Local Authority Budget: Team Gibbs appeals to the Prefect
The Collectivité’s draft budget was on the agenda of the Territorial Council meeting on 27 March. It had sparked heated exchanges between the majority and the opposition. In response to the opposition’s comments regarding the budget’s lack of transparency, the debate was cut short and the vote was taken immediately. Team Gibbs has since taken the time to analyse the situation and has decided to refer the matter to the Prefect to raise the alarm “regarding a breach of the integrity of the public accounts”.
For the members of Team Gibbs, the Collectivité’s 2026 draft budget does not accurately reflect the reality of its financial situation. This assessment is based on the figures themselves; Team Gibbs cites the Air Antilles case as an example, in which the Collectivité faces an estimated risk of €20.4 million. The provision included in the budget is €1.4 million, reflecting “a clear underestimation of a liability that has nevertheless been clearly identified and highlighted on several occasions, both in committee and in plenary sessions, yet has never been taken into account”
Refund of the tax on petroleum products
Another point raised by the opposition is the decision of the Court of Cassation of 11 March 2026, which ruled that the consumption tax on petroleum products amounted to a customs duty, in breach of European Union law. The sums collected must be refunded, yet no provision has been made in the budget. This same discrepancy is found in other items, according to Team Gibbs’ analysis: “uncollectible tax receivables estimated at €2 million, amounting to €87,000 in the budget, with no provision set aside for litigation, despite it being a recurring issue”.
In its press release, Team Gibbs also points out that, conversely, “certain forecasts appear manifestly optimistic. Investment revenue is projected at €43 million, nearly four times the amount collected in 2025, without justification or anticipation of the risks of non-utilisation. At the same time, a €17 million reduction in general and administrative expenses is announced, even though their recent trend, particularly linked to staff increases, is moving in the opposite direction.” For the opposition, the budget underestimates expenses and overestimates revenue.
On the basis of these factors, Team Gibbs has decided to send an official letter to the Prefect of Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin, urging him to fully exercise his responsibilities regarding budgetary oversight.
