As part of the preparation of the 2026 Single Financial Statement, which will combine the administrative and management accounts, the elected members of the territorial council (CT) approved the reversal of €29,03 million in provisions that had become obsolete. This accounting operation, presented as a measure to improve the reliability of the accounts, nevertheless sparked a heated exchange between the majority and the opposition.
The financial services department identified several outdated provisions, some established before 2015, relating in particular to foreign exchange losses, loan guarantees, litigation, and other risks that no longer justify their maintenance. Their reversal will allow for the inclusion of exceptional revenue in the 2026 supplementary budget.
Marie-Dominique Ramphort denounced the operation as mere “accounting window dressing,” arguing that these entries were being used to fund the new provisions (Air Antilles and TCPP liquidations) approved during the same meeting. “It’s a blatant sleight of hand,” she declared, calling for a “complete overhaul” of the accounts. First Vice-President Alain Richardson vehemently rejected these criticisms, defending a process of accounting transparency undertaken several months prior with the public accountant. When questioned by Marc Ménard about the continuation of this work, the Director General of Services, Natacha Pétrine, explained that this inventory revealed old provisions, some impossible to trace due to a lack of records prior to 2015, and that it was a first step in cleaning up the balance sheet before the Single Financial Account comes into effect. The resolution was adopted with 14 votes in favor.
TCPP: The local authority sets aside €8,31 million to cover legal risks
The Technical Committee (CT) adopted, by a vote of 16 in favor, a resolution allocating €8,31 million in provisions to the 2026 supplementary budget to address the consequences of the French Supreme Court's (Cour de cassation) ruling of March 11, which deemed the Tax on the Consumption of Petroleum Products (TCPP) incompatible with European Union law. This allocation includes the payment of a €3,45 million judgment, a provision of €1,16 million for litigation with GEDC, and €3,7 million in anticipation of appeals from six other operators. The risk related to EDF, estimated at €17,1 million, remains recorded off-balance sheet, as no reimbursement claim has been filed.
The opposition, through its spokesperson Mélissa Rembotte, requested clarification on the discussions held with customs and the state to determine each party's responsibilities, noting that the Collectivity of the Pays de l'Ouest (COM) did not directly manage this tax. The services indicated that its collection had been suspended since March 11th and that an expert review was underway to assess the consequences of this decision and analyze potential areas for effective taxation in order to, according to Alain Richardson, "clearly define the scope of our authority regarding taxation." _VX
Latest financial reportbefore the end of the term
The territorial council meeting of June 27th was largely devoted to reviewing the accounts of the Collectivity. Beyond the numerous financial deliberations, this session marked the final assessment of Louis Mussington's term.
The elected officials approved, by a vote of 12 in favor, the 2025 administrative accounts, which are consistent with the management accounts prepared by the public accountant of Saint-Martin (adopted by a vote of 15). These accounts show €306.084.645,80 in revenue against €290.312.022,87 in expenses, resulting in an overall surplus of €15.772.662,93, a significant decrease compared to the €34 million recorded in the previous fiscal year. The accounts, as of December 31, 2025, also show cash reserves of €4,621 million and a debt balance of €2 million. Reviewing the financial results and his team's main achievements since 2022, the president defended "rigorous" management, acknowledging a decrease in self-financing capacity which he attributed to investments made "to develop projects that improve the daily lives of Saint-Martin residents" as well as to the inclusion of exceptional expenses. "I take responsibility for every decision made; I don't pretend that everything is perfect," he concluded.
