Speech by President Gibbs – Saint-Martin Initiative

Speech of 23-10-2017

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Ladies and gentlemen,
Dear friends,
Hello everyone,
It is always a privilege for a Community President to be able to address the active forces of its territory. And it is all the more significant today as we have just experienced an unprecedented hurricane, and it is precisely through economic recovery that our common destiny will be decided.
Your role as business leader will therefore be decisive, and mine as President of Economic Development will be crucial, since it will consist of encouraging you to invest through attractive tax measures and helping you develop your businesses thanks to an innovative economic strategy, so that the activity of this territory resumes very quickly and that it is sustainable.
Our campaign slogan “Together, it is time to act, together it's time to act” takes here its full meaning and remains more than ever the guiding principle of the policy that I intend to pursue in the coming months.
Today more than before, our young Community needs the talent, skills and energy of everyone to move forward. And I remain convinced that it is driven by the same conviction that we will put our country back on the path to prosperity and economic success.
The urgency today is to put the first drop of oil into the machine so that it restarts as quickly and as sustainably as possible.
You know that the Fondation de France has collected the numerous monetary donations which have come from all over France for the community of Saint-Martin and its population . Nearly 8 million euros for Saint-Martin according to information provided by Mr. Roth of the Fondation de France.
As an economic association, Initiative Saint-Martin Active was able to benefit from part of these donations thanks to an initial grant of €300,000 allocated by the Fondation de France out of a budget of €1.2 million. I am very satisfied with this because this money will provide direct aid to Saint-Martin entrepreneurs affected by IRMA and they really need it. I salute the choice of the Fondation de France here.
I would also like to tell you that beyond the solidarity actions and state measures, the community of Saint-Martin does not sit idly by. I announced it at a press conference last Saturday: I have put in place with my team, an economic recovery plan which will be presented to the next territorial council on November 9.
This plan, I called it the PHOENIX PLAN, because yes, it is indeed a rebirth. It will be our roadmap for the entire reconstruction period.
If I remain mobilized within the framework of discussions with the state, I also want our community to be on the front line to decide on the economic policy that will be carried out these next few years. I say it again: it is up to WE Saint-Martinois to recover our “country”.
The first measure of my PHOENIX plan is aimed directly at businesses: I have decided to devote part of the 24 million euros that Europe has allocated for the reconstruction of Saint-Martin, to our businesses. It is a strong gesture which shows my determination to straighten out this territory by reaching out to our active forces.
Moreover, when I was on the ground to meet business leaders last week , I was struck by the motivation and determination of these people to want to relaunch their activity.
I would add that an additional envelope of 16 million euros will be devoted to professional training. Because I am convinced that it is by offering them the opportunity to professionalize that we will facilitate access to employment for our young people.
I said this in my general policy speech last April, “I will be the President of projects that are emerging from the ground, and that of successful entrepreneurs because they are supported and reassured by fair measures”. It’s not a category 5++ hurricane that will change my mind.
To do this, we will put in place all the instruments that will allow us to promote investment and purchasing power. This is my challenge for the next 4 years.
We will have to pull together to succeed in the reconstruction and it is with a common spirit that we will succeed in rebuilding Saint-Martin and restoring its letters of nobility to our Friendly Island.
This is the message of hope that I wanted to convey to you this morning before taking the plane this evening for Guyana where I will participate in the conference of the Outermost Regions of Europe – The famous ORs.
I will meet the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron and the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Junker, whom I will ask to release exceptional funds for the reconstruction of Saint-Martin.
You see, the fight takes place on all grounds and I will not give up, as I have continued to repeat since September 6.
Confidence Unity Determination Renaissance, these are the key words that have moved us forward since IRMA. By looking straight ahead, we will recover this territory.
Thank you for your attention.