Newly elected members of the territorial youth council

Unlike their elders on the territorial council, the schoolchildren's representatives are part of a changing assembly. Every year, part of the territorial youth council is up for renewal. This is not only due to the departure of some councillors, whose families have left the island, but also to the rules of procedure, which include the notion of rotating governance. As a result, on Friday October 18 and Tuesday October 22, pupils from CM2 classes in the island's schoolsle schools (Gustavia, Lorient and Colombier) and the 5th grade classes at collège Mireille Choisy went to the polls to elect nine new representatives.
The first to take part in the democratic exercise were the schoolchildren. On Friday morning, the small foyer was transformed into a polling station. Class after class lined up at the polling booth and the ballot box to elect their new representatives. Nevertheless, the schoolchildren opted for continuity, electing Thelma Allioux and Yeshna Gooriah. Two 5th graders who have thus been entrusted with a second mandate within the CTJ.
During the first vote of the day, the 5th graders were visited by Vincent Berton, Prefect Delegate for Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin. The State representative reminded the young voters of the importance of their civic responsibility. His speech was enhanced by the presence, at each polling station, of one or more of the Collectivité's elected representatives. Like Bettina Cointre, second vice-president, at the middle school.
The elections continued on Friday afternoon at the Sainte-Marie de Colombier school, where Zoé Hericher and Paola De Almeida were elected by their fellow pupils.
On Monday, at the Gustavia school group, CM2 pupils entrusted Lily-Rose Peris, Kenji Gréaux and Naomi Magras with the task of representing them on the territorial council. Finally, at the Saint-Joseph school in Lorient, CM2 pupils voted for Mathilda Penverne Magras and Nathaël Jonqua.
"We warmly congratulate the newly elected members and wish them every success in their future responsibilities within the Conseil territorial des jeunes", wrote the Collectivité in a press release. The handover of power between the old and new members will take place on November 7. The first meeting of the renewed CTJ is scheduled for November 12, in the Salle des délibérations of the Hôtel de la Collectivité.