Return of the press conference organized by the government in view of the troubled period that New Caledonia is experiencing. Led in particular by Christopher Gygès and Thierry Santa, with representatives from the economic world, it returned, this Friday afternoon, to the measures in this area.
Press conference held by the New Caledonian government this Friday afternoon. It was dedicated to “points of progress”concerning economic issues.
Christopher Gygès, spokesperson for the executive, announced in particular that the State solidarity fund “is being finalized” and that it must be implemented “in the coming days”, to help small businesses. As with Covid, he indicates, aid can be paid quickly. He also mentions “a fixed cost aid system for larger structures”. Finally, a system co-constructed around partial unemployment and the strengthening of total unemployment. There is talk of putting a website online called www.urgenceconomique.nc so that Caledonians can access aid.
“We are lucky to have the State at our side in a strong way. We had Bruno Le Maire, [ministre de l’Economie et des finances] by videoconference this week”said Christopher Gygès at the outset, referring to another to come with the Minister for Overseas Affairs. “We were able to identify devices. They are ready today, he assured. We are waiting for the State to trigger it. They are ready, for businesses that have been physically impacted or that are seeing their turnover drastically drop due to people no longer going to stores, etc.”
“The best way to react to this violence is not to get discouraged and give up, but to think about how to bounce back. This is the choice that the economic world has made”, said Thierry Santa, in charge of employment. He said he was speaking, as well as Christopher Gygès.in the name of collegial government”. “The primary objective is to keep employees”through the specific partial unemployment scheme. “Specific ‘mining’ partial unemployment was put in place two months ago. It’s the same principle. Specific crisis partial unemployment, to maintain employment as much as possible, and ensure that the purchasing power of Caledonians should not be too impacted.”
The government gives a strong figure. “We are talking about more than 500 companies destroyed, unable to produce, and who could not do anything other than lay off workers”, launched Thierry Santa. “We’re talking about more than 5 000 people potentially affected.” This concerns destroyed businesses, and specific total unemployment, he said. “Unfortunately, things can still change.”
It details the measures envisaged. “Beyond the fact that our common law unemployment system cannot support this additional mass of unemployed, we decided to create a specific total unemployment system. A degressive system”. The goal: that these 5,000 fewer employees can have time to turn around without the consequences on their families being too severe. “We are talking about 13 billion for the first three months, this is the amount of specific partial unemployment and specific total unemployment. New Caledonia is unable to finance these measures and the State is providing assistance.” According to Thierry Santa, who provides a broad assessment, partial unemployment could affect 10,000, 15,000 or even 20,000 people. “We will have clear ideas over time.”
Other telling figures in terms of destroyed or damaged infrastructure. “The insurance, noted Christopher Gygès, brought us back [jeudi] one billion euros, or 120 billion CFP, deposited with insurance. And at least 30% of companies which are not insured and therefore have not submitted a file. We must support them. It’s not their doing, he moderated. There was a period when it was complicated to get insurance, in New Caledonia: there were refusals of insurance following a period with fires. But we must not forget anyone in this crisis.”
“Banks have an important role to play,” also said Christopher Gygès. “Discussions are underway. About PGE postponements [le prêt garanti par l’Etat], arbitrations are in place. Insurance companies are strongly mobilized, with the fact that the riot clause can be broadened, have a tolerance on the formalization of photo and video evidence.
New Caledonia will recover, we will give a future to this territory.
Christopher Gygès, member of the collegial government
Mimsy Daly spoke for the Medef which she chairs. “The results are catastrophic.”she insists, confirming: “There will be an insurance component. There are the destroyed companies, but also the companies which have not been destroyed: the subcontractors, the companies in operating loss, which will be in cessation of payments in a few weeks (…) And the metallurgical sector, constrained by the situation.”
The manager insists: “The situation is serious. We are moving forward every day. The government has written legal texts. These measures must be financed. We are waiting for confirmation from the State and for them to be voted on by Congress. We have need to know if Congress is ready to vote on the laws that will be tabled, within a very short period of time. We have skills here. [sur lesquelles] the State has no control. We call for the very rapid implementation of the vote.”
We have a sense of urgency, salaries are the first priority.
Mimsy Daly, president of Medef-NC
With a countdown: “It’s May 31, it’s the end of the month, we have ten days to pay salaries. Thousands of Caledonians are waiting for these decisions. Choices must be made.” And even to say: “Better to do it quickly than well. They need to have visibility. We have a sense of urgency, salaries are the first priority.”
Thierry Santa spoke of meeting the standing committee of Congress next week, to examine the texts taken by the government this Wednesday. Another concept of duration: “If we have the State’s agreement for exceptional financing, the government will meet before Wednesday,” assured Christopher Gygès.
“We have entered into crisis management,” recalled the Chamber of Commerce and Industry through its general director, Charles Roger. He has recalled the measures put in place by the CCI to support businesses, in particular the toll-free number 05 03 03. “You will have advisors on the phone who will help you, for business leaders, to obtain the right answers and implement the right actions.” Also Frequently asked questions, updated with daily updates. The CCI which has made itself available to the State regarding the international airport it manages, to organize all flows, current and future. “
At the same time, elected officials got to work on reconstruction. On the time after. It will be essential to restore visibility and confidence to business leaders and their employees.
Charles Roger, general director of the CCI
Update from the Chamber of Trades and Crafts, with Elizabeth Rivière. “We have craftsmen who can no longer cope.”describes the president of the CMA. “For example, customers, individuals withdraw, do not know if they are going to do work. They have supply problems. The CMA supports the craftsmen, they are often destitute. It is sometimes simply for an exchange .”
And there is one disaster in particular: in Nouméa, the Craft Training Center located on the Nouville peninsula was destroyed “at 90 %”. Installations that are both expensive and essential. “We must quickly find tools to allow these young people to continue. The future of our country is to integrate this population, these young people. The artisans are there to welcome these young people into the business.”
At the level of the Chamber of Agriculture and Fisheries, its general director Guylain de Coudenhove discusses the challenge of maintaining agricultural safety. Farmers and fishermen want to mobilize to supply the markets of Nouméa and Greater Nouméa. It is a question of a “sea bridge to be set up to transport fresh and agri-food products. We have set up communications and numbers to relay these needs and supply Nouméans with fresh products on a daily basis.” It also remains that “farmers have to find fuel, it’s this field logistics that we are putting in place.”
We will reopen the Ducos market as soon as possible, this is the wish of farmers and consumers.
Guylain de Coudenhove, general director of the Chamber of Agriculture and Fisheries
In terms of supply, a small victory highlighted by Medef: “We managed to relaunch Ocef. This freed up some of the meat and potatoes stock.”, rejoiced Mimsy Daly, pointing out on the other hand the difficult problem of access to rice and flour. “We are very constrained by the current situation, by the blocked roads.”
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