The nautical professionals in Saint-Martin are sounding the alarm!

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What will happen to the boating industry? Does he still have a chance to bounce back? These are the questions of Metimer the association of professionals of the sea and its members. Its board of directors and the various players in the nautical sector are worried about the stagnation of the post Irma situation, two years later. They wonder about the future of boating and report a lack of information on the part of the institutions.

Concerned about the slowness of the reconstruction of the infrastructures essential to the practice of their professional activities and the reception of the ships, the professionals established the list of their complaints which they intend to expose well to the services concerned. They wish to be able to bring together competent institutions and authorities during a meeting with the prefecture and the Collectivity in order to obtain concrete answers to their questions.

The charter companies and shipyards raise the delay of the works announced for the revival of the Sandy Ground bridge. They are also faced with the refusal of insurance companies to cover cyclone risks. If they accept, they double or even triple the amount of premiums, pricing proposals which, according to professionals, endanger the future of structures.

In addition, the 126 or so wrecks still underwater since Irma have still not been removed. The company which had been selected by invitation to tender to take out the rubble, does not hold the approval DHU (Waste Out of Use) obligatory to move wrecks and the depolluted, indicates Metimer which hopes that the approval will be all similarly given quickly, the procedure being able to extend to eighteen months.

As regards the companies still in activity, if most of them have been able to recover between 50 and 100% of their functioning, some still have tax debts. “The law was applied without taking into account the recovery of companies, the loss of their turnover and the drop in attendance, caused by the cyclone. Following obvious losses of up to 100% of their revenues, one would have hoped that a study would be carried out on the impact of the disaster, taking into account the recovery of societies and non-existent tourism ” , says Metimer.

One of the main causes of this loss of attendance and the decline of sea tourism is the condition of the marinas on the French side which have not yet been renovated.

In such a critical situation, professionals want a little more "flexibility" from the institutions and demand to be informed of future projects, thus reassured about the survival of their businesses.

 

The list of the institutions that the actors of Nautism would like  meet…

- Ms. Prefect for organization and animation of the meeting

- Directorate of the Sea for maritime affairs and DEAL regulations for base installations on the shores

- Nautical Gendarmerie for safety and maintenance of water regulations

- Mr the President of the COM to inform and reassure the nautical players

- The management of ADE for the development of enterprises

- Urban planning department for wrecks, for AOTs

- The management of the establishment of the Commercial Port for marinas and works

- The management of the Tourist Office for the promotion of water sports and events

- The management of the CCISM for problems with social funds, moratoria.

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