October 1 Executive Council decisions revise spending provisions for the March 2025 accession ceremony, move the former Gibbs School renovation forward, and name French Quarter’s bus station after veteran transporter André Nestor Leblanc.
MARIGOT:--- Saint-Martin’s Executive Council has approved budget allocations totaling €166,689.45 for expenses associated with the territory’s March 2025 accession ceremony to the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, while advancing a Grand Case community facility with a provisional construction cost of €2.76 million, excluding tax.
The council took the decisions at its October 1, 2026, meeting and outlined them in an October 5 press release from the Collectivité. The council examined 20 deliberations, including property transactions, transport licensing and legal proceedings concerning public land and planning violations.
The financial decisions carry two significant timelines: the OECS spending provisions concern an event held more than 18 months earlier, while delivery of Grand Case’s renovated association facility is currently projected for the first quarter of 2028.
€166,689 Allocated for March 2025 Accession Ceremony
The council amended its February 13, 2025, decision governing expenses for Saint-Martin’s accession ceremony, held at Secrets in Anse Marcel on March 19 and 20, 2025.
The revised provisions cover accommodation, meals, receptions and local transport for dignitaries, the OECS director and official delegations. They also cover staging, interpretation, decorations, security, communications and event coordination.
The individual budget allocations listed in the communiqué total €166,689.45.
|
Expense category |
Approved allocation |
|
Communications, visual materials and signage |
€35,803.35 |
|
Delegation accommodation, conference room and reception |
€34,320.00 |
|
Logistics and event coordination |
€31,192.50 |
|
Local transport |
€25,840.00 |
|
Staging and technical equipment |
€25,310.00 |
|
Catering and official cocktails |
€7,195.00 |
|
Interpretation and simultaneous translation |
€3,993.60 |
|
Floral decorations and associated services |
€1,755.00 |
|
First-aid and event security services |
€1,280.00 |
|
Total |
€166,689.45 |
These figures represent the allocations approved in the decision. The communiqué does not provide a complete payment history or establish that this is the event’s final overall cost.
The timing nevertheless warrants an explanation of how the October 2026 amendment relates to the original authorizations, expenses incurred and payments already processed.
Hotel and Chauffeur Rates Set
The council also approved maximum unit rates for eligible ceremony expenses:
- Accommodation: €400 per room per night.
- Delegation transfers: €70 per person per journey.
- Heads of government transfers: €95 per person per journey.
- Vehicle with chauffeur for heads of government: €1,600 per vehicle per day.
- Lunch or dinner: €55 per person.
- Official cocktail or reception: €75 per person.
- Coffee breaks and refreshments: €350 per session.
According to the communiqué, the ceilings apply within the limits of expenses actually incurred. The decision allows departure from the reimbursement scales applicable to public officials on mission, citing the territory’s local public interest and international standing.
The release does not identify the number of hotel nights, journeys, vehicle days or guests charged under these categories. Those details would allow residents to assess how the rates translated into expenditure.
Grand Case Association Facility Moves Toward 2028 Delivery
The Executive Council awarded the electrical works package for rehabilitating and converting the former Gibbs School in Grand Case into a Maison des Associations, a facility for community organizations.
The electrical package is valued at €283,200.82, excluding tax. It is included in the provisional construction total of €2,764,821.94, excluding tax.
The Collectivité said it had already notified the companies awarded the other 12 packages, which were undertaking preparatory work, including execution studies and construction planning.
Electrical works were described as essential to coordinating the project, particularly structural works, roads, and utility networks. The award allows the teams to integrate power supplies, cable routes, connections and equipment requirements into their plans.
Delivery is currently projected for the first quarter of 2028.
However, the total remains provisional. The communiqué states that the final works amount will be determined after examination of the remaining elevator package, whose award will require a later decision.
The release does not name the electrical contractor or disclose the full project budget beyond the provisional works amount.
French Quarter Bus Station Honors André Nestor Leblanc
The council approved naming Quartier d’Orléans’ bus station after André Nestor Leblanc, recognizing his long service transporting passengers.
Leblanc operated from 1988 to 2016, serving the cross-border route to Philipsburg and the regular Marigot–Orléans route.
The station is located within the multiservice space at Les Hirondelles, under the Les Promenades du Quartier d’Orléans project. SEMSAMAR was tasked with preparing and reorganizing the premises and creating bus parking areas.
The facility accommodates four buses simultaneously and has a nearby bus shelter. The council authorized signage bearing Leblanc’s name.
The Collectivité describes the station as an interim facility. It will serve as the neighborhood’s principal bus station until a modern, strategically located transport infrastructure is built to meet the needs of approximately 8,000 residents.
No delivery date or budget was provided for that future station.
Collectivité Declines to Purchase 15 Properties
The council decided not to exercise its urban or statutory pre-emption rights over properties covered by 15 declarations of intention to sell.
The decision means the Collectivité will not use those rights to acquire the properties in the transactions examined.
The communiqué does not identify the properties, their prices or the reasons for declining to intervene.
Transport Licensing Operations Approved
The council authorized transport-license operations and approved operating authorizations and professional cards for eligible beneficiaries who hold the required professional qualifications and meet integrity requirements.
The Collectivité will enter the approved operations in its transport transaction register.
The release does not disclose how many beneficiaries were approved or provide a breakdown of the individual operations.
President Authorized to Pursue Public-Land and Planning Cases
The Executive Council also regularized and authorized the President’s participation in proceedings before Saint-Martin’s Administrative Tribunal and the judicial courts concerning public-domain and land-use violations.
The decision addresses proceedings already initiated and authorizes the Collectivité to defend its interests.
The council appointed AARPI Les Avocats Réunis, acting through SELARL JurisCarib and represented by attorney Dominique Nicolas, to handle the matters.
The communiqué does not identify defendants, specify legal fees or announce court findings against any party.
Spending Decisions Need Clear Follow-Through
The October 1 decisions advance community infrastructure, recognize a longstanding transport contribution and authorize action to protect public land.
They also leave important financial and delivery questions open.
Residents should be able to see the payment breakdown for the OECS ceremony, the final cost of the Grand Case facility, the award of its remaining elevator package and progress toward the promised 2028 delivery.
Council approval establishes authority to act. Public accountability requires the next stage: clear expenditure records, identified responsibilities and evidence that the approved projects and services are delivered.