Sandy Ground on the Move Insertion President Georges Richardson and Director Marjorie Antoine. (Robert Luckock photo)
MARIGOT–The association Sandy Ground on the Move Insertion says it is at a loss to understand why contracts on certain projects in the district have been cancelled, forcing the layoff of young workers, and why funding normally distributed by the Collectivité seems no longer to be forthcoming.
It says the association is operating only on reserve funding, but is concerned over how long that will last.
Association President Georges Richardson and Director Marjorie Antoine had the opportunity to speak to Minister of Overseas Territories Annick Girardin recently when she was in St. Martin, to explain the work the association does in Sandy Ground and to appeal to her ministry for funding.
“Projects we had such as the cleaning of Albéric Richards Stadium have been stopped, along with the funding, and that has left us in limbo,” Richardson said. “The State has always been supportive of what we do. That’s why we felt we had to approach the Minister. The population in Sandy Ground is predominantly young people so it is imperative we do everything possible to have employment for them.
“The association’s goal is not only to make sure young people coming out of prison integrate correctly back into society, but also to prevent the youth from succumbing to delinquency and going to prison.”
Cleaning and maintaining Sandy Ground to upgrade the environment and, by extension, to improve the social and economic situation of the district was the main project presented to the Minister.
“Her delegation saw the real situation in Sandy Ground and St. Martin,” Antoine said. “We also explained because of what happened we felt we have been put aside, isolated. So, it was suggested that we file our subvention applications to three Ministries: Labour, Housing and Agriculture.”
“We had different contracts with the Collectivité, cleaning the streets, cleaning the sport facilities,” Antoine added. “Before Hurricane Irma, one contract was taken away from us by the Collectivité and given to another association. After Irma the sports facilities were destroyed. At a meeting on November 27, 2017, we were told the cleaning contract would be stopped on November 30, so we would have no money to pay those few workers. We had to let them go because we didn’t want to be in the situation of not being able to pay them.
“On the contract we lost before Irma, the Collectivité said there was a difference of 400 euros on the bid between our association and the other one. I think they wanted to take it away from us and had to find a reason to do it. But we don’t know why, when our association has established such a good reputation over the years.”
Richardson said he believes politics played a role in the decisions.
“We even suggested substitute projects at that meeting with less funding and less cost to the Collectivité. We also made it clear employees from the association would go the extra mile if needed at a time when all hands were needed for the recovery. But we are being side-lined so other associations can benefit,” he suggested.
Added Antoine: “I think the Collectivité could have helped us with a replacement contract. Of course, we understand most sport facilities were destroyed. But what I don’t understand is that normally those funds were already there. Instead of stopping the contract we could have used the workers for another job at less cost. But it wasn’t taken into consideration.
“Every year we give the Collectivité a report on the association’s activities and everything is done how it is supposed to be done, to the book. So, we don’t understand why we are being treated this way.
“There’s a disconnect or imbalance between the State and Collectivité. The State fully understands our importance and follows all our projects. But it seems the Collectivité wants to minimise the job we are doing and it’s sad. We’ve no proof it is done for political or economic reasons, but we come to these conclusions because there’s no communication.”
Richardson said the association is also hoping to obtain funding from Fondation de France.
Attempts to reach the right person in the Collectivité for a response to their concerns were unsuccessful.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/74693-sandy-ground-association-concerned-over-cancellation-of-contracts-funding
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