14 July: between republican tradition and local issues
As MP Frantz Gumbs pointed out in his speech, the storming of the Bastille took place on a Tuesday, just like this year. That was 237 years ago. In the same year in Saint Martin, Fort Louis was completed and the prison—which no longer exists—was able to accommodate its first prisoners. Today, we tend to remember only the festive aspect of this chapter of history… but that must not obscure a history that has shaped today’s society and continues to do so.
For this celebration, the crowd was slightly smaller than usual to watch the parade of military, civilian and voluntary organisations. It was a shame, as it was perfectly organised and featured two new additions: the presence of war veterans and, for the very first time, the volunteer sea rescuers from the Saint-Martin SNSM station, marching in step with the gendarmes, the air and border police, the local police, a detachment from the RSMA and the fire brigade, whose fire engines never fail to delight the children. The associations then took over, notably the Saint-Martin Scouts, the Boys’ Brigade, the Soualiga Drum Band, the Pathfinders and the eagerly awaited pupils from the CTOS after-school club… whose appearance, once again, delighted the spectators.
The parade was followed by the traditional laying of wreaths at the war memorial by President Mussington, MP Frantz Gumbs, Senator Annick Pétrus and Sub-Prefect Marie-Hildegarde Chauveau, in the presence of the Governor of Sint Maarten, Ajamu Baly, the Prime Minister of Sint Maarten, Luc Mercelina, and elected representatives from the Dutch part of the island, as well as figures from the voluntary and business sectors.
The future: a concern for elected representatives and the State
Everyone then made their way to the seafront for the official speeches, which were opened this year by Jahid Hamlet, President of the Territorial Youth Council. Taking advantage of this platform, he offered his congratulations to all the new graduates and encouraged the others not to give up on their journeys. Youth was, in fact, at the heart of the concerns and the central theme of the speeches by parliamentarians Annick Pétrus and Frantz Gumbs, as well as by the sub-prefect Marie-Hildegarde Chauveau, all of whom were resolutely focused on the future. One might have expected a more incisive address from President Louis Mussington for this final 14 July speech of his term of office, but his remarks turned out to be a summary of the speech he delivered at the Territorial Council meeting on 27 June, namely a review of the actions undertaken during his term of office and a look ahead to the future, with statutory change as the central theme.
As for the review, there was nothing new. Louis Mussington once again praised the major infrastructure projects now taking shape: the two secondary schools, the media centre, road improvements, street lighting, as well as the purchase of the Beauperthuy plots and the securing of the €38 million required for this operation, which is a way of safeguarding the future for coming generations. As a reminder, the acquisition of the 13 plots comprising the Beauperthuy estate was approved in December 2025, with the public land agency Terres Caraïbes providing financial backing over a ten-year period. Only at the end of this period will the land be fully transferred back to the Collectivité. The final financial contributor to the arrangement, the Banque des Territoires, has granted a loan of €18 million at a variable rate (between 3.5% and 3.8%)! For the time being, therefore, nothing is certain. As for street lighting… we shall return to that. The priority now seems to be gaining greater autonomy in order to act more effectively, whilst still retaining the support of the State.
“The time has come to amend our organic law. Our aim is not to demand greater powers on principle, but to have the legal and institutional tools necessary to address the region’s challenges,” the president emphasised. The particularly serious incidents of recent days, including the attack on the senator and the robberies at two pharmacies, were condemned by the president, who stated that he would “continue the work to strengthen the means of combating this crime”… alongside the State. History has not, however, been forgotten, and on this point it was the MP who appealed to the State to preserve and restore Saint Martin’s historical heritage. He pointed out, not without a touch of irony, that in 1789 the Kingdom’s debt was colossal… and that history sometimes has a tendency to repeat itself.
The celebrations then resumed in earnest. The musical entertainment and food stalls set up along the seafront offered the public a chance to socialise, before the event drew to a spectacular close with the traditional fireworks display over the bay. It was a double celebration, as the national holiday coincided with Marigot’s town festival.
