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President Richardson Addressed Nation on Several Issues --- Asked Population for their patience as he tries to solve the financial crisis of the Collectivity --- 2012 Budget has 22 Million Euros Deficit.

alainrichardson14062012Marigot:--- Below is the address delivered by President Alain Richardson at the Collectivity of St. Martin on Thursday.

Fellow citizens, dear friends, my people

Today marks a little less than two and a half months since my team and I took office with your massive support.  You give us a mandate of 5 years in order:

  • to govern the affairs of this Collectivité
  • to work diligently to restore its financial situation
  • to restore confidence in our institutions and in our administration
  • to rekindle hope, while building a brighter future for this land, for you the people and for our youth in particular.

Let me say to you today, that from day one, from minute one, that mission has been my sole preoccupation, my deepest concern and my steadfast engagement. I wish to let you know that beyond the difficulties, the hurdles and even the stumbling blocks that could be put in my way or the way of my government we will press on in order to meet your hopes and expectations.

I wish to thank the many thousands of you, who understand that this task is neither an easy one nor an overnight magical operation. I wish to thank the praying community, the various Pastors and congregations who daily lift up this land, its people and its government, in prayer. I thank you for constantly inquiring and praying for me and my family. I beg you not to cease doing so, because I realize that the task before us demands more than our human knowledge and wisdom. I know, for I have experienced over and over in this short time spent at the helm of this country that God is in the midst.

Yes, I would have liked to see things move faster, I would have liked to have a more robust and positive impact on your lives.  It is important that you understand, however, that my government and I, have inherited of a broke and bankrupt Collectivité. It is important that you know that it is with much difficulty that we have been able to meet some of our mandatory financial obligations. We have made a commitment to do my utmost to secure the pay of the workers of the Collectivité and of the various entities that depend on it.  We have also managed to secure the financial assistance that is a necessity to our senior citizens and disabled in order for them to make ends meet.  But in the months to come we are unsure as to whether we will manage if we do not obtain the financial support of the State government and its financial institutions.

I know and I hear the impatience growing.  There are those who feel that things are not going fast enough and that the change is not visible enough. I beg your indulgence. I say to you, be patient, while considering the mess we have inherited.  Rest assured, I have not forsaken you.  I have not strayed from my engagement.  I have never been as committed as I am now even in the face of these profound difficulties.

Someone once said that the seat of the Presidency is a very lonely one. I have to admit that at times this can be true. But I stay strong knowing that in fact you the people in your good wisdom, are and remain supportive. The work needed to set things in place as well as to assess the reality of the situation, and the many hurdles encountered have kept me and my majority terribly busy. Yet I am pleased to report to you, that in this very short period of time I have received hundreds of you, from the rich and famous to the humble and small. I have made myself available to receive you the people (the young and the old) and so have the various Vice Presidents and members of my government.

I am pleased to report to you, that in this very short period of time:

  • I have lobbied the State and its services by meeting several times with the Prefet Délégué and the Préfet in order to bring forth the urgencies and difficulties of the Collectivité while firmly defending its interests.
  • Through our methods of working and the proof of our clear vision for this country, our responsible approach and the firmness on our positions, we have been able to restore the credibility of the local government in the eyes of the French government.
  • I have put in question the contract between the State Tax Services and our Collectivité as it pertains to the mission given to them for the assessment and collection of taxes. We are now renegotiating a more favorable and balanced convention.
  • I have met many investors who are contemplating investing in our territory; some have started the administrative work and now have their building permit. During all of my encounters with investors my main concern and my demands have always been in relation to the creation of jobs for my people especially the youth. Just last week end I returned from a trip to CTO’s Conference of Ministers where I represented St-Martin. Our chamber of commerce sponsored a session and presented our territory as being “open for business”. I am pleased to announce to you that tomorrow Friday I will be receiving the first group of potential investors who are interested in investing in St-Martin. Through the great contacts made through our Tourist Office and especially by its Director this delegation will be also be comprised of the NABHOOD Organization.  We have managed to convince them film on the  French side the TV series “THE WEDDING”.  This series will be viewed by almost 300 million households.

I am pleased to report that In this very short period of time :

  • My majority in the territorial council has approved a tax reform that will generate more than 5 M euros per year in new revenues for the Collectivité’s budget. These measures, my fellow St-Martiners, are needed and they have been chosen with you in mind. The slight increase of the consumer tax on telecommunication and electricity services still maintains the costs of these services far cheaper than in Guadeloupe and on the Dutch side. There is also an increase of the transfer tax on the sale of property.  Because the price of land has escalated so much over the years you the average person have been excluded from that business.  This measure will not touch and concern the average person (more than 95% of the people will not be concerned). The reform of the capital gains tax as indicated in our program is to bring more fiscal justice in our tax system. How could one accept that a minimum wage worker, if single and with no kids, has to pay income tax, but a property owner when selling makes millions in capital gains but is totally exempted from any tax contribution to the Collectivité. We have delivered that reform and brought more fiscal justice.
  • The entire territorial council has followed my request and has unanimously adopted the first truthful Budget. Yet because of the critical situation of our finances, the poor performances of the tax services and the lack of a fair compensation on the transfer of competences our 2012 budget is in deficit by more than 22 M Euros. You heard me right more than 22 M Euros in the red.
  • My majority in the council in adopting the tax reform, the entire council by adopting the 2012 BUDGET, as presented, and by unanimously adopting the motion demanding that the State of France assume its obligations towards St-Martin has proven that we are delivering and are doing the ground work that will yield visible results (the visible results that you need to see) shortly.

