Members of Soualiga United and Soualiga Grass Roots at the press conference on Friday morning (Robert Luckock photo)
MARIGOT—The Collective Soualiga United announced Friday it is calling for a “mass mobilization” of the people to the Marigot waterfront on Thursday October 31 at 7:00am to join in a protest march condemning the French State’s current version of the Natural Risks Prevention Plan PPRN and the contaminated potable water situation.
October 31 is incidentally the day the State’s compulsory public enquiry into the PPRN ends. The march will go to the Préfecture to deliver a petition rejecting the State’s new PPRN version.
Members of Soualiga United were joined at the press conference by Soualiga Grass Roots Movement represented by Horace Whit.
“The revision of the PPRN in its actual form presented by the Préfecture is in truth a campaign to demolish and bring more poverty on St. Martiners,” Soualiga United said in its prepared statement.” In its scientific study CEREMA completed only 400 surveys when St. Martin has 16,000 households. Even more serious is the fact that no impact assessment, economic, social, or environmental, has been done on the consequences of the revision.
“But we know that non-compliance with new regulations means houses will not be able to be insured. The Collectivité is no longer able to instruct and issue building permits. And no title can be issued to owners in the “50 pas géometrique” zone. St. Martiners who have built up real estate intending to pass it on to their children will lose everything and buildings will become worthless.
“The PPRN in its present form will make people even poorer under the pretext of saving lives. These soon-to-be ghetto areas will become a hotbed for delinquency and criminality, on a territory that depends predominantly on tourism.
“Why was the PPRN implemented “in advance by anticipation” before the public enquiry? Why has the State not got involved in the drinking water situation, a potential health crisis that has been existing for months? Is CEREMA’s scientific study not available for consultation during the public enquiry, in accordance with the principle of transparency? Why has St. Martin got a more restrictive PPRN than other territories that are exposed to the same climatic risks?”
Speakers also discussed the drinking water situation, high water bills (even with the ban in place), the health risks of consuming Bromates, the fact poorer families cannot afford to keep purchasing bottled water, and the impact of thousands of plastic water bottles to the environment.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/91980-soualiga-united-denounces-pprn-and-water-situation-ahead-of-planned-protest
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