District 3 representative Kathy Africa (front row, third from left) with her council members.
MARIGOT--The six new district councils of the Collectivité have been installed and were officially presented at a ceremony in the Chamber of Commerce CCISM on Tuesday by President Louis Mussington and Third Vice President Dominique Louisy.
They were set up in three stages: First the elected members of the Executive Council appointed the members under the legal administrative procedure, on February 8, 2024. On March 5 and 6, the members of the neighbourhood councils appointed representatives to their respective boards, and on Tuesday, March 12,, the members of the six neighbourhood councils were presented at an official ceremony in the CCISM.
Mussington and Louisy passed on a message about the usefulness of participatory democracy and the need to establish ongoing dialogue with the neighbourhoods. Préfet Vincent Berton also praised the importance of these bodies, which are enshrined in the Organic Law of February 21, 2007, (article LO 6324-1) and governed by Article L2143-1 of the General Code of Local Authorities.
District Councils are consultative bodies that issue opinions on economic, social and cultural projects. They are also responsible for voicing residents’ grievances and needs, and making proposals to improve their living environment. This tool of representative democracy can also create, organise and run neighbourhood events.
The 2022-2027 term of office has set the new perimeter of the neighbourhood councils, reducing their number to six. Each neighbourhood council has 18 members (nine full members and nine alternates). A new charter specifying the organisation and operation of these bodies has been drawn up.
At the end of the registration period, from November 15, 2023, to January 5, 2024, 118 applications had been received. The 93 members of the six neighbourhood councils were appointed by the Executive Council on February 8 by an absolute majority. Some of the members were chosen by lot in the presence of a court commissioner. Each council then elected its bureau: a representative of the district council, a deputy representative, a secretary and a treasurer, enabling the bodies to function.
The areas covered by the district councils are:
District 1: Oyster Pond, French Quarter, Orient Bay.
District 2: Grand Case, La Savane, Morne O’Reilly, Mont Vernon, Chevrise, Cul-de-Sac, Anse Marcel area.
District 3: Colombier, Rambaud, St. Louis, Pic Paradis, Friar’s Bay, Cripple Gate, Morne Valois area.
District 4: Concordia, Agrément, Galisbay, Hameau du Pont area.
District 5: Marigot, St. James, Bellevue area.
District 6: (Sandy Ground, Baie Nettlé, Terres-Basses.
The designated representatives for each district are:
* District 1: Representative Delphine Baray, substitute representative Agnès Vedelice Pindi-Alexander, Secretary Morgan Pillah-Neipal, Treasurer Marie-Renée Patrick.
* District 2: Representative Allen Lake, substitute representative Emilie Suppa, Secretary (not yet appointed until next meeting),Treasurer Jeffry Martin.
* District 3: Representative Kathy Africa, substitute representative Vernicia Brooks, Secretary Igor Rembotte, Treasurer Nathalie Adélaide Brooks.
* District 4: Representative Nadine Francis, substitute representative Kate Richardson, Secretary Agnes De Polo, Treasurer Audrey Claxton.
* District 5: Representative Guy Cairo, substitute representative Sully Jacob, Secretary Evelyne Ratchel, Treasurer Christophe Joe.
* District 6: Representative Cédrick Andre, substitute representative Marie Denise Parrondo-Illidge, Secretary Juliette Irish, Treasurer Samuel Gumbs.
All the members of the neighbourhood councils, who volunteered to serve the area in which they live, were thanked.
Vice President Dominique Louisy and Territorial Councillor in charge Daniel Arnel, as well as the Department of Associative Life and Citizenship, are available to listen to the six neighbourhood councils and wish them every success in their commitment to serving the community.
https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/6-new-district-councils-presented-at-ceremony
