Mare-Chicose – Joanna Bérenger: "I hope the minister will impose sanctions instead of tolerating"

A strike took place this Friday morning at Mare-Chicose, disrupting operations at the landfill site. The cause of this movement is the truck owners who work as contractors for the company Sotravic, who are protesting several months of unpaid wages as well as tensions related to the organization of their activities.

Typically, about twenty trucks go to this site to transport wastewater to treatment centers. However, according to the mobilized drivers, the company has recently acquired its own vehicles to perform these services, which has worsened the situation.

A complaint has been filed at the Cent-Gaulettes police station for obstruction of access roads.

It is worth noting that the management contract for the site was awarded to the Sotravic/Strata joint venture on June 28, 2024.

In response to this situation, Joanna Bérenger believes that these issues were predictable. She recalls that a similar problem occurred a few weeks ago at Mare-Chicose and criticizes a certain passivity in the face of the many shortcomings of the contractor over the past year.

The deputy also points out that the government has employed a consultant to monitor and advise on the management of the site, questioning the delay in implementing the recommendations made.

"It is precisely because of this slowness and passivity that we can no longer remain inactive. In the interest of the environment, I hope the minister will start imposing sanctions instead of tolerating, and anticipate instead of reacting. Otherwise, it is the environment that will suffer the consequences," she stated.

Text: Shaïmaa Kurmally