COTEFI, the Territorial Committee for the Examination of Business Financing Problems, a local structure designed to welcome and guide businesses that encounter financing problems, has just been set up by the prefecture of Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthélemy.
The Territorial Committee for the Examination of Business Financing Problems (COTEFI) under the chairmanship of the delegated prefect of the Northern Islands, Vincent Berton, was presented to the press last Tuesday, in the presence of Jean-Yves Le Gall, regional director of public finances of Guadeloupe and Leila Tkouti, public accountant and head of the Public Finance Center of Saint-Martin.
This structure aims to support companies with fewer than 400 employees that are experiencing financial difficulties. COTEFI, which also exists in Guadeloupe, acts by bringing together various stakeholders such as the Prefecture, the Regional Directorate of Public Finances (DRFIP), the CGSS under the URSSAF branch, the IEDOM and the Collectivity of Saint-Martin, to identify and resolve the problems of companies in difficulty.
The main objective is to prevent liquidations by offering preventive support. Jean-Yves Le Gall stressed the importance of a collegial approach, making it possible to examine all dimensions of the difficulties encountered by companies, whether they are social or tax debts or obtaining credit.
"The objective of COTEFI is to provide prevention and avoid the liquidation of the company by taking preventive support measures," stressed Vincent Berton.
COTEFI will be able to conduct audits, grant financing, and direct companies towards solutions such as the Commercial Court or debt repayment plans. This system, reserved for SMEs and individual companies, is crucial for safeguarding jobs.
Companies in Saint Martin did not have access to this type of support before. COTEFI is expected to be operational by mid-November 2024, providing much-needed assistance to companies in difficulty. _AF
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