Daniel Gibbs
MARIGOT–President Daniel Gibbs has spoken out about his summons to the criminal court in December with two of his vice-presidents for allegations of showing favouritism in the awarding of contracts, asking what alternatives he had given the multiple emergencies to be dealt with in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma.
“In the continuation of the procedure that began October 10 with a period of police custody that justified nothing if not the desire to humiliate us by alerting the press, I am summoned before the Criminal Court of St. Martin, with my two vice-presidents, Valérie Damaseau and Annick Pétrus, for allegations of ‘favouritism’, he said.
“I want to be clear, because words are important, misinformation is dangerous. Neither one of us three elected members of St. Martin is accused of personal enrichment, as some like to claim. The terms used must be precise and the presumption of innocence must prevail as for all the citizens of this country.
“I also note that statements issued in the press obviously originate from circles very close to the investigation which should be bound to the duty of confidentiality but already condemns us. Where is the neutrality of our justice? The quest for sensationalism, damaging our honour … honours no one. So, I trust the appointed judge to assess objectively the facts that we are charged with and consider the very special circumstances in which we unfortunately suffered.
“I was elected President on April 2, 2017, and Irma arrived on September 6, 2017. From that date on, my teams’ only goal has been to protect a population that has greatly suffered and has been abandoned. Our territory then entered the period of imperative urgency. This means that our Collectivité was allowed from that point on to contract urgent services by mutual agreements with businesses that were still operational.
“Issuing a public bid to distribute food donations after Irma would have taken six months, which is unthinkable in times of such a crisis. Should we have waited six months to distribute these donations? Should we have waited six months to clear the roads? Should we have waited six months to supply the rescue teams with gasoline? I ask, what should have been done in such a disastrous context?
“On August 19, 2019, I learned from the Préfecture of Guadeloupe that on October 9, 2017, a month after Irma, St. Martin and the St. Martiners had apparently already come out of the emergency. On that date, you lived it, we were in total chaos. The President of the Republic himself indicated that it was necessary to ‘shake up the procedures’. Do you find it normal that this date be set two years after Irma?
“As you can see, the end date of the emergency is a crucial point in this case. Compare this: the fire of the Cathedral Notre Dame de Paris was judged so catastrophic that six months of urgency was set by the Préfecture. For St. Martin after Irma, the biggest natural disaster of our country, only one month.
“Those who condemn us too quickly today were obviously not in St. Martin on September 6, 2017. They did not experience the immense desolation left by Irma, nor the cases of absolute urgency and pressures on all sides to settle human situations. Those who have lived through these situations of chaos have not forgotten them. We know what we went through together.
“So yes, we made decisions in emergency where the legal consideration was not the first concern. The affected and traumatised inhabitants were our main concern. Let us keep in mind the help that had to be provided to those who were in a state of vulnerability and danger; 60 per cent of uninsured people, may I remind you. I ask the question: who was going to put the zinc back on the roofs?
“How can some forget our determination, since 2017, to undertake a necessary reform of our administration? Remember, we still paid a high price at the beginning of the year with a four-month-long strike. Politics require courage and sometimes unpopular decisions.
“I have always said that we would apply the recommendations of the Territorial Audit Chamber in its 2007-2016 report and we are currently doing as such. Today, they want to make me pay for the failings of the authorities of the times … including those of the State. Yet, our governing mandate is the first one to get to the bottom of the problem and is at the same time the one being prosecuted.
“These are some of the points that I wanted to share with you to clarify the statements and misleading comments on our account and that of the Collectivité de St. Martin. I thank you for your solidarity and kind support.”
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/92489-gibbs-speaks-out-on-summons-to-criminal-court-with-vice-presidents
View comments
Hide comments