Irvine Houet, the new president of the merchants' association

After being dormant since last December, the Saint-Barthélemy Merchants’ Association has resumed its activities. On May 12, at the offices of the Multiprofessional Economic Chamber (CEM) in Saint-Jean, a new board was elected. At its helm is Irvine Houet, who succeeds Edouard Lacour. The 26-year-old entrepreneur (Monoprix, AMC) has been on the island for four years.

What will be your first steps as head of the merchants’ association?
We need to revitalize it, breathe new life into it. My goal is to bring in fresh blood, a youthful energy, and to bring all the merchants together. There is a need for listening and dialogue. In Saint-Barthélemy, there’s a spirit of mutual support that isn’t necessarily present in other areas. We’ll be updating the contact information for all merchants, since things change every season. That way, we’ll be able to reach as many people as possible.

What are your goals?
We need a shared vision and active members. All neighborhoods must be represented to ensure neutrality, as there are common challenges and issues. The goal is for everyone to be able to do business properly—for locals and tourists alike. We need to ask ourselves how to make businesses attractive.

What should the association’s role be?
Saint-Barth is far from everything. By standing together, we have more clout. Transportation is often at the heart of discussions. The port has expanded, and we need to build closer ties with its management, as well as with the Territorial Collectivity, so that we can align with the island’s needs. This affects us all. When dealing with large transportation companies, standing together gives us leverage. For example, to develop short supply chains.
The CEM plays an important role. It is thanks to the CEM that associations are getting back on their feet. They are doing an incredible job. For us, it’s wonderful to have such an active organization.