PUBLIC GROUP AND INTERNATIONAL REINSURER
Can you describe the main aspects of your
mission and tell us who you work with?
The creation of the Inter-Ministerial Delegation
for Major Overseas Risks
was initiated by the French president and government.
The goal is to accelerate and improve
action taken to mitigate major risks
and also to implement a pragmatic easy-to-use toolkit
to be used across the board by all the actors involved.
We also want an integrating tool that can be used
by the central authorities, the local authorities,
by all the ministries; their centralized
and decentralized departments
by the authorities from each of the territories,
who have much expertise,
and naturally with the private sector
and by the insurers in particular.
What lessons have we learned from Hurricane Irma?
I was the territorial delegate
for reconstruction for 15 months
for Saint Barthelemy and Saint Martin
within the Delegation for Reconstruction.
Insurance is absolutely essential
to reviving any territory
restarting its economy and enabling
its businesses to operate again.
This is even more important when
we consider the hurricane victims.
In this case, the victims must stop and ask themselves
serious questions. The entire population is traumatized.
Also, in Saint Martin, the situation
was worsened by looting
and there was an accumulation of loss.
It is essential to understand
what people have experienced.
Naturally, there were difficulties getting
the mechanics of insurance in motion.
When you look at it objectively, and not to
criticize, but when you consider the facts
I think that we must take
feedback into careful account
and see how we can strengthen our
ability to be prepared the next time.
Large sums of money were not
used in the reconstruction.
And I think that in terms of our approach
and our modus operandi,
this issue needs to be addressed.
There were sums of money that were
not used for reconstruction
which poses important questions
in terms of territorial planning.
Essentially, these sums were
used for other purposes
and I believe this is a fundamental issue
because we will create considerable
problems for all of the territories
if this money is not used
for territorial reconstruction.
We conducted a study on
the impact of Irma on buildings.
25% of all buildings were destroyed
and 85% damaged in Saint Martin.
For the majority, there were
construction defects.
This puts into question building know-how,
compliance with construction guidelines, etc.
despite the fact we have several
well-qualified contractors in the territories.
But there is a lack of control in the
building industry that is significant.
What actions have been planned to strengthen
risk management in the territories?
The president of France unveiled
a bill of law on major overseas risks.
In the territories, there is a combination
of hazards that intensifies natural risk.
And also, the coastal population is
quite dense and sometimes fragile.
We must be very attentive to this.
Work is being conducted
across the different ministries
aimed at proposing solutions
in the form of legislation
to facilitate risk prevention and management.
This work is currently in progress
and should be completed by 2020.
PUBLIC GROUP AND INTERNATIONAL REINSURER
Subtitles: Pierel & Associés
