The CCISM now at home
The signing on Thursday morning of an agreement formalising the agreement in principle for the transfer of the CCISM building by the Guadeloupe Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry to the Collectivity of Saint Martin marks an important step for the local economy. More than just an administrative act, this agreement symbolises the beginning of a new phase of cooperation between the institutions, after several years of disagreement over the ownership of the Maison des Entreprises.
Located at 10 Rue Jean-Jacques Fayel in Concordia, the building that houses the Maison des entreprises – CCISM is a central location for supporting entrepreneurs in the region. However, its land status had remained unresolved for a long time.
A FILE RELATED TO AUTONOMY
Before Saint-Martin gained overseas collectivity status in 2007, the territory's consular activity depended on the Guadeloupe CCI, which had a local branch in the Maison des entreprises in Concordia. The land and the building therefore belonged to the Guadeloupe consular chamber. In 2009, a document was reportedly signed between the president of the Basse-Terre CCI — prior to the merger of the Guadeloupe CCIs — and the president of the Territorial Council of Saint Martin. This document provided for the free transfer of the land and building to the Collectivity, in line with the new institutional organisation: Saint Martin, which had become an overseas collectivity, was to gradually recover its economic tools. In 2010, the CCI of the Guadeloupe Islands finally sold the building to the Collectivité for €350,000.
A few years later, under Aline Hanson's term of office, the Collectivité contested this sale, arguing that the initial agreement provided for a free transfer. It then initiated legal proceedings to obtain reimbursement of the amount paid.
The signing on Thursday morning aims to clarify the situation once and for all. The agreement in principle relating to the building was signed between the Collectivité, represented by its 4th Vice-President Michel Petit, and the CCI of the Guadeloupe Islands, represented by its president Patrik Vial-Collet, in the presence of CCISM president Angèle Dormoy, MP Frantz Gumbs, Prefect Cyrille Le Vély and CCI France president Alain Di Crescenzo.
For the participants, this agreement marks the culmination of a long-standing commitment and opens a new chapter for this strategic location in the economic life of the territory. The aim is to strengthen support for entrepreneurs and boost the dynamism of the local economy.
Prior to the signing, a meeting with economic stakeholders, including MEDEF and the Federation of Small Businesses, enabled the President of CCI France to better understand the realities, challenges and opportunities of Saint Martin's economy in order to represent the territory at the national level.
All speakers emphasised the need to work together to support local businesses. "The time for division is over," they stressed, pointing out that many businesses are currently experiencing difficulties and that swift action must be taken.
Alain Di Crescenzo's visit, his third to the territory, was also an opportunity to discuss the upcoming Overseas CCI Conference, scheduled for the end of the summer, as well as the priorities shared by the eleven territories concerned. To be continued in our Tuesday edition.
