During this demonstration, which wanted to be popular and peaceful, a few people from the socio-professional milieu were kind enough to react to current events, and motivate their presence on the street when the Territorial Operational Committee (COT) called.
• Raymond Vialenc, trader and former president of the ICC, came to support the population. “It is not normal that we stop construction. We are a small island, for hoteliers and the people of Saint Martin, there is a need to rebuild. We are used to having cyclones, although Cyclone Irma was particularly important. There has been a lot of damage and deaths ... But when I see that currently, in mainland France, there are floods without stopping. We wonder why we are not moving these people who have been flooded two, three or four times. This is not normal ! The island must be able to resume. We were already sick, now we want to kill us. I think we have to come back to this PPRN, and find a solution that is beneficial for everyone and that we can continue to live peacefully on this island. ”
• Julien gumbs, president of the CESC (Economic, Social and Cultural Council) of Saint-Martin, this event “is the expression of Saint-Martin. From the moment it is people living outside the island who decide for us! We are well aware that we need risk prevention and other plans, but we cannot take such measures unilaterally, as has been done. Admittedly, there are wrongs on both sides, but there is a document which is not acceptable for the population of Saint-Martin ”.
• Yann L., craftsman electrician in Saint-Martin for almost 30 years, is today in the street, "so that the State lets Saint Martin make its decisions, in relation to our specificities. I think the people are right to demonstrate, because they have lived here for a very long time with their own rules. And I don't see why, today, they would be prevented from continuing to live as before. ”_RM
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