Frantz Gumbs:

They came, they're all here. On Thursday, January 8, on a small terrace set up at the Grain de Sel restaurant in Saline, almost no one wanted to miss the New Year's ceremony hosted by the representative of Saint Martin and Saint Barthélemy. So much so that Frantz Gumbs, caught up in discussions, was late in starting his speech. The atmosphere was relaxed, and with microphone in hand and his deputy Mélissa Lake at his side, the parliamentarian was finally able to begin his speech. Facing him were the president of the Territorial Collectivity, Xavier Lédé, Senator Micheline Jacques, the representative of the prefect, Joris Eberhardt, the president of the Economic, Social, Cultural and Environmental Council (CESCE), Antoine Querrard, and others. "After 2026, there is 2027, and there may be early legislative elections," the deputy begins. "I hope to be able to invite you back to tell you whether I will be running for re-election. " While he is not making any premature statements on this issue, he is also not doing so on the September 2026 senatorial elections. However, he does slip in a comment, glancing at Xavier Lédée: "In our vibrant democracies, it is preferable to avoid single candidacies." A remark that brings a smile to the audience, including Micheline Jacques.
The difficulty of projecting oneself on the national stage, a political atmosphere "in France" marked by, as the deputy puts it, "inaction, uncertainty, instability, intolerance, and excess," "the sudden acceleration of world history that manifested itself in Caracas," Frantz Gumbs shares many of his thoughts. However, the deputy emphasized the "good fortune" of the islands of Saint Martin and Saint Barthélemy. "They have managed to create an island of stability (...) and it is in the best interests of our populations and our economies to preserve these relative havens of peace." Relative, because the parliamentarian points out the daily problems and recurring difficulties to be overcome. He insists that the Collectivity "cannot solve everything" and that certain issues depend on the work accomplished in Paris by the senator and himself. Justice, security, immigration, health, education—these are some of the topics addressed in his speech. But he also discussed his actions with ministries and his work and collaborations with other parliamentarians. "I hope that we will be able to take care of ourselves as best we can," he concluded.