After several weeks of tension, economic representatives were received by the Collectivity on August 12.

A delegation from FIPCOM–MEDEF Saint-Martin/CCISM/Association BTP has once again raised concerns about delays in payment of public contracts, administrative blockages and pending purchase orders.

As we reported in our August 7th edition, tensions had already risen during a meeting held on July 31st at the CCISM (Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Services and Trades). Several sectors denounced payment delays that could last several months, or even a year, and their impact on companies' cash flow. The possibility of mobilization in September had also been mentioned.

The President of the Collectivity, Louis Mussington, accompanied notably by Bernadette Davis, 2nd Vice President, and the Director General of Services, Natacha Petrine, acknowledged the seriousness of the situation. Among the measures announced: appointment of a dedicated contact person for businesses, urgent regularization of pending purchase orders and service orders, prioritization of certain receivables and improvement of invoice tracking.

The local authority also intends to seek financing solutions, notably with the Public Investment Bank (BPI) for factoring, which is not universally popular due to its high cost, and the French Development Agency (AFD) for financing linked to the ERDF (European Regional Development Fund). A supplementary budget is also to be submitted to a vote at the end of September.

An initial deadline has been set for September 15th, with the implementation of a clear invoice processing procedure, the appointment of a contact person, and an initial assessment of the adjustments made. A monthly follow-up meeting with economic representatives is also to be established.

FIPCOM – MEDEF welcomes “the quality and frankness of the discussions,” while remaining attentive to the implementation of the commitments. The objective now is to restore payment deadlines compatible with the realities of businesses and to avoid a disruption of economic activity. _VX