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A delegation comprising the President of the Collectivité, the Prefect's delegate for Saint-Barthélemy and a representative of the gendarmerie met with the residents of Lorient on Tuesday evening to assess the problems that have been plaguing the neighborhood for nearly three months.representative of the gendarmerie met with Lorient residents on Tuesday evening to assess the problems that have plagued the neighborhood for nearly three months.
As the sun sets over Lorient, workers cool off with a beer near the Monoprix. At the same time, students from the dance school arrive one by one for their classes. Like any other day, in short, the neighborhood lives to its own rhythm. However, for nearly three months now, the presence of a few homeless men has been disturbing the peace and quiet of these daily routines. From inappropriate, sometimes aggressive behavior, to a series of incivilities and a handful of misdemeanors, this presence worries and annoys some of the residents. As a result, late on Tuesday afternoon, February 4, after a number of alerts and other repeated reports over many weeks (notably via JSB, as recently as last week : number 1601), the President of the Collectivité territoriale decided to visit the site to take the pulse of this growing exasperation and, in so doing, understand the situation.
For this visit, Xavier Lédée was accompanied by the Prefect's delegate for Saint-Barthélemy, a representative of the gendarmerie and a representative of the local authorities.representative of the gendarmerie, the third vice-president of the Collectivité Marie-Angèle Aubin and the President's chief of staff. The delegation was immediately greeted by a number of residents eager to express their frustration.
Damage to the church
Their grievances are mainly aimed at a group of men without housing, and obviously without a job. Among them are former employees of hotel establishments on the island who have not taken a return ticket to France after being made redundant. This small group has gradually infiltrated local life, taking over the beach and occupying various areas to sleep, drink alcohol... "When we get to the surf shack at 8am, they're already there with a pack of beers," testifies one man. Others point out that excrement is regularly found in various places: on the beach, behind the surf shack or dance hall, and elsewhere. Even the church has not escaped these incivilities.
When the delegation arrived at the place of worship after dark, they were told that some men had broken into the church to drink alcohol. "Some of them relieved themselves outside and used the pages of a hymn book to clean themselves," laments a local resident. "Last night, there were four or five of them, and one was so drunk we had to drag him out by his feet," adds a resident.
Solutions to be found
The field trip continues to the surf shack, then along the beach to the small "forest" behind the cemetery. Illuminating their way with the flashlight from their mobile phones, the delegation inspects, observes and wonders aloud about solutions to the problem. For, without immediately reporting or lodging a complaint, it is difficult for the gendarmerie to intervene in this type of incivility. A resident raised the possibility of issuing official statements of offence for drunkenness on the public highway. The gendarmerie replies that this is done regularly. A greater patrol presence to prevent squatting and dissuade inappropriate behavior? One solution. But the question is, where will these same people go if regular interventions by the gendarmerie or territorial police force them to leave Lorient? "Because this is all very recent, and before, there was nothing," says one resident.
Another solution put forward by a resident is to put these people without work or accommodation on a return plane to France. The Collectivité territoriale can do this, but only within the framework of a very specific procedure. The president's chief of staff explains that only people who are already being monitored by the social services are eligible. What's more, the payment of a plane ticket is only made through an agreement signed by both parties, which obliges the beneficiary to reimburse the Collectivité. On average, this scheme is used five times a year," assures President Lédée's Chief of Staff. In any case, the men designated as disrupters of Lorient's peace and quiet do not fall within the scope of this scheme.
In the early evening, the delegation dispersed after assuring the few residents still present that a reflection process would be carried out to find rapid solutions to the problems.
