“7,000 direct and indirect jobs lost”, one in four Caledonians in “partial unemployment”, according to the CCI

David Guyenne, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) of New Caledonia, was the guest of franceinfo on Monday June 3.

“An estimated 7,000 direct and indirect jobs are lost” in New Caledonia after the riots, said David Guyenne, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) of New Caledonia. Economic activity is struggling to resume due to the insecurity that reigns still in the archipelago: “It is estimated that 15,000 people will be affected by partial unemployment. This is approximately 25% of all salaried employment in New Caledonia.“, he added.

Food businesses in downtown Nouméa that were not burned are trying to open “a few hours a day“despite supply difficulties:”The latest news was that activities were around 15 to 20% of their usual turnover.“, specifies David Guyenne. In the Ducos district, the industrial heart of New Caledonia, “those who have reopened only see a return of activity of 5 to 15%“, he adds.

Insecurity in New Caledonia is an obstacle to recovery. But not only, “Obviously, Caledonians are not in a state of mind to consume“, he explained. David Guyenne describes again “inaccessible areas in Greater Nouméa where security has not been restored“, even if he “feels an effect from the police, it’s indisputable”. In the majority of cases, access is possible in the districts of Nouméa. “But certain roadblocks re-form in the process, particularly at night. Which means that today, we cannot say that order has been 100% restored.”he describes.

However, businesses have a vital need to resume economic activity: “It’s really important to reopen despite these conditions, because they already need to get together with colleagues, to get together in the company, and they need to see the future“, he explains.

But for a large number, the urgency is to rebuild their trade or business burned down during the riots: “We have identified the measures and devices which will be quite close to everything that may have happened during Covidhe said. We are awaiting the formalization of all these measures. It’s true that business leaders and employees are starting to get impatient“.