Fort-de-France (AFP)
The Fort-de-France commercial court on Tuesday validated the takeover offer for France-Antilles by businessman Xavier Niel.
The only daily newspaper in Martinique, Guadeloupe and Guyana was put into liquidation at the end of January.
The company NJJ, Xavier Niel's personal holding company, proposed at the beginning of March to resume the three editions of the daily newspaper and to keep 126 of the 235 employees of the group.
The court validated its takeover offer, following the opinion of the Advocate General, who said a week ago favorable to the offer of the businessman, deemed "solid on the economic plan ".
The businessman's objective is to be able to restart daily life in April.
"I am delighted with this decision which should allow the West Indians and Guyanese to regain access to a high-quality regional daily press," reacted Overseas Minister Annick Girardin in a statement to AFP. "Defending and preserving a free and plural press in our overseas territories is above all defending democratic life," she added.
Xavier Niel had made known his intentions to take over the three editions of the daily newspaper after the deadline, after the liquidation of the newspaper. But on February 20, the commercial court had exceptionally decided to extend the group's activity until March 10, in order to allow the founder of Free and co-shareholder of Le Monde, who has just bought Nice-Matin, to make a offer.
France-Antilles has ceased publication since February 1 and France-Guyana since January 25.
"It is a relief for the staff since the company had already been liquidated. Jobs have been saved," reacted Rodolphe Lamy, representative of employees of the France Antilles editorial staff. "There is a strong expectation from the public. We must not disappoint our readers. The buyer had planned to resume the activity of the newspaper in mid-April but given the context of confinement it will be difficult," he added. .
NJJ has indicated that it wants to keep a daily edition of the paper edition, but could reduce its pagination. In the West Indies, it plans to centralize printing in Guadeloupe and the transport of newspapers by boat or plane to Martinique. For Guyana, the subcontracting of printing and distribution is envisaged, but the offer would only be digital at first.
NJJ also wishes to strengthen the digital offer of the newspaper, but also to develop the group's event activity, through the organization of festivals or concerts.
The project is estimated at 8 million euros. NJJ puts on the table 3.5 million, the rest coming from public funding (grants from the Ministry of Culture and "local authorities of Guadeloupe and Martinique") and a loan from the Economic and Social Development Fund.
Created in March 1964, France-Antilles, former subsidiary of the Hersant group, was in receivership since June 25, 2019.
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