SXMElections.com

MARIGOT--New Préfète Déléguée Anne Laubies, who succeeds Philippe Chopin, began her first day of work on Monday by laying a wreath in the garden of Hotel de la Collectivité, the traditional signalling of the changeover of Préfets, and was introduced to the Territorial Council and separately to the press.

Prior to arriving in St. Martin she had been Secretary-General of the Préfecture of Pas-de-Calais since 2013.

She told reporters she was happy to be nominated the Préfete for St. Martin and St. Barths and had accepted the posting willingly, as much of her career had been working overseas and in France. She had never before visited St. Martin or St. Barths.

Earlier, prior to the wreath-laying, Territorial Council President Aline Hanson had introduced her to the Vice-Presidents and Council members, who had the opportunity briefly to tell her their concerns or on what issues they would like her, and by extension the State, to work.

“I understood there are many subjects that the State is being solicited for, or will be solicited for, to resolve,” Laubies said. “There is education, delinquency, justice, employment, and balancing the Collectivité’s financial situation, etc.”

She said she had learnt St. Martin was unique in that it is two countries on one island governed by two separate administrations and added that she also had worked in territories that had special characteristics, such as remote St. Pierre and Miquelon off the Canadian coast, and La Foa in New Caledonia.

Asked about her priorities, she replied: “I will be following up on the announcements made by President of the French Republic François Hollande on his visit here concerning delinquency, resources of the Gendarmerie, and the Justice system in terms of establishing a Chambre Detachée for a Court of First Instance. It’s a point of great importance. There are also very important financial issues to be dealt with for the Collectivité in conjunction with State services and elected officials.

“Fighting delinquency is also very important and we have to do this in cooperation with the Dutch side because it is not something unique only to the French side. Creating employment and stimulating economic development is essential in combating delinquency.”

She said she would be meeting the President of the Collectivité of St. Barths on Tuesday and the Dutch-side Government officials some time this week.

Laubies (62) was born in Morocco, but moved to Reunion Island when she was four years old. Most of her career has consisted of working for the Préfecture, holding positions in French Guiana (1981-1982), Rhone in 1983 and La Foa in New Caledonia in 1985. She was appointed Chief Secretary of the Préfecture in Prades in 1990, General Secretary of the Préfecture of Le Havre in 1993, before being promoted to Sous-Préfète in 1997.

Following a stint in St. Pierre and Miquelon she was put in charge of city policy for the Préfecture of Pas-de-Calais from 1999 to 2001. In 2001 she was appointed advisor to the Director General of Territorial Administration in Benin. She also held positions as Sous-Préfet in Forcalquier (Alpes de Haute Provence) in 2006 and Bergerac (Dordogne) in 2007.