President Gibbs on all fronts in Paris

The President of the Community is currently traveling to Paris. Daniel GIBBS began his stay with the Overseas Development Day, Saturday November 18, at the Palais Brongniart. A major economic event for the overseas territories, the JOMD brought together numerous elected officials, institutional partners, actors from the economic and associative world for discussions on the development of the Overseas Territories. President Gibbs was accompanied by the Member of Parliament for St Barthélemy and St Martin, Ms Claire GUION-FIRMIN. He spoke in plenary on the theme “What new horizon for Saint-Martin?” ". The opportunity to take stock of all the actions undertaken by the COM since the passage of cyclone Irma, to report on the progress of negotiations with the State and above all to present the main lines and methodology of the Phoenix Reconstruction Plan from the island. The President reaffirmed his wish to see the island ready to receive its first tourists in the best conditions for the next 2018-2019 tourist season.
Monday, November 20, President Gibbs went to the National Assembly where he spoke with President François De RUGY ahead of his trip to Saint-Martin, Thursday, November 23, for a field visit. A little later in the morning, Daniel Gibbs presented his Grand Marigot development project to the Cabinet of Sébastien LECORNU, Secretary of State to the Minister of State, Minister of Ecological and Inclusive Transition. The next day, President Gibbs repeated this presentation before the officials of the French Development Agency, he was assisted in this exercise by the director of the Port establishment Albéric Ellis and the representative of the Project Management Assistance Group (development of Marigot Bay), Mr. Philippe RICOCHIN.

An extended partnership with the Fondation de France
Monday, November 20, the President was also able to meet Mr. Martin Spitz responsible for emergencies of the Fondation de France. President Gibbs expressed the desire for an increased partnership with the FDF, so that donations are used in perfect alignment with the political project he has set up as part of his Phoenix Plan for reconstruction. As a reminder, the Foundation has already paid 1.5 million euros to businesses in Saint-Martin via the Initiatives Saint-Martin Active platform. Mr. Pierre ROTH, mission manager in Saint-Martin, sees his mission on the island extended by several months. The FDF believes it will be able to mobilize 3 million euros for the reconstruction of buildings, for the benefit of the most sensitive populations in Sandy-Ground, the Orléans and St James districts. The close partnership between the Fondation de France and the Collectivité of Saint-Martin was consolidated on Thursday, during Daniel Gibbs' interview with the President of the Foundation, Mr. Pierre SELLAL.
At the end of the day, Daniel Gibbs was received at the Elysée by Stanislas CAZELLES, overseas advisor and Patrick STRZODA, chief of staff of the President of the Republic, to finalize the discussion on the investment protocol for the reconstruction of Saint-Martin and discuss the priority subjects.
 

President Gibbs at the Congress of Mayors of France
Tuesday, November 21, the President took part in the Congress of Mayors of France under the aegis of the minister of Overseas Ms. Annick GIRARDIN, who brought together the presidents of the executives of the DOM-COM, at the ministry. This pre-preparatory meeting of the Overseas Conference - in which the Northern Islands do not participate - made it possible to take stock of the problems encountered by the elected officials of each territory. President Gibbs, for his part, addressed two specific points: the question of the renationalization and dematerialization of the RSA in Saint-Martin, and that of the installation of an INSEE branch on the island. The Minister of Overseas announced that she wanted to bring together the presidents of the executives of the COM and DOM every quarter to take stock of the progress of the various files.

Signing of the State/COM Protocol for reconstruction of Saint-Martin
In the afternoon, the President signed the investment protocol “for a lasting and united reconstruction of Saint-Martin”, at the end of the 4th interministerial meeting for the reconstruction of Saint-Martin (see press release of Wednesday November 22, 2017). Some progress should be highlighted in this protocol, notably the fact that the document clearly specifies, in its preamble, that a massive effort in terms of public investment, of several hundred million euros, will prove necessary. The State will ensure, in St Martin, the now permanent representation of certain decentralized services currently present in Guadeloupe (DIECCTE, DEAL) and will strengthen its means of controlling migratory flows. The Community will propose by March 31, 2018 a multi-year investment and catch-up plan, which will be able to correct the inadequacies noted since 2008 in terms of financial compensation for transferred charges. This plan will notably be able to mobilize credits from the major investment plan of 56 billion euros. At the same time, an economic pact will be drawn up in order to encourage the acceleration of reconstruction: it may include measures improving and adapting the national tax aid system for investment and in particular proposing aid schemes for hotel renovation.
 
Reception at the Senate and at the Ministry of Ecological Transition
Thursday, November 23, it was at the Senate that President Gibbs went for a working breakfast with President LARCHER . An interview to which the President of the Community was keen to invite the senator from Saint-Martin, Guillaume Arnell. Daniel Gibbs thanked Mr. Gérard Larcher for redirecting 300,000 euros of funds