Sébastien Lecornu, Minister of Overseas Territories, recalled Thursday in a letter addressed to the overseas economic world of the adaptation of the emergency economic aid measures from which he benefited, but refused the exemption of social and fiscal charges and the non application of the health pass he requested.
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The actors of the economic world of the Antilles and Guyana had sent to the government on Wednesday a joint document expressing their
"proposals for suitable support measures to support (their) VSEs and prepare the relaunch of the activity"
, they indicated. Thursday in a statement. Among their demands, the maintenance of the solidarity fund, compensation by the State for the remainder of partial unemployment, aid in force for this health crisis, but also freezes in the payment of
"social and fiscal charges"
. At the end of February, Guadeloupe socio-professionals blocked the island for several days for the same reasons.
Actors from the economic world have also asked for the
"postponement of the application of the health pass when at least the vaccination schedule of at least half of the population will be complete"
, in order to avoid a
"massive loss of customers"
.
The presidents of the Guadeloupe Region and the territorial collectivity of Martinique had also written to the Prime Minister to this effect.
No turning back
In his letter, Sébastien Lecornu confirms the existing arrangements, specifying that they have been
"renewed on more advantageous terms than in the rest of the national territory"
, and that it is
"a considerable and legitimate effort of the national solidarity ”
in view of the crisis and the confinement in force in the territories. But, concerning social and fiscal charges, the Minister recalls that there is no question of
"going back to the criteria of regularity in the matter to access the solidarity fund"
and that it is
"entirely normal that social citizenship and fiscal is a condition of access to the benefit of national solidarity ”
.
In 2019 in Guadeloupe, 54% of companies were debtors of Urssaf.
According to this organization, this percentage of debtors increased by 24 points in 2020.
Finally, concerning the health pass, the Minister recalls that,
"in the longer term, the only solution to ensure the resumption of economic activity and social life is the vaccination of the entire population"
, inviting business leaders to
“support it resolutely, by speaking out and taking concrete action with your constituents, your employees and your customers”
.
