MARIGOT–President of opposition party Movement for Justice and Prosperity (MJP) Louis Mussington said on Monday that the natural risks prevention plan PPRN amounts to a violation of the organic law (article 6311) which states the French Republic guarantees a certain level of autonomy for the territory.
“The PPRN takes away our rights to issue building permits in areas which are considered unsafe and in the case of the ‘50 pas geometriques’ dossier there are still families waiting to obtain title to land that has been handed down from generation to generation, in Sandy Ground, for example, and they will not get title based on the fact they are situated in a high risk, non-constructible zone,” said Mussington.
“The Collectivité has no control over that, only the State has control of those areas. But it puts into question the control we have over the development of our territory. And those families will suffer because the land will be taken away from them.”
MJP will not be giving a favourable opinion on the PPRN when the plan is debated over and voted on at the Territorial Council meeting on Wednesday, Mussington added, acknowledging the fact that the plan will eventually go into effect based on President Emmanuel Macron’s statements last year.
He said the State is implementing restrictive prevention measures, but not protection measures, such as building sea walls and other protective means, because the latter will cost the State far more money.
“The State is covering its back because it doesn’t want to be found liable for casualties or death in the event of another [Hurricane – Ed.] Irma, and another very high insurance bill that would come from that. But we acknowledge a PPRN is needed in terms of making sure property owners in vulnerable areas build safely and stronger, not just anyhow.
“We will be arguing strongly for the Collectivité to take back the competence for the environment from the State.
“Based on article 6351-12 of the organic law we can request at any time its transfer to the Collectivité which will then give us full control of the PPRN and full control over the coastline. It gives us a chance to control our development plan.
“We will be deciding our building codes for those risk areas, and at the same time insisting on mandatory evacuations if necessary and protecting our families.
“We encourage the people to listen in on Wednesday. It’s time for adequate measures to be proposed to safeguard struggling families.”
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/89183-louis-mussington-pprn-a-violation-of-organic-law-regarding-our-autonomy
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