President Louis Mussington (centre) talks at the gathering in Marina Royale on Wednesday to explain the measures the Collectivité has taken in the aftermath of the fire. (Robert Luckock photos)
MARIGOT--Collectivité President Louis Mussington held a press conference at Marina Royale Wednesday morning to reassure victims and disclose the Collectivité’s immediate actions after Saturday’s fire on the marina which destroyed two adjoining shops and damaged the dining area of Main à La Pâte Restaurant.
The aim was to inform the merchants of the decisions taken by the Collectivité in the context of legal competences and responsibilities.
Mussington was joined by Vice Presidents Bernadette Davis and Michel Petit, Director of Security and Public Tranquillity Thierry Verres, Territorial Councillors Steven Cocks and Daniel Arnel, and various heads of Collectivité departments, Territorial Police, and Fire Chief Anthony Anthony Arnould.
The large gathering on the dock included the media and merchants from the marina wanting answers on what the Collectivité plans to do going forward. The atmosphere was tense during exchanges between the President and those present, particularly with Merchants Association President Yann Lecam.
Mussington began by denouncing social media posts accusing the Collectivité of abandoning Marigot, comments that he said were absolutely not true.
He reminded that the Collectivité owns the water, wooden docks, car parks and the Auberge de Mer building, but establishments situated beyond the width of the dock, the former Spinnaker Restaurant for example, where the fire started, are private.
The Collectivité had already served notices (mise en demeure) to the owners of three abandoned establishments on the marina to fix their properties; Le Spinnaker, Brasserie de La Gare and the old shop Little Europe since July 2024. With no response over the past eight months, the Collectivité has now requested the administrative court to intervene.
Habitat, Logement et Construction Director Lalanne Fosta explained that the procedure involves the court appointing an expert to inspect the premises and explain what work needs to done to make the premises safe. A request has been made to the President of the Administrative Court to appoint the expert who normally comes from Guadeloupe.
There will be about a two-week delay before the expert arrives. Once the expert gives a report to the Collectivité this will be passed on to the owner who will be legally obliged to make the repairs. If there is a refusal, the Collectivité will do what is necessary (demolition) and charge the owner. It was understood it has the contacts for the owner of Le Spinnaker.
“Owners under French law have to make their own investments to secure their buildings, but it was never done. Security is everyone’s business. Responsibility cannot only fall on the Collectivité and the State, knowing that everything is private here. An open space like the Spinnaker presents easy access and therefore a risk,” Fosta said. “In this case with the Spinnaker we had the fire and that strengthens our case in court.”
Sylvie Petit, who was working at the destroyed Bubble Shop, a dive centre divided into two shops under one owner, said the business does have insurance.
“We have had to stop our activity completely. Everything was destroyed, including our stock which was upstairs. We lost everything,” she said. “We’ve had this business for a year and a half but have been living on the island for 30 years. Since we opened here we have been to the Gendarmerie about five times because of attempts to steal our boat, to break into the shop, to destroy our compressor.
“These squatters and drug addicts have been making a big mess behind our shop. It’s been a problem every day, but no one has done anything. I don’t want to stay in Marigot if the situation is not handled.”
Meanwhile, an “arrêté” has been issued to cordon off the area of the dock where the fire took place, in the interest of public safety. Only investigators can pass through. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Yann Le Cam is convinced that squatters were responsible for starting the fire, having complained many times about them to the Collectivité.
A new Delegation Service Publique (DSP) to manage the marina was launched on April 15. However, this new DSP will not take effect until March 2026, pushed back from January 2026.
“Before the DSP starts in March 2026 we want the Collectivité to do what we have been asking since 2022: take care of security, lighting, cameras, and cleaning. The fire happened because of this negligence,” Le Cam said.
Mussington assured that what needs to be done will be done and that he is in solidarity with the merchants.
https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/president-mussington-faces-questions-on-responsibilities-after-marina-royale-fire
