Marigot:--- The director of Office du Tourisme Corrine Picaut reacted very angrily and emotionally to an article published on SMN News about her quitting her job some weeks ago. Picaut admitted she walked off of her job and is still receiving her salary which will come to an end on August 31. Picaut said she had given her employers an official notification prior to leaving her job. "I am entitled to my salary because I have the rights to the "pre-avis" based on the French laws. "I will not be collecting ACEDIC because I am the one that walked off the job. I broke my job contract so that removed my rights to unemployment benefits" Picaut said.Asked why she left her job and broke her three year contract she insisted that she left for personal reasons. Asked if she did not consider her personal situation prior to signing a three year contract? Picaut said the situation at the Office du Tourisme had to be re-analyzed and a decision had to be taken. "I re-analyzed the situation and I took a decision." Asked if she believed she was competent to promote St. Martin and if she felt she had the required qualifications Picaut said she felt she was doing a very good job and that she was in fact more than competent.
"In my opinion people look at the position of Director of the Tourist Office as a political appointment. My wish is for them to see that it is not a political job instead it's a technical job that needs people who has the expertise in carrying out the job. "I worked from 7 am to 8pm each day to make sure St. Martin is properly represented, I was very dynamic and positive about the job I held for one and half year. My team was also very co-operative and we did the best we could." Furthermore, "I took each assignment personally so when it is said I did things for my personal interest it is not true. I had to be interested and motivated to do what I was doing for the tourist office I am a passionate person." Picaut added.
Asked if she was prepared to handle the stressful situation at Office du Tourisme knowing that several of elected council members and Senator Louis Constant Fleming was against her appointment in the very beginning she said she was optimistic and felt everything was a challenge.
Corrine Picaut is scheduled to leave St. Martin this Saturday for France. Asked what she would be doing next in her career and if she intended to take up her old job she said she would look at the opportunities that is presented to her prior to taking a decision.
