Martinique's Territorial Authority Faces Critical Financial Imbalance and Rising Debt

The Chambre régionale des comptes of Martinique issued a critical assessment of the Collectivité territoriale de Martinique’s finances, describing a structural deficit that has pushed the entity’s debt close to one billion euros, up markedly since 2021. The audit also found that the average payment period for creditors has surged to 131 days, far exceeding the statutory 30-day limit. The report, slated for discussion by the territorial assembly on 24 September, contains fifteen remedial recommendations; President of the executive council Serge Letchimy said the body will adopt them in full, arguing that the present administration inherited the fiscal strain.

He also pointed to a long-term decline in state allocations as a pressure on the territory’s financial autonomy. The chamber noted that previous recommendations from its 2021 report were largely ignored. Opposition leader Francis Carole described the situation as structurally catastrophic, warning of a lasting erosion of the authority’s capacity to fund public policies.