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 main speakers were Lenny Mussington, Luc Wellington, Victor Paines, Whit and Jeanine Arnell.
“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 will no longer be 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?”
Mussington questioned if Direction de L’Environment de L’Amenagement et du Logement (DEAL) was under the influence of insurers when it came to the revision of the PPRN.
“We also question the public enquiry procedure since communication on it has been low to non-existent,” he said. “Nothing on the site of the Prefecture. We believe the role of the State is to accompany us, not punish the most vulnerable. Our approach is to implement a policy of structuring and education for prevention.
“If the main objective is to save lives, the St. Martin population has the experience historically. The architecture of traditional houses has proved its worth. Why not use that in building codes rather than prohibiting construction in red zones? The Barnier fund should not be used for expropriation but to allow inhabitants to remain in their homes by contributing 40 per cent of the work necessary.”
Luc Wellington likened the effect on the population of the strategy the State used over the PPRN to “a volcano nearing eruption.”
“There is total disrespect of the opinion and reality of St. Martin,” he said. “The PPRN which has been forcefully applied for St. Martin by anticipation has been wrongfully served to our people.
“Despite the Collectivité and all our institutions rejecting the PPRN, the Préfète ignored them because she was following President Macron’s orders. But this PPRN socially destabilises the population on top of the challenges we still face after the hurricanes. This takes us back to 300 years of slavery and can only lead to chaos. We will not sit back and take orders from the State that are in contrast to our reality. St. Martin is a pearl in the Caribbean, a golden goose because of St. Martin people.”
Wellington produced a form that each St. Martiner can fill out, in French and English, to tell the story of what happened to their properties in the hurricane.
“This information will tell the true story, not a story that is pushed down our throats by the State. The people must understand the real necessity to come together to defend what is ours but we also have a message for the State that they cannot carry a torch of victory. Leverage always win.”
Horace Whit looked at the issues from those that have means (Europeans) and those who don’t have means (local population).
“The PPRN affects those living close to the water and most of those locals don’t have the means to rebuild or relocate. The State is saying we don’t want you to build near the water but when it comes to our health (water situation) it is silent.
“The reality is that if you have the means you buy bottled water from the supermarket but there are many who don’t have the means to buy and have to resort to drinking water contaminated by bromates.”
This was demonstrated by a boy who stood up to say children at his school come to school with purchased bottled water but when the bottles are empty, they refill from the taps. Consequently, many of the children get sick. He asked why the water is not turned off.
Whit continued: “In the PPRN some areas are given the green light to rebuild and those areas include Orient Bay and Lowlands, again these are districts where people have means. They are not affected by the PPRN.
“Now the Préfète is executing the mission of President Macron who is far removed from the reality in St. Martin. But she is supposed to show a little humanity over our situation and she is not doing it. We are French citizens who deserve respect.”
Jeanine Arnell who is on a committee to address the water crisis said despite the ban on drinking tap water, bills from water producer SAUR have tripled in some cases.
“We have not had any updates or communication from SAUR or the health authority since June,” she said. “They say the problem will be fixed by December but how can we be sure?”
She noted the long-term health risks of drinking bromate-contaminated water and pointed out that poorer families cannot afford to keep purchasing bottled water. Currently everyone has to go to the distribution point in Galisbay to collect rationed potable water. She said there must be a negative impact on the environment from thousands of empty plastic bottles.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/92004-update-soualiga-united-denounces-pprn-and-water-situation-ahead-of-planned-protest
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