Interview. Mayor Sonia Lagarde estimated that for Nouméa, “the violations that occurred were at least 8 billion”

The Nouméa City Council met this Thursday evening. He approved the administrative accounts for 2023. But after the wave of violence and destruction that the first city in Caledonia has just experienced, the municipal finances face great uncertainty. Interview.

CNC No. 1 : Can you give a preliminary assessment of the cost of the damage? ? Can we encrypt it? ?

Sonia Lagarde : The value of all the violations that occurred in the city today is 8 billion (CFA francs). This includes burned schools, two media libraries, the Rivière-Salée service center, 57 out-of-service video surveillance cameras, dozens of vehicles, some municipal workshops, seriously damaged roads… The list is long. We are evaluating it all and checking with insurance companies and experts. But it is at least 8 billion.

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Are there plans to rebuild or repair damaged areas? ?

Service Level: The priority in front of us is already to repair the roads. There are dams and fires, asphalt melting… Another priority is obviously to rebuild schools. Because we prioritize what we can do : Roads, schools. The rest will be done later when we have enough money to do the necessary work again.

In the short term, what happens to students who are no longer in school? ?

Service Level: We are still experiencing difficulties in the north, especially in the Rivière-Salée and Ducos regions. Schools have been burned down. We cannot relocate the children today. The school year will start in a staggered manner and the children who are not in school will be monitored educationally. We would like to be able to “relocate” them to other premises. It is not that simple.

What are the impacts on city finances and employees? ?

Service Level: Since New Caledonia is Stop PaymentThe municipalities receive monthly funds from New Caledonia. But since New Caledonia no longer has any treasury, nothing reaches the municipalities.

Today I tell you frankly that we have 800 million in our hands.

Sonia Lagarde, Mayor of Noumea

With nearly 1 800 agents, about 650 million in monthly wages. 650 million in fees included. We will be able to pay for June, July without paying the Kafate social fees. Everyone is in the same boat. Not only the commune of Nouméa, but the other communes as well.

In this case, what is your visibility for the rest of the year? ?

Service Level: New Caledonia should pay back the money it owes us every month. Today she is unable to do so. The situation is dramatic. The expectations are there. It is an extremely complex situation and we have no long-term vision.

What is the situation at the Municipal Social Action Centre?

Service Level: CCAS is essential. Our staff carry out social activities here, usually for the elderly, the disabled… We regularly follow 400 to 500 people a month. People who are really at risk. We help them every month. We also have basic assistance, the so-called food stamps.

CCAS in Noumea spends about $6 million a month on food stamps and all the aid. We have to stop them (Thursday). We are running out of options.

Sonia Lagarde, Mayor of Noumea

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How do you see the future of New Caledonia?

Service Level: As a result of the violations that have occurred, the entire population has no choice but to move towards a situation of extreme instability. Those behind this must ask themselves a question: Is this what we want? ? To put our people of all nationalities into this precarious situation? We are now in a situation from which I do not know whether New Caledonia can recover.

I hope we can stop this soon. Let’s sit around the table and start discussing. Let’s be transparent and understand what everyone wants. The future is about moving forward, not destroying. The path to peace, the path to possibility is in front of us. It’s much easier to destroy than to build.

Summary of the report by David Sigal and Christian Favennec