HOUSING, LAND AND URBAN PLANNINGPublished on November 05, 2024

Land: the Saint-Martin land agency is born

A major step forward for the people of Saint-Martin was signed on Thursday, October 31, 2024, at the Hôtel de la Collectivité. President Louis MUSSINGTON and Deputy Prefect Vincent BERTON signed the agreement giving rise to the Saint-Martin Land Agency. A key step and a long-standing priority for the President of the Collectivité who wanted this legal framework to give the people of Saint-Martin the opportunity to regularize their land through title deeds. Saint-Martin is the 3rd overseas collectivité to benefit from a land agency, after Martinique and Mayotte.

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"Realizing a decisive step forward for the development and land security of our territory"

The constitutive agreement of the Saint-Martin Land Agency was signed on Thursday, October 31, in the presence of the media and the teams of the Collectivité and the State who participated in this long-term work, which required two years of joint efforts. Mrs. Bernadette Davis, Vice-President in charge of the Living Environment and her teams, Isabelle GORIZIA (DGA) and Sabrina PLACIDOUX (Director of the Urban Development and Housing Department), Mr. Fabien SESE, Secretary General of the Prefecture, Mr. Marc-Etienne PINAULDT, State Administrator, in charge of the mission on the resolution of land disorders in Saint-Martin and Mrs. Leila TKOUTI, public accountant of Saint-Martin (DGFIP), all invested in this file.

" A feeling of accomplishment and great pride to see us gathered together today to realize a decisive step forward for the development and land security of our territory! ", declared President Louis Mussington in the preamble.

In Saint-Martin, half of the land is not titled, the creation of a land agency is therefore a crucial step in the history of Saint-Martin. It reflects the strong will of the territorial executive and the State to sustainably resolve the complex issues of Saint-Martin land.

The lack of property titles deprives many residents of the possibility of enhancing, but also of transferring and insuring their assets, which limits development prospects. The agency will thus make it possible to identify, inventory and regularize land and real estate assets without title deeds. It will support citizens to ensure the traceability of their assets and help them restore their rights. Landowners who wish to do so will therefore be able to contact the Land Agency Counter free of charge to regularize their assets.

The agreement has 4 signatories: President Mussington, Prefect Berton, Mr. Daniel AINAMA, President of the Council of the Order of Chartered Surveyors of the Antilles and Guyana (apologized), as well as Caroline MOUTOU, President of the Chamber of the Regional Council of Notaries of St. Barthélemy, St. Martin and Guadeloupe, represented by Maître Placaud-Martin.

Land: the Saint-Martin land agency is born

" This signing is a fine example of collaboration between the State, the collectivité of Saint-Martin, the regional council of notaries, and the chartered surveyors of the Antilles-Guyana. Our common objective is to ensure that our compatriots see their property titled and that land becomes a driver of economic development and social stability, " concluded the president.

The agency will take off in 2025, once the operational team has been recruited and the counter is ready to receive the public.