Baie Nettle:--- The representatives of Jutras Groupe Immobillier who is currently on the island presenting its plan to develop the Front de Mer project told reporters on Friday that while they invited the president of the COM Frantz Gumbs and the members of the territorial council to the presentation of the Front de Mer Project president Gumbs did not honor his invitation.
Mario di Palma said even though the first vice president Daniel Gibbs has worked on the project and he met the president once and spoke of the project, he did not show any interest in discussing with them again. The investors showed members of the media a power point presentation of the plan but they were unable to provide key answers as to how they intend to develop the Marigot waterfront and the implications this would have on the local businesses as well as the environment.
Calypso Events was contracted to organize the presentations, the first was held on Thursday at the Flamboyant Hotel where the business people and council members were invited to view the plans but members of the media was barred from this event.
The investors said their intention is to make the presentation to the territorial council but the president is not responding to their request, even though the first vice president is working closely with them. They said it is necessary for the COM to become involved with this project because they are the ones who would have to inform their population. "Right now we have a project and we will be holding more meetings so we can convince the people that they should work with us, since this project is for them.
The plan presented is for a ten year period which has value of 1 billion, one hundred and ten million direct investments with 687 million Euros as indirect investment. The objective of the project, they said is to increase the value of the patrimony of Saint Martin, to develop tourism, position credible St Martiner's in the Caribbean, to develop the economy and to create more jobs for locals.
The direct investments for the next 10 years are as follows:-
- Commercial Port— 60 million Euros
- Chantier Naval (dock yard) -49 million Euros
- Water Front--- 988 million Euros
- Maritime Institute 13 million Euros
Indirect Investments for a 10 year period:-
- Hub Import and Export 20 million Euros
- Institute of Art and Culture 20 million Euros
- Private Residential 300 million Euros
- Private Hotel 250 million Euros
- Commercial sites 97 million Euros
During the construction some 1000 persons will be employed every year for the next ten year with the creation of 3600 new employment over the ten year period.
The investors said they are willing to wait and see if the president of the Territorial council would see them and to entertain them. However, they made clear that they do not intend to wait indefinitely for the president. Furthermore, St. Maarten is a land that is governed by state laws and it is not a banana republic. They further explained that they are waiting for the council to open the bidding for this project so they can bid on it.
They said they have the monies available since the RBBT bank is owned by Canadians and that is the bank that has financed the projects on the Dutch side. They said the money for this dream project is available and St. Martin is lucky to have investors that have the money on the table to invest while government is playing games. The investors said their partners are Cirque du Soleil, SNC Lavalin, Chantiers Naval, West Jet, Air Transat, Air Canada, RBC, and Air Canada.
They said the intention is to rebrand the French side and to make sure they attract tourist with strong spending power. The investors said that the Front de Mer project should not be looked at as a competition towards the Dutch side instead the Front de Mer project would be a compliment to the Dutch side.
They said while tourists disembark on the Dutch side they go to the French side for their attraction. The Front de Mer is to provide quality attraction that they believe will attract more business. The idea is to reduce parking in Marigot and to encourage walking through Marigot so that more people would visit the business places which to them would increase business for the businesses in Marigot. While the plan has details on what the investors want to construct, no parking space is part of the project. During the question and answer session the investors said their intention is to build walkways at the entrance of Marigot to reduce traffic throughout Marigot. "When people come here on vacation they don't want to smell exhaust smoke, they want fresh air and the sea."
At the press conference there were first vice president Daniel Gibbs, and the director of the Galisbay Port Service Alberic Ellis. When asked how much filling in of the sea would have to be done to accommodate a project of such magnitude. Ellis provided some information based on a plan that was made in 1992, when pressed to see if an environmental impact study was done and what would be some of the environmental consequences, Ellis quickly said he was not holding the press conference.
Below is the audio of the press conference, in both French and English. Click on the the first audio link titled "Front de Mer" to listen.