, an essential tool in the fight against delinquency.

A State commitment on several fronts

After this security sequence, the minister went to the Medical-Educational Institute (IME) of the OVE Caribbean Foundation and the Sunflower Association, which welcomes 42 children and adolescents with disabilities. Accompanied by a young beneficiary of the establishment, he was able to speak with the support teams and reaffirm the State's commitment toschool and social inclusion.

The end of the official visit was marked by a bilateral meeting at the Collectivité, in the presence of President Louis Mussington, Prefect Cyrille Le Vély and the 1st VP of the COM, Alain Richardson. The discussions focused on key topics: housing, urban policy, the future of Air Antilles and adaptation to climate change"We need to work better territory by territory," Valls stressed, addressing the CIOM measures (interministerial committee for overseas territories).

Finally, during the press briefing, he recalled the two main priorities of his trip: fight against insecurity and the high cost of livingHe insisted that the state was fully committed to supporting Saint Martin: "We will not abandon Saint Martin. The state's action is there, even if sometimes it may seem long and difficult. The State is there by a fully-fledged prefect. We will continue to work very closely. The role of the State is to work discreetly to find the best possible solutions.”

Valls also mentioned the importance of give young people a future, pleading for theimplementation of an RSMA (Adapted Military Service Regiment) on the island: "This system would make it possible to train, supervise and offer professional opportunities to a section of the youth. I am very much in favor of its implementation here."

The official visit concluded with a dinner with socio-professionals in Grand-Case, before departing for Saint-Barthélemy and then Guadeloupe.