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Saint Martin: Notice of dismissal issued against hospital director
The expression "short-lived" has rarely been more appropriate. Appointed on November 20, 2025, as director of the Louis-Constant Fleming Hospital Center in Saint-Martin, Sébastien Galleyn served for only a few weeks. It took just one of his posts on LinkedIn to be dug up and lead the disciplinary board of the National Center for Hospital Management to issue a dismissal notice against the head of the institution at the beginning of this year.
The comment that led to this disciplinary action, the most severe penalty for a civil servant, was as follows: "Immigration is not the problem. In France, there are many different types of immigrants, many of whom do not cause any problems: Europeans, North and South Americans, British, Asians, and so on. The immigration that is a problem is that from Africa, North Africa, and Muslim countries in general." The screenshot of the new director's comments then circulated rapidly from email to email, until it reached the management of the Regional Health Agency in Guadeloupe. The latter then decided to refer the matter to the public prosecutor under Article 40 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. This article specifies that "any constituted authority, public officer or civil servant who, in the exercise of their duties, becomes aware of a crime or offense is required to notify the public prosecutor without delay."
If the dismissal notice is upheld and enforced, Sébastien Galleyn will lose his status as a civil servant and all the benefits that go with it. However, for the time being, no sanctions can be imposed on him because the director, after taking leave, has been placed on sick leave (until March 18, according to our colleague from 97150). This is an additional problem for the Saint-Martin hospital center.
In fact, an employer cannot dismiss an employee who is on sick leave. As a result, at least until March 18, the Louis-Constant Fleming Hospital finds itself without a director. This is a situation the hospital has already experienced, having been run for many months by an interim management team (the former director Marie-Antoinette Lampis was on sick leave for a long period) and then by the director of the Irénée de Bruyn hospital, Eric Djamakorzian, before Sébastien Galleyn was appointed to the post.
Guadeloupe.
Budgetary tension between the SDIS and the Department
A "budgetary standoff." That's how RCI describes the confrontation between the Guadeloupe Departmental Fire and Rescue Service (SDIS) and the Departmental Council. According to an article published on March 4, the SDIS is requesting an increase in its departmental allocation to compensate for a lack of operational resources. In fact, the unions are warning of a critical financial situation, which they consider dangerous for both firefighters and the population of Guadeloupe. While the chairman of the board of directors believes that "there is no cause for concern," considering that "the SDIS is functioning very well otherwise," he acknowledges that the service has been "operating under pressure" for several years. For their part, the unions and management are calling for a multi-year plan to secure funding for the service.
Martinique
Renovation of the Lamentin state aeronautical center
On Monday, March 2, 2026, Rear Admiral Jean-Baptiste Soubrier, commander of the Armed Forces in the Antilles (FAA), inaugurated the new parking lot for military and state aircraft at the state aeronautical center (PAE) in Lamentin (Martinique).
Several major works were carried out: the repainting of ground markings, the installation of anchor points to secure aircraft to the ground in case of strong winds, the repair of the rainwater drainage system to limit flooding of the parking lot in case of heavy rain, and the repair of the entire surface, which was in poor condition, peeling, and posing a risk of damage to aircraft.
Commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Jean-Christophe Freymont, the PAE was created in August 2012 following the dissolution of Air Base 365. Taking over its infrastructure, it now houses the FAA, customs, and gendarmerie's aircraft, pooling their support. Its geographical location makes it a strategic, discreet, and resilient base. The PAE is a structure with a minimal framework but retains a permanent capacity to accommodate FAA aircraft and can rapidly ramp up in the event of the deployment of reinforcements from French Guiana or mainland France. From Panther helicopters to Airbus A400M aircraft, it is capable of accommodating a wide range of aircraft from the AAE, the French Navy, the French Army, and foreign partners.
Cuba.
Almost total power outage
On Wednesday, March 4, a power outage affected two-thirds of Cuba, including Havana, according to Agence France Presse. "A new outage in the national grid, at a time when residents are already suffering the daily impact of the energy stranglehold imposed by the United States," wrote the daily newspaper Le Monde in an article on the subject. The island of 9.6 million inhabitants has been subject to recurring massive power cuts for more than two years, some of which have affected the entire island.
Trinidad and Tobago.
State of emergency declared in response to armed gangs
Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has placed the country under a state of emergency since Tuesday, March 3. The decision follows the publication of evidence linking criminal gangs and former prisoners to a recent surge in violent crime. The prime minister said that since the end of the previous state of emergency on January 31, 2026, "there has been an increase in violent criminal activity across the country, most of which has been perpetrated by members of organized criminal gangs."