In this very short period of time :

I am pleased to inform you that we have signed an agreement with General des Eaux that will result in the reduction of average 17% off the cost of your water bill. My fellow Citizens, between the slight increase of the consumer tax on utility services and the substantial reduction of the cost of your water consumption you are winning and that is very good news.

During the short period that we have been in government, we have worked and continue to push to make sure that France steps up to the plate. I must commend both the Prefet delegué Philippe CHOPIN and the Prefet Amory DE ST-QUENTIN for their understanding and clear commitment to change the relationship and work settings with St-Martin under this new local government. I will be meeting with both gentlemen shortly, now that my government and the entire territorial council have proven its level of responsibility, in order to prepare for my visit to Paris to meet our Minister Victorin LUREL.  We will be soliciting him to validate a series of financial measures that will permit us to benefit from substantial financial assistance.

Don’t lose faith, the fight has just now started and the first round has not yet been completed. We have to do what we committed to do. Not only do we have to, but we actually CAN . We MUST and we WILL do what needs to be done for you and for this territory.

You asked for change. You asked for better governance, one that would ensure the well-being of every citizen in this country.  Governance, that would bring back hope to the youth; rekindle the economic development processes and make our territory more attractive and competitive. You asked us to find solutions to dire needs within our community… The change my team and I are committed to bring is a complete turnaround. I am informing you that our task in the next few days is to take some decisions on reducing costs at the level of the Collectivité and I have identified the following sector for such cost reductions:

  • The fleet of cars, their usage and their cost
  • The fleet of cell phones and telecommunication costs
  • The audit and cost of electricity consumption,
  • The properties rented by the Collectivité.

The general cleanup campaign is in its first phase.  Collectivité workers from (public works service) are doing an inventory of cars wrecks and in the preparation of the process that will involve you the general population. This will be launched very shortly.

My next priorities, in line with our commitment to you, will be the reorganizing of the administration so as to increase its efficiency and effectiveness, the battle for economic development and job creation, the vast amount of neighborhood public works to improve the quality of life in the districts (road and infrastructure repairs, sidewalks and pavements, cleanliness of the streets and public lights, beautification by planting of trees and flowers, repairing and bringing up to norms all public sports and leisure facilities, repair and beautification of the public market places, etc…).

All of these will demand financial means and that is why my government had to take potentially unpopular measures such as tax reforms.  I wish to state very clearly that I have not been elected to be popular, but to do what is needed to get this country back on its feet and have the standard of living of you the people improved.

Do not judge my government on two months in power, judge this government at midterm and then at the end of our 5 year mandate.

My fellow citizens, There are numerous other issues that we have committed ourselves to accomplish.  Let it be known that we are now making sure that these are evaluated, weighed, considered, analyzed scrupulously to ensure that once tackled and implemented we can expect quicker results and a positive outcome or solution to issues which have been left to themselves for the longest of while now.  These include the driver’s licenses, the exchange of Dutch licenses, the number plates, etc…

I wish to thank the vice presidents and all other councilors who have embraced their tasks and are working in order to make a difference in their fields of responsibility. I know that we have not yet reached cruising speed or altitude and the trip is somewhat rough, but I promise you, we are working at it and are getting there.

My fellow Citizens, I know that those who are never satisfied will always remain that way.  The critics and those who only wish to see this team fail (not realizing that our failure is the failure of St-Martin) will always be complaining and destroying.  You the very concerned people of this land you know that even with a magic wand much more could not have been achieved in such a short period of time.

I need to be able to make sure that St-Martin and this voting district does not remain with only Parliamentarians in the opposition in Paris. We need to make sure that we have our Deputy is part of the President’s Majority.  President François HOLLANDE was elected with more that 51.50% of your votes in May.  Our deputy has to contribute in helping to adopt and improve the various measures that the President wants to implement and is in favor of, such as:

  • new jobs and jobs opportunities for our youth (jobs financed by State funds),
  • Youth policies
  • Educational policies to guarantee greater success

On Saturday, this legislative election is not about Daniel GIBBS nor about Guillaume ARNELL as such, it is about St-Martin not making the mistake in electing a deputy who will sit in the opposition on the benches of the National Assembly (as our senator is now doing in the Senate).  It is about giving me the president of this Collectivité and my majority an extra support and a voice in Paris.  It is about giving to both President François HOLLANDE and our friend and Minister of Overseas territories Victorin LUREL an irrefutable and undisputable sign that they need to count St-Martin in and that our choice in May to elect the new president was not a mistake. I am appealing to the 70% of voters who did not go out to vote on Saturday last, make use of your vote for St-Martin elect the only candidate who is part of both the local and the Presidential majority. Elect Guillaume ARNELL.

My fellow citizens thank you again for your renewed support and for your love for this country,

May God continue to Bless you, your family and this land of St-Martin.


Alain RICHARDSON


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