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There was no doubt about the outcome of the consular elections to the Chambre économique multiprofessionnelle (Cem). On Saturday April 12, a single list was vying for elected seats in the various trade colleges. Consequently, it came as no surprise that the "Entreprendre & Réussir SBH" candidates were elected at the end of the count. Nevertheless, beyond the simple confirmation of the accession of a new team to the helm of the Cem, it was legitimacy that the members of the candidate list were expecting from this ballot.
Although contractors flocked to the polling station set up at Cem headquarters in Saint-Jean throughout the morning of April 12, only 510 of the 5,395 ballot papers registered on the electoral roll actually took part in the vote. The turnout was 9.4%, with 506 votes cast, including 76 by proxy. Nevertheless, these figures, which may seem low, paradoxically indicate an unprecedented level of interest in consular elections in Saint-Barth. For me, this turnout is exceptional in that, during the last mandate, there was only a 5% turnout out of 2,600 qualified voters," notes Cem director Thierry Gréaux. We've more than doubled the number of qualified voters this year, so with a 9.4% turnout, it's a big step forward. However, we still need to work on the file, as we're finding that some companies are still considered active when they no longer are. Over the next five years, we'll be working on cleaning up the file.
"Keeping up to date
The same analysis applies to Pierre-Antoine Guibout, elected candidate for the "commerce and agriculture" college with David Malespine. We managed to mobilize a maximum number of socio-professionals on the island," explains the elected representative. We knew that we'd come a long way with a low turnout five years ago. For us, this is a first success. We can only hope that the socio-professional players will continue to place their trust in us for the important tasks ahead. "But before taking the plunge, the newly elected members will need to "get up to speed" with the help of Cem employees, as well as through training courses. They will then be able to tackle the big issues: cleaning up the consular file, developing the Chamber's skills, etc.
Emmanuelle Desailloud, elected for the "regulated liberal professions", adds: "I think it's a very good score, because nationally, the turnout for consular elections averages 4%. So, finally, Saint-Barth stands out with this result. "The lawyer even goes so far as to round up the figures, as it is rare for Chambers of Commerce and Industry or Craft Trades to attract a 4% turnout. In 2021, most recorded turnout rates didn't even reach this mark.
The next step for the elected members will be a general meeting in early May. They will also have to set up the committees, dividing up the duties between them. Then it's off to work, with priority given to the commercial register. "We mustn't forget that the commercial court is in Basse-Terre, Guadeloupe, and that the consular judges who sit there are representatives of Guadeloupe companies who judge companies from Saint-Barth, which is a problem we're going to have to resolve quickly," points out Emmanuelle Desailloud.
