Reopening of schools, shops, bars, restaurants and businesses in the tourist sector, obtaining a pass to cross the border: the ball is in the Prefecture's court!

The president, Daniel Gibbs and his first vice-president, Valérie Damaseau spoke live, Monday, May 4, on the occasion of the 5^rd Weekly live COM point of the Community, in the context of the Covid-19 crisis.

Among the main information of the day, the territorial executive announced:

The lifting of the bathing ban order, as of Friday, May 8, subject to the good quality of bathing water (taken from the ARS). The lifting of the decree will only allow, at first, swimming and walking on the beach. Meetings, picnics, barbecues will be prohibited until further notice.

On the gradual reopening of schools from May 11, the Collectivity maintains its position and indicates that it wants to have clear details and protocols from the government. It is certain that without taking into account our specific needs, it will not be possible to reopen all the schools in Saint-Martin in May. The consultation meetings with the Rectorate, education stakeholders and the Prefecture will continue this week, until a joint decision is reached.

The executive also announced its willingness to see tourism businesses reopen from May 11. The President of the Republic responded favorably but under certain health conditions. Discussions are underway with the prefect and her services. The community will be informed of the deconfinement plan and the health measures imposed by the State for the gradual reopening of businesses in the tourism sector.

In view of the difficulties of the territory linked to the seasonality of the tourism economy and the difficulties to come, the territorial executive asks the government for an extension of the partial unemployment scheme until the end of 2020. This simple arrangement, understood by companies in view of the success, to date, of the partial activity mechanism, has the merit of its effectiveness. As a reminder, 829 companies have made a request for aid capped at 1500 euros in Saint-Martin for a request of up to 1390 euros on average per company. And 950 companies have resorted to partial activity in Saint-Martin since the start of the crisis for a total of 4478 employees.

In view of the feedback from some companies on the State Guaranteed Loan, some banks do not play the game locally to support companies. Executive urges banks to reconsider criteria to support Saint-Martin businesses that are in difficulty.

Section 2 of the State / COM Solidarity Fund was opened on Friday 1^er may. This additional aid is between 2000 and 5000 €, it can be mobilized for companies with 1 to 10 employees. The procedures must be carried out on the website of the Collectivity: www.com-saint-martin.fr. The files will be processed by our services and then sent to the DIECCTE before payment is made.

Companies can receive up to € 1500 on Component 1 which has been extended by one month, for the month of April 2020. The procedures are carried out directly on the national platform www.impots.gouv.fr

The Community has released an additional fund of 5 million euros distributed through a three-tier system to provide assistance to all businesses in the area, regardless of their size. This assistance takes the form of two honorary loans of up to € 15 and the use of the BPI rebound loan. For all these questions, our Economic delegation is at your disposal on 000 06 90 66 10.

The Collectivity is working on the resumption of public service in May. The staff will be equipped to welcome the public while respecting barrier gestures. A meeting in this direction is planned to set the contours of this recovery. The Collectivity is organizing for the purchase of masks, gloves, gels, liquid soap, in sufficient quantities for the administration to meet the requirements imposed by the ARS.

The Covid-19 PCR screening campaign has just started. It is managed by our hospital, in close partnership with the Collectivity but also the ARS, the State, the neighborhood councils, the Saint-Martin Santé associations and the Red Cross, and liberal doctors and nurses. The mobile doctors' system is driven by Red Cross buses in the 4 districts chosen by the hospital: Quartier d'Orléans, St James, Agrément and Sandy Ground, from May 4 to 18, according to a pre-established schedule. Anyone with flu-like symptoms can get tested at one of the mobile centers, regardless of where they live.

About borders the management of which is the exclusive responsibility of the Prime Minister and the Prefecture, the Community is currently looking for solutions with the prefecture and the government of Sint Maarten to respond to the difficulties of local entrepreneurs who are struggling to obtain a pass. It is therefore a tripartite approach that must be carried out, to prepare for the exit from containment and find the keys to a consensus as long as border control is maintained.

Solidarity Pact: the Collectivity and its services carried out 316 interventions with people in vulnerable situations (elderly, disabled or destitute), for the delivery of meals, the distribution of food parcels or the carrying of home shopping. This device will be maintained as necessary.

Solidarity pact: the Collectivity sets up assistance for students in difficulty:

- The advance payment of the remainder of the scholarships (40%) has been simplified by the simple presentation of a sworn certificate. This decision has already been voted on by the Executive Council on April 29.

- The granting of emergency aid of € 500 per student on request, for which the community has already committed to an envelope of more than € 200. This operation is aimed primarily at 000 COM scholarship holders and will be extended to non-executive students. The amount of exceptional aid for non-executive students will be subject to a vote in the Territorial Council.

- The launch of the Friendly Students operation in partnership with the Catholic University of Lille. The university provides us with five students from its European School of Political Science. Their mission will be to create a link with our students in France, to collect their difficulties and inform them of the measures in force.

The Collectivity indicates that meetings have been held in recent days with companies, project managers and Health and Safety Protection coordinators (SPS), to organize the conditions for the resumption of public works, in the compliance with the rules for the protection of workers and workers.

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