MARIGOT:--- Nine years after Hurricane Irma damaged its surveillance infrastructure, the Collectivité of Saint-Martin is moving forward with a projected €4 million program to rebuild and expand its camera network, with 80 cameras planned across the territory between 2026 and 2028.
In a press release dated October 8, the Collectivité announced that the project had received the prefectural authorization required for work to proceed. Preparatory groundwork for fiber-optic connections is already underway, while installation of the first cameras is expected to begin shortly.
The programme represents a substantial investment in public security. However, the Collectivité is still seeking financial support from the French State through the Interministerial Fund for the Prevention of Delinquency (FIPD). The release does not confirm that this funding has been approved.
Cameras to be Installed in Two Phases
The rollout will take place in two stages, with 61 cameras scheduled for deployment during 2026–2027 and another 19 during 2027–2028.
Installation will proceed progressively by sector. Areas identified for coverage include Marigot, Concordia, Grand-Case, Sandy Ground, Baie Nettlé, Quartier d’Orléans, Cul-de-Sac, Cripple Gate and Colombier.
The programme also includes the border areas of Belle Plaine, Oyster Pond, Terres-Basses and Bellevue.
The Collectivité is coordinating the groundwork needed to deploy the fiber-optic network with the renovation of public lighting infrastructure. These connections will support the expanded surveillance system.
Rebuilding Security Infrastructure after Irma
According to the Collectivité, the project has been awaited since Hurricane Irma damaged infrastructure in September 2017.
The new program combines reconstruction, modernization and expansion of the territorial surveillance network. Its stated objectives include improving public safety, protecting public facilities, preventing delinquency and strengthening security along traffic routes.
The cameras are also intended to support security forces in their prevention and investigative work.
While authorization marks an important step, the phased timetable means the full network is planned for completion over the 2026–2028 period.
Monitoring center to be Reconstructed
The Collectivité also plans to rebuild the Urban Supervision Center, or CSU, at its original location in the Semsamar building.
The center is a critical component of the project, providing the monitoring infrastructure needed to operate the camera network. The Territorial Police will manage the system in partnership with the Gendarmerie.
Reconstructing the center will therefore be essential to turning the camera installations into a functioning security tool.
Delivery and Funding Remain Key Questions
The announcement sets out the intended scale, budget, and rollout period, but leaves several practical questions unanswered.
The release does not specify when the first cameras will become operational, which neighborhoods will receive them first, or how much State funding has been requested. It also provides no details on monitoring hours, staffing, maintenance arrangements or safeguards governing access to and retention of recordings.
Those details will matter as the project advances. Installing cameras is one part of the programme; ensuring reliable operation, effective monitoring and sustained maintenance will determine their practical value.
For residents, the next milestone will be activating the first cameras and reconstructing the supervision center—bringing a long-awaited security project into service.