The Territorial Council of Saint-Martin met in plenary session last Friday. Seventeen elected officials were present, while two were absent and four were excused with proxies. The members of the opposition group, led by Daniel Gibbs, chose to remain in the session to allow the meeting to proceed. quorum.
Sixteen items were on the agenda, but after a modification, there were only fifteen. The elected officials decided to open the debates with the Resolution no. 14 concerning the land acquisition of the plots of the judicial estate known as Beauperthuy, a matter that involved nearly three hours of discussions.
Louis Mussington calls it a “historic decision”
In his opening address, President Louis Mussington set the tone: “This final territorial council meeting of the year is an opportunity to take stock of the political direction we have consistently pursued since the beginning of our term,” before announcing a “historic decision.” He referred to the “blockages, cries, suffering, and speculation” surrounding the Beauperthuy landHe said he was “proud to say that after all this, this term of office has seen this process through to the end.” For the president, the issue transcends political divides “We are taking a firm stance in our responsibility to future generations. We cannot allow what belongs to our history to disappear.” He called for “unity and vision,” assuming “a a strong political choice, whatever the political cost ».
A legally secured land acquisition worth 38 million euros
The deliberation aimed to authorize the president to sign the deed of acquisition for the plots and to approve the financing plan. Louis Mussington recalled that the court-appointed administrator had initially opted for a international auction, notably relayed in the New York Times, illustrating, according to him, a speculative logic. “As president, I made a different choice. From today onwards, these 200 hectares will belong to the people of Saint-Martin He then outlined the prospects for land use, mentioning the creation of a land reserve, the development of housing estates to allow young people from Saint-Martin to access property ownership, the development of artisanal or commercial zones, the preservation of natural spaces and support for livestock farming, without further details.
The director of legal affairs, Léonie Flanders, outlined the details of the case, noting that the estate consists of 22 plots and The auction posed a risk of massive speculation.She presented the innovative asset management strategy implemented by the local authority, supported by legal counsel from the court-appointed administrator, Maître Charles Henri Carboni, and Maître Nicolas. negotiations began in 2023 allowed for a private sale, validated by the judge on June 10, 2025, for an amount fixed at 38 million, after several successive estimates (€47M, then €42M). The financing is based on three partners : the Public Land Establishment Caribbean Lands – project manager for the COM – 13 plots (€13.064.685), the Bank of the Territories via a Gaia loan with an interest rate between 3,5 and 3,8% (€18.010.415), and the Semsamar (€6.924.900). “The financing is secured and the legal security is also in place,” she assured.
The opposition denounces a major financial risk
In the opposition, Philippe Philidor denounced a ” populist choice which, according to him, “locks Saint-Martin into a lasting financial dependency.” “How can you commit nearly 38 million euros without a clear financial roadmap?” he asked. Daniel Gibbs, for his part, criticized a technical chaos “The real debate isn’t about buying this land or not, but about what concrete changes this will make for the families; they won’t necessarily win their case,” he declared, warning against… the lack of strategy, financial plan and structuring project: “If you make us vote on this now, you are the ones endangering the youth and the community.”
Faced with these criticisms, Louis Mussington responded bluntly. “You talk about demagoguery, but you’re setting an example of intellectual dishonesty,” he declared, reminding everyone that the acquisition was only possible thanks to the authorization granted by the judge and the mandate entrusted by the State to the prefect. Attorney Nicolas also intervened to defend the legal and financial soundness of the arrangement“I don’t do politics, I practice law,” he stated, adding that he was “saddened” by certain accusations, which the opposition denied. “It’s a political choice that must be taken responsibility for,” he concluded.
A decisive vote after three hours of debate
The debates continued on the land transfer arrangements by Terres Caraïbes, the debt capacity of the Community and the possibilities of retrocession anticipated. Several elected officials, including Jules Charville and Marie-Dominique Remphort, expressed their reservations, calling for greater financial prudence, in the eventual creation of an entity with more private funding to avoid the COM’s indebtedness and to a broader consultation of the populationAlain Richardson, First Vice-President, for his part, reminded everyone that this land is first and foremost “an asset and a heritage,” the future of which will belong to future majorities. After these lively and somewhat aborted discussions, the Territorial Council proceeded to the vote. The resolution was adopted By 15 votes to 6. _Vx
Source: Faxinfo https://faxinfo.fr/en/conseil-territorial-foncier-beauperthuy-une-decision-fonciere-adoptee-dans-la-controverse/
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