REPORTING. “Carnage”, layoffs, incomprehension… The harsh reality of entrepreneurs in New Caledonia after the riots in May

Nearly four months ago, some businesses literally went up in smoke during the violence that shook the archipelago. This is particularly the case of a car dealership in Nouméa, now forced to lay off a third of its workforce.

Faced with the economic slump in New Caledonia, the State will release an additional envelope of 87 million euros after the 100 million euros granted in July following the independence riots. The damage amounts to more than two billion euros, according to the local government. Nearly 800 businesses saw their premises damaged, looted or burned, revealing a completely devastated landscape.

In Nouméa, for example, a car dealership burned to the ground on May 13. “It’s impressive, it looks like the building was bombed”told Laurent Jeandot, 54 years old, while showing us what remains of the place. “Waste, carnage”he continues to describe what he sees.

This man comes from a family that has been present in New Caledonia since the 1970s and runs an automobile group. He lost a bodywork and two dealerships during the events. Nothing remains of it in Nouméa, apart from a few charred carcasses and blackened walls. In total, for him, 40 million euros went up in smoke.

“Few entrepreneurs understood why attack companies. What did they do? They were already fragile before these abuses.”

Laurent Jeandot, entrepreneur

at franceinfo

“We all know that New Caledonia lives mainly thanks to nickel, but the nickel industry was not in its best shape, so why? asks the entrepreneur, If we want to talk about politics or independence, that’s what we’re here for, we’ve been talking about it for decades so let’s continue talking about it, but there, bringing the economy down I didn’t really understand, and even today Today I still don’t understand, that’s why it’s difficult to talk about it, it’s difficult to talk about something whose meaning you don’t understand.”

Since May, the activity of Laurent Jeandot’s group has fallen by 80%. Aid from the State, the province, or even the solidarity fund, was not enough.

“We had to make a restructuring plan and in this plan there are layoffs in progress. A hundred people, out of 300, that’s huge. On May 12 I didn’t fire anyone.”

Laurent Jeandot, entrepreneur

at franceinfo

The destruction in the wake of the riots left more than 24,000 people jobless in New Caledonia.