Territorial councilor says four years of loyalty and attempts at dialogue failed to resolve his concerns about decisions within the Collectivité
MARIGOT:--- Territorial councilor Raphaël Sanchez has publicly explained his departure from RSM-A, the governing political alliance of the Collectivité of Saint-Martin, saying he chose to sit as an independent after years of feeling ignored and disrespected.
In a statement posted Monday, Sanchez said he had remained loyal to the group for four years because he believed stability and the interests of Saint-Martin should come before personal disagreements. He said that position had become impossible to maintain.
“For a long time, for 4 years, I chose loyalty, dialogue, and stability,” Sanchez wrote. “But loyalty cannot be one-sided!”
Sanchez alleged that he had repeatedly raised concerns about decisions and actions within the Collectivité that he believed went against the interests of Saint-Martin and its people. He said attempts at genuine dialogue had failed and that the conduct he objected to continued. His statement did not identify the decisions, name those he holds responsible, or provide documents supporting the allegations.
“The lack of consideration. The betrayals. The backstabbing. The contempt. The refusal to listen. The constant disrespect,” he wrote, describing what he said had brought him to the point of leaving.
The declaration marks a public rupture between Sanchez and the political team he served with during the current term. He framed his decision as a matter of principle, saying public service should be grounded in listening, accountability and integrity, rather than “egos, exclusion, or silencing those who disagree.”
The Collectivité still lists Sanchez as a territorial councilor. Its official profile also identifies him as president of the Saint-Martin water and sanitation establishment and president of the Mission Locale. He has served on commissions covering youth, education, sport, living conditions and road safety. com-saint-martin.fr
His departure from the governing alliance does not, on its own, mean he is leaving the Territorial Council or those responsibilities. Sanchez said his commitment to Saint-Martin continues.
“So I chose to leave,” he wrote. “Not because I am giving up on my commitment or my engagement for Saint-Martin, but because I want to remain true to who I am, to my values, to my conscience, and to the people I represent.”
Sanchez has yet to specify which Collectivité decisions prompted his break or how he intends to vote as an independent councilor. His statement puts those questions squarely before the governing alliance: what concerns did he raise, how were they addressed, and will his departure change how the majority works within the Territorial Council?
The material posted on Social media does not include any response from RSM-A or the Collectivité to Sanchez’s allegations.