President Gibbs talks at a press conference launching the PPRN alternative consultation on Thursday. Looking on are Députée Claire Guion-Firmin, and Collectivité Vice-Presidents Valerie Damaseau, Yawo Nyuidazi and Steven Patrick. (Robert Luckock photo)
MARIGOT--The Collectivité has exacted some measure of revenge, metaphorically speaking, on the French State for its early application of the revised natural risks prevention plan PPRN despite the Territorial Council unanimously rejecting the plan on July 17, by launching an alternative consultation project in which it will have more input towards the final document.
As a countermove to the State’s plan, the Collectivité aims to produce a plan more tailor-made to St. Martin’s needs and requirements and to apply for the extra time needed.
Although the public inquiry continues until December with the opportunity to give opinions and suggestions, the State’s controversial plan is seen as too restrictive and has been largely rejected by the population at public meetings, with accusations of double standards and threats of expropriation fuelling the dissatisfaction.
Launched on Thursday, the Collectivité’s project gives elected representatives and the inhabitants of St. Martin the opportunity to express themselves and contribute fully to elaborating a workable PPRN that not only offers protection but maintains economic development, social cohesion, culture and way of life.
This consultation takes the form of a Pilot Committee COPIL or steering committee bringing together institutional and socio-professional stakeholders, and four technical committees COTECH open to the public, on pre-defined themes.
The first COPIL steering committee meeting on Thursday, convened by President Daniel Gibbs, was attended by his four Vice-Presidents, Senator Guillaume and Députée Claire Guion Firmin, representatives from the local institutions: advisory council, tourism office, port, airport, etcetera and professional organisations such as the Chamber of Commerce, hotel association, federation of small businesses, public works BTP, SEMSAMAR, Allianz Insurance company, and a natural risks specialist from the University of West Indies and French Guiana.
The Allianz insurance representative addressed the meeting as did a representative from Conseil d’Architecture de l’Urbanisme et de l’Environnement (CAUE).
COPIL will meet again on September 20 and October 18. Its purpose is to supervise the technical committees COTECH which will start work on Tuesday, September 10. Other meetings are on September 12, September 17 and September 19. They are open to all those wishing to share their experience and contribute. The objective is to create a technical file that will be a source of proposals to the State for the final elaboration of the PPRN.
COTECHs will be divided into four themes: Land use planning and economic development; Social cohesion and the living environment; Enhancement of heritage, culture and sport; and Protection and enhancement of the natural heritage, land and sea.
The work, reflections and testimonies collected within the COTECHs will be transmitted to members of the steering committee, who will analyse the data and make the necessary choices to make up the file. The public presentation of the committees’ work will take place on October 18.
Once the file has been finalised, it will be proposed for validation by the Territorial Council, with the intention that it will then be indexed, in mid-November, to the State’s final document, as part of the public inquiry on the regulatory implementation of the PPRN.
The President is counting on the skills and field experience of COPIL members, but also of the participants in the four COTECHs, to make a contribution that will take into account the future of neighbourhoods, residents and economic development. The President will regularly report on the progress and work carried out by COPIL and COTECH.
