Marigot:--- It is now public knowledge that not only the Gendarmes, the lawyer and his clients located at Orient Beach (AW33) Elisa Cohen and Philippe Just felt that the AOT (Authorization Occupation Temporaire) issued by the Collectivity of St. Martin to Sindextour (Norbert Luftman) was illegal but the Prefet Delegue of St. Martin Philippe Chopin shared the same views. According to information provided to SMN News, Prefet Chopin contested the decision taken by the Collectivity of St. Martin because he felt renewing the AOT for SINDEXTOUR was illegal. Chopin penned a letter on September 26th, 2012 to the former President of the COM Alain Richardson requesting that he review the decision the COM took when they issued the AOT to Norbert Luftman Managing Director of SINDEXTOUR. In that letter the Prefet made clear that in his view the issuance of the contested AOT was illegal and unlawful.
However, the former President did not respond to the Prefet's letter immediately, he did so on November 16th, 2012. The President wrote the Prefet telling him that the Territorial Council considered their decision to be lawful and he also provided a number of arguments including documents to support the decision taken by the COM. Despite the arguments by the former President, the Prefet was not moved by the explanation he was given for the issuance of the AOT to SINDEXTOUR.
SMN News got confirmation that the Prefet Delegue of St. Martin Philippe Chopin submitted an application to the Administrative Courts on January 3rd, 2013 requesting that the court annul the decision of the AOT marked (no 2012-03 of September 14th, 2012). The Prefet also confirmed to the court that on April 17th, 2012, just over two weeks after the RRR Government took office they deliberated on the issuance of the AOT and took a decision to grant it to SINDEXTOUR. He further submitted the decision taken again on September 4th, 2012 by the Executive Council and the decision taken by the Territorial Council on September 14th, 2012.
The operators of Bikini Beach and Kontiki Beach also submitted a request to the Administrative Courts asking that the AOT given to SINDEXTOUR be annulled.
In the meantime, several persons including elected officials were arrested, placed in garde à vue, and are now before the criminal courts for the issuance of the AOT to Sindextour. The case was first called on March 21st, 2013 and postponed to September 19th, 2013.
