Raffaelle Fitto visits Saint Martin
The Executive Vice-President of the European Commission and Commissioner for Cohesion Policy, Regional Development and Cities visitedvisited the French outermost regions to discuss cohesion policy and the EU’s strategy for these regions.
Following his visit to Guadeloupe, he was in Saint-Martin last Friday and Saturday for two days, during which he came to check, as it were, whether European funds were being put to good use there, and to set out the next priorities and prospects for development. Three strategic locations had been chosen so that he could see the realities on the ground for himself: Soualiga Secondary School, the media library construction site, and the port of Galisbay.
The first stop was La Savane, where the delegation, accompanied by Louis Mussington, arrived more than an hour behind schedule – perhaps a way of signalling to Raffaelle Fitto that there’s no rush here (?). The tour of the premises was therefore conducted at a brisk pace around the secondary school, which was built thanks to €7.2 million in funding from the ERDF (European Regional Development Fund). An appointment was made for the following morning at the media centre building site in Concordia. We noted a marked improvement in punctuality, with a delay of just 35 minutes (room for improvement).
Europe is shaping the future
A building site being a building site, it is amongst the damp concrete slabs, the unfinished plasterboard walls and the various materials stored there that this little group, wearing hard hats and high-visibility vests, makes its way to the terrace where the Vice-President shares his first impressions with us: ‘My visit to Saint Martin is very important, particularly with regard to European funding. We are going through a crucial period for a territory such as Saint Martin; this is one of the most significant opportunities for the European Union to prepare for the future, with a view to the next programming cycle and the next multiannual financial framework (MFF). This is an opportunity to continue our cooperation and to take various projects forward, which is essential. It is not just a matter of providing financial support; we are building a strategic relationship, tailored to the specific context of Saint Martin. I would like to emphasise the importance of this approach. Let us seize this opportunity and continue to work together.”
Media Centre: target July 2027
With a satisfied smile, the President of the Collectivité explained that the total cost of the media library’s renovation works amounts to around 11 million euros, of which 6 million is funded by the French State, 4 million by the Collectivité of Saint Martin, and 1.2 million euros by the European Union. He also revealed that a realistic completion date for the works is scheduled for July 2027.
Raffaelle Fitto, for his part, concluded by stating that this was his first visit to our territory, but certainly not his last. Next on the itinerary was the third and final stop of the visit: the port of Galisbay; however, we cannot tell you any more about it, as the caretaker, in a display of somewhat excessive zeal, had decided that the local press were not allowed to enter… never mind, perhaps next time.
