Auberge de Mer tenants protest as demolition of building begins | THE DAILY HERALD

~ Complaint filed against Collectivité for endangering persons ~

 

MARIGOT–Tension has been escalating in the last few days among the eight to ten tenants who have businesses in the condemned Auberge de Mer building at Marina Royale, culminating Wednesday morning in the first real protest action as the demolition process, which started Monday, continued.

  Some 40 persons gathered to support the tenants for what turned out to be a peaceful protest at 8:00am. The road leading to Sandy Ground was blocked with a vehicle until Gendarmes and Territorial Police persuaded the tenants to remove the blockade when given news Préfète Sylvie Feucher would arrive shortly, but that did not happen. No elected official or Vice-President of the Collectivité turned up either.

  The only official present was SEMSAMAR Operations Manager Yannick Beaud who called off the workers carrying out demolition due to the protest. He insisted that demolition work for now is only affecting the empty shop spaces, such as the former Maison de la Presse. Barriers have been erected all around the building.

  Tenants in the Auberge de Mer building were given two months to pack up and leave after the Collectivité deemed the building to be “in peril” and issued an “arrêté” (order or decree) to that affect in mid-October.

  SEMSAMAR was charged with carrying out the demolition two months on from the date of the arrêté.  A bailiff had notified the tenants a few days earlier that demolition was about to begin.

  Meanwhile, tenants have nowhere to go and have not found alternative locations. At the last meeting the Collectivité proposed moving the businesses into small prefabricated 11-square-metre containers that would be set up in the car park next to the former tourism office.

  This idea was largely rejected as being unworkable, particularly for restaurant Petit Auberge des Iles. The issue of security was also pointed out. Whether this idea is still going ahead is not known as rumours suggest the Collectivité does not have the money to buy these containers.

  While it is understood the Collectivité wants to start a new project in the area, tenants have long complained two months’ notice is not long enough to find alternative locations. Hence, they now have legal representation.

  They filed an injunction with the Administrative Court in Guadeloupe on November 22 to gain extra time, at least to allow them to remain in the building for this season. The court has not yet given its decision.

  At stake is whether the Auberge de Mer building really is in danger of collapsing. On the one hand the Collectivité says the building is dangerous and needs to be demolished. On the other, tenants have paid for their own independent survey that states that is not the case and they have the documents to prove it.

  “We have the report from an expert we hired in Paris that says the building is not in peril, and that’s plain to see by everyone here,” confirmed Sébastien Brismeur of SXM Marine Diesel. “Even though we submitted the injunction they are still demolishing and trying to kick us out. This building only needs repairs, not to be demolished. We are taking this action because we want to be heard by the Préfecture. If we don’t get satisfaction we will continue protesting and it will get worse.”

  According to Brismeur there is no demolition permit, but when asked about that, Yannick Beaud said that was covered, for this case, in the arrêté.

  Jacques of the home décor shop Antipodes, a tenant in the building for more than 20 years who has not found an alternative location, questioned why so much pressure and emphasis is on demolition when it should be on reconstruction.

  “What about the schools that need to be urgently repaired, the sports stadiums and general infrastructure? To me this is completely illogical, and at the very beginning of the season. Today our goal is to get answers.”

  He argues that allowing demolition in the building while some of the tenants are still there and doing business in itself renders the building in a weaker and unsafe state, and poses a danger to the tenants.

  Finally, at 10:00am a delegation of tenants was summoned to the Préfecture for a meeting with Préfète Feucher. The meeting lasted two hours, but what was discussed was kept confidential for now.

  The tenants also submitted a formal complaint at the Gendarmerie against Collectivité for carrying out demolition that they say poses a danger to them. Wachter said the complaint could be picked up by the Prosecutor who may have the power to halt the demolition process.

  The Collectivité has chosen to terminate the public service delegation DSP with SEMSAMAR and its affiliate SAMAGEST on December 31, 2018, permitting the Collectivité to plan the future of the marina.

  A new construction project from Port la Royale marina to the tourism office roundabout will be part of a future public service delegation with a new operator. Marina and services are planned in this area for completion in two to three years.

Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/83105-auberge-de-mer-tenants-protest-as-demolition-of-building-begins

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