Searches in Guadeloupe for an investigation into the memorial dedicated to the history of slavery

Agents from the National Financial Prosecutor's Office (PNF) carried out searches of several organizations, including the Guadeloupe region, as part of an investigation into the ACTe Memorial. The place located in Pointe-à-Pitre, is a cultural institution dedicated to the history, heritage and memory of the slave trade, slavery and its abolitions. It was inaugurated in May 2015.

Following a transmission from the Court of Auditors in May 2019 on alleged irregularities in the award of several public contracts, the PNF contacted the Judicial Finance Investigation Service (SEJF) in June 2019 for these facts “likely to constitute a harm to the financial interests of the European Union,” according to this source.

At the beginning of 2019, a report on the use of European funds overseas pointed to “costly abuses and irregularities”. The magistrates stressed that European funds were quickly allocated in 2014, following the definitive withdrawal of a household waste treatment project from the 2007-2013 programming by the European Commission. They also noted “a frequent lack of conformity of procedures” regarding public contracts, a lack of control of excessive project management costs, despite validations of the legality control.

At the end of 2019, three public contracts awarded under the presidency of the Guadeloupe regional council of Victorin Lurel then Ary Chalus were concerned: the delegation of project management (2010 and its amendment in 2017), the pre-opening and opening of the museum until the end of 2015 and that around the management and operation of the ACTe Memorial for 2017.

The premises of the regional council as well as those of the social landlord, developer and real estate operator Semsamar, the mixed heritage economy company and a cultural engineering office for celebrations and leisure (BICFL), were therefore searched on Monday, according to this source.

The cultural institution regularly hits the headlines. In November 2023, the regional chamber of accounts examined its administrative, scientific and political management, giving rise to an indictment from the attorney general of the court. President Ary Chalus as well as the current director general were also heard at the beginning of this week by the authorities of the general prosecutor's office at the Court of Auditors. Finally, its former general director, called to court for infringement of freedom of access to public markets, is awaiting the decision at the end of April.