Europe is investing in Saint Martin
To mark Europe Day, several beneficiaries of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) shared their stories to highlight the tangible impact of this funding in Saint Martin. Culture, transport, education: the European Union supports projects that are key to the territory’s development.
“Nearly €80 million” is the total amount of European funding that has been secured in Saint-Martin over the last ten years, said Auriane Taveau, project manager for ecological transformation at the prefecture. Benjamin Mora, headteacher of Soualiga secondary school, noted that the European Union was built in the aftermath of the Second World War around a founding ambition: to guarantee peace. But this project also rests on a key principle: solidarity between regions. In Saint Martin, this solidarity was particularly evident in the wake of Hurricane Irma. Soualiga College stands as a symbol of this, having received nearly €9 million in European funding.
Loans granted to local stakeholders
At the La Chapelle theatre, the ERDF enabled the modernisation of the auditorium’s technical facilities. Lighting, sound and video equipment cost a total of €100,000, of which €80,000 was provided by European funding. For the project leaders, Erwan Trotel and Audrey Duputié, the ERDF has been a real tool for development, although it requires the ability to provide upfront funding, as the funds are subject to repayment. “We can now host major new shows that require technical resources our facilities previously couldn’t accommodate,” says Erwan Trotel.
Between 2019 and 2022, at Grand Case Airport, ERDF funding enabled the resurfacing of the airfield runways. The objectives were “to improve flight safety, extend the lifespan of the infrastructure and modernise the equipment,” explains Sabrina Charville, Director of Quality and Sustainable Development at Grand Case Airport. In total, 57,000 m² were renovated, with work carried out at night to ensure the airport remained operational. The project, costing around €9.8 million, was 50% funded by the European Union.
Through these various accounts, local representatives of the European Union reaffirm the importance of the European Union in Saint Martin at a time when Brussels sometimes seems very far removed from local concerns.
