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Will the mood be positive? At the last territorial council meeting, held on Thursday September 18, the 19 elected representatives of the local authority exchanged views in a calm atmosphere. Even those who voiced criticism of one decision - that of postponing changes to the code governing foreigners' access to the labor market - did so in an affable manner. It's hard to predict whether this courteous atmosphere will still prevail at the next meeting, scheduled for Thursday October 23 at 5pm. Twelve items of business will be discussed. Five will concern budgetary matters, four administrative matters and three land issues.
Budgetary changes
The first deliberation will aim to make changes to the primitive budget voted in March. Elected representatives will be asked to revise the community's operating expenditure and revenue upwards, to the tune of 14 million euros. Among the issues requiring an increase in these costs are electricity costs and variations in electricity rates, as well as land maintenance following the sargassumsargasso, with the award of a specific contract for the evacuation by barge of the seaweed stored on the Saint-Jean site. Councillors will also be looking at capital expenditure and revenue, to decide whether or not to allocate an additional 98,900 euros.
Educational farm and Saint-Jean school group: cost increases
A number of multi-year programs will be the subject of separate deliberations in order to increase their amounts. The first is the Gouverneur educational farm. An additional 450,000 euros are earmarked to complete the work, bringing the total cost of the project to 8.5 million euros. A decision that will certainly come as a surprise, given that President Xavier Lédée inaugurated the structure on July 4. In his speech, he declared that the educational farm would be open to the public in the near future. A proximity which, it seems, is relative.
The construction of a school complex in Saint-Jean will also be discussed, with the addition of 5 million euros to the budget for the extension of an underground parking lot and the integration of a photovoltaic panel system. If approved, the new budget will be 28 million euros.
Wharfage exemption soon to be extended to associations?
The members of the territorial council will have to work on updating two articles of the Tax Code. The first is article 54 of appendix 1. It will be proposed to set July 15, instead of July 31, as the deadline for financial institutions to file declarations with the tax authorities.
The second is article 171 bis. It exempts a number of public institutions and administrations from payment of dock dues: the collectivity of Saint-Barthélemy, the Centre hospitalier Irénée de Bruyn, the EHPAD, State services, the Comité territorial du tourisme, theAgence territoriale de l'environnement, the Chambre Économique Multiprofessionnelle and the Fondation pour l'équipement médical d'urgence (FEMUR). Elected representatives may decide to add to this list associations governed by the French 1901 law and recognized as being in the public interest.
Marché de Saint Barthélémy: a change in management
The Saint Barthélémy market, usually held on the first Sunday of the month, is currently managed by the technical services department. The local authority intends to transfer management of the market to the culture and communications department, which will be responsible for registration, payment tracking and allocation of stalls. The technical department would retain responsibility for logistical and technical aspects.
Non-recovery of debts
The third deliberation concerns bad debts for the year 2025. Elected representatives will be asked to approve the write-off of these debts, i.e. the fact that several legal proceedings have failed to obtain payment from the local authority's creditors.
Adoption of the Territorial Sustainable Agriculture Plan (PTAD)
The culmination of a project begun a year ago. The Plan territorial d'agriculture durable (PTAD), a roadmap for the development of agriculture in Saint Barth, will be put to the vote of councilors on October 23. The document already received their approval at a general commission meeting on July 24. This time, it is a question of validating it and appointing three elected representatives to sit on the CTAPA (Commission territoriale de l'Agriculture, de la Pêche et de l'Aquaculture), responsible for monitoring its implementation.
Regulation of road transport of passengers and goods
The council will be examining certain provisions of the regulations governing the transport of passengers and goods by road. The aim is to correct irregularities and facilitate access to the professions of driver and carrier for island residents.
A green light for the Irénée de Bruyn hospital reconstruction project?
Two scenarios were on the table, and on October 3, the general commission - made up of councillors and players in the island's healthcare sector - reached a decision: the Collectivité is ready to commit its finances to the tune of 28.8 million euros for the reconstruction of the Irénée de Bruyn hospital, on its current site in Gustavia. But validation of this option, criticized by the Action-Équilibre group, must pass a final hurdle. This will be at the Territorial Council meeting on October 23. If the elected representatives adopt it, work will start at the end of 2026 for delivery in 2030.
A new nursery and housing at Anse des Cayes
Discussions will also revolve around an 8745 m2 plot of land in Anse des Cayes, owned by the local authority. The intention is to build a new childcare center, housing primarily for staff and a building that could be made available to EDF, as part of the power plant renewal project.
Two technical decisions on land
The last two decisions to be examined concern land-related measures. The first is a seven-year renewal of the contract for the occupation of a plot of land in Gustavia harbor by the Ocean Must boat rental company. The second is a request for a subsoil servitude, i.e. a private company's right of way under the public domain. In this case, the company is SBH AE GUSTAVIA 1, which wishes to have 126 nails installed under the road on rue du Roi Oscar II in Gustavia, in order to secure an ongoing building site.
