The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

Closure of ski lifts: "Local elected officials were not listened to!"

2020-12-01T23:42:08.367Z


FIGAROVOX / INTERVIEW - There was a regrettable lack of consultation with local players before the government's decision to close the ski lifts, Nicolas Rubin analyzes. According to the mayor of Chatel, outdoor queues are considered by the state to be more ...


Nicolas Rubin is mayor of Chatel and Departmental Councilor of Haute Savoie.

FIGAROVOX.

- The ski lifts will remain closed in the ski resorts during the Christmas holidays.

Does this decision surprise you?

Nicolas RUBIN.

-

It is no longer a surprise, the surprise was that of seeing the exchanges between elected officials and mountain professionals and the government reduced to nothing when the Prime Minister had made commitments.

Read also:

Closure of ski lifts: ski resort traders consider themselves "sacrificed"

Since then, videoconference meetings have followed one another like a Netflix series.

We do not know the scenario, let alone the number of episodes, on the other hand the actors are well identified.

We have only just heard from the Secretary of State for Tourism, very astonishing with regard to a leading destination in the world that is the French mountains.

The prefect of Haute Savoie has however announced the possibility of practicing cross-country skiing, hiking and snowshoeing, from December 15 without limit of time and distance.

Despite everything, is this insufficient?

The mountain has a range of activities to also satisfy non-skiers.

It is a half response to the economy of the territories, employment, the moral health of customers and local actors.

For those who do not ski, it will be enough, for the vast majority of others, it is not enough.

If the transport by ski lifts worries, that of the metro and other public transport seems to reassure them

Queues worry the government, but only in the open air, because in the closed places there are dozens of places at risk, and it turns a blind eye ... an astonishing political position.

If the transport by ski lifts worries, the metro and other public transport seem to reassure him.

It is a serious distortion and an irresponsible assessment.

Did you have the feeling that you were listened to by the government in these decisions?

No, these decisions are made by advisers who do not take the advice of local stakeholders who are nevertheless good support in the field.

They deliver rough advice to ministers who must have, deep down, a certain facility to say no rather than fear for their person, their decision.

At this level, when we do not consult the base and the local elected officials, we have to change jobs.

Read also:

A petition calls for the total opening of ski resorts at Christmas

The decision support is drawn from the source of the subjects, it is there that it is the least polluted.

In itself, in a small committee, there must be a kind of self-satisfaction to direct.

This is what we reproach our "elites".

As mayor, what are your feedback from the field after this decision?

The mountains do not understand how large spaces are sacrificed for a season which will in any case be unusually busy and far behind normal seasons.

If the government's decisions were fair there would not be much to say, but here the reactions often point to inconsistency to cacophony.

Socio-professional categories do not expect the State to be put on a drip by aids that even dissuade them from working, they want to be active

The basic problem is ultimately this pyramidal power which knows how to trust the territories when it suits it and ignore them the rest of the time.

Socio-professional categories do not expect the State to be put on a drip by aids that even dissuade them from working, they want to be active, they are often entrepreneurs, the lifeblood of our territories, employers, and taxpayers at a time.

It is a question of the moral and mental health of the teams who are also there to bring their know-how to the reception of our customers, who are also waiting to get some fresh air ...

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2020-12-01

You may like

Trends 24h

News/Politics 2024-03-28T06:04:53.137Z

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.