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During the fourth edition of the regional meetings organized by the local authority dedicated to “public works and major infrastructure projects,” President Xavier Lédée listed all the projects launched during his term. Given the lack of questions from the audience, the event felt more like a review of his tenure.
Political rally or democratic dialogue? On Tuesday, July 21, few people made the trip to attend the fourth edition of the Territorial Meetings of the Collectivité. After discussing tourism, security, and disability issues, the Collectivité’s president, Xavier Lédée, devoted two hours to the island’s major construction projects and infrastructure initiatives. As part of these meetings, the president invited elected officials, residents, and community and business leaders to this gathering to “listen to you, hear your questions, and consider your suggestions.” At the Rockefeller Pier, a handful of residents turned out, along with Xavier Lédée’s running mates and representatives from various sectors of society and business. The president of the Collectivité began the meeting by listing the projects currently underway during his term, which are aimed more at “technical improvements than flashy projects.” This is a timely topic given the numerous construction projects launched over the summer that have impacted traffic. As images of the Collectivité’s major infrastructure projects (school complex, hospital reconstruction, water tower, daycare center, etc.) flashed across a screen, the president of the Collectivité highlighted the initiatives he has been working on. A speech that closely resembled a review of his term in office ahead of the March 2027 territorial elections.
“Is saving a life really that serious?”
Residents raised the usual concerns—such as the housing shortage and population growth—even though they were not part of the day’s agenda. However, some participants asked for clarification on ongoing projects, such as Marie-Maud Lédée, who questioned the decision to rebuild the hospital in Gustavia rather than in Saint-Jean. Without going into detail, the Toiny resident spoke of personal difficulties she had with her father in getting to the hospital in Gustavia and then being transported to the airport for evacuation. “We, the people, weren’t given the right to choose,” she lamented. “Is it really a well-thought-out decision to put it in Gustavia? Is that a serious approach to saving a life?” As a reminder, during the Territorial Council meeting on March 12, the request to hold a public consultation on the location of the new healthcare facility was rejected (JSB1657). This proposal had been put forward by the Action-Equilibre group, which, unsurprisingly, voted in favor of it, with only Diana Bourel of Saint-Barth d’Abord following suit. “This consultation already took place in 2022, when voters elected council members who proposed rebuilding the hospital,” retorted President Xavier Lédée.
Resumption of Work Following the Landslide
To reassure the participant, the president of the Collectivité stated that discussions were underway to bring helicopters to Gustavia for medical evacuations. The mayor took the opportunity to praise the harbor dredging project he recently launched. According to him, these improvements “will improve traffic flow throughout the territory” thanks to the herringbone-style parking spaces that will replace the parallel parking spaces. Another resident expressed concern about the progress of work on the cultural center and the landslide at the entrance to Gustavia. In our previous issue (JSB1675), the president of the Collectivité had stated that work on the cultural center was expected to resume by the end of the year. Regarding the entrance to Gustavia, “the plans have been finalized,” so safety nets will need to be installed to secure the area. It will take 3 to 4 months to finalize the contracts before work can begin, which would fall during peak season and is therefore unlikely. We will therefore have to wait a little longer. After presenting a list of the many ongoing projects with no specific timeline, Xavier Lédée asked the participants if they wished to review the proposed order of priorities. There was no response from the audience.
