RSMA: ten young people from Saint Martin in the spotlight
Ten young people from Saint-Martin were honoured at a ceremony, on Wednesday evening in the gardens of the Prefecture, attended by the commander of the RSMA, the second vice-president of the Collectivité, and the Prefect of Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin.
For the past few months, the Adapted Military Service Regiment has been based in Marigot, near the local youth employment centre, and as a result, the number of young recruits has doubled in three months. It was therefore only right to give the new recruits a proper welcome. Colonel Nicolas Terrenoir, the regiment’s commanding officer, was the first to speak. He stated that the opening of this centre would enable the regiment to expand its operations in Guadeloupe.
He wished the young volunteers the best of luck as they embark on training far from their home territory and their families for almost a year, whilst emphasising that this is a collective endeavour and recalling one of the army’s favourite sayings: ‘Vae soli’ / ‘Woe to the man who is alone’. The colonel then proceeded to award ranks and honours to two young soldiers serving with the RSMA.
A school of life
Alain Richardson then spoke briefly. He emphasised that he had undergone this training himself and that this was an opportunity for the young people to enter one of life’s finest schools. In his view, joining the RSMA is a genuine opportunity to receive proper training and to learn about civic life. Whilst offering his heartfelt encouragement to the young volunteers present, he told them that they would subsequently have an 80 per cent chance of finding work.
A commitment from the State
Cyrille Le Vély concluded the series of speeches with a brief historical overview: the first RSMA was established in the French West Indies and French Guiana in 1961, before being extended to other territories. He pointed out that this training programme is only possible thanks to the resources provided by the State and by the Collectivité of Saint-Martin, notably through the provision of the premises where the RSMA centre is now based.
He went on to state that access to employment is a key local concern, as around 600 young people are currently registered as jobseekers. He reaffirmed the State’s commitment to supporting these young people more than ever before. He referred to this as ‘republican support’, before inviting the audience to listen to the Marseillaise (if not to sing it).
