Camille Petit (politician)

Camille Petit (2 April 1912 – 2 August 1993) was a French politician from Saint-Esprit, Martinique.[1]

Camille Petit
Deputy to the National Assembly
In office
1967–1986
Preceded byJoseph Pernock
ConstituencyMartinique's 1st constituency
President of the Regional Council of Martinique
In office
1974 – 1983
Succeeded byAimé Césaire
Mayor of Sainte-Marie
In office
1967–1983
Succeeded byGuy Lordinot
Personal details
Born(1912-04-02)April 2, 1912
Saint-Esprit, Martinique
DiedAugust 2, 1993(1993-08-02) (aged 81)
Paris
Resting placeCimetière parisien de Bagneux
NationalityFrench
Political partyNational Centre of Social Republicans, Union for the New Republic, Union of Democrats for the Republic, Rally for the Republic
ProfessionPhysician

Biography

Medical career and public health practice

Petit was a doctor by profession. After completing his studies at the Faculty of Medicine in Paris in 1938, he worked in a hospital in Fort-de-France and others in Paris. He was involved in setting up Martinique's "La Goutte de lait" (the drop of milk) project with the Union des Femmes de la Martinique (Women's Union of Martinique), which worked to give mothers access to more information about nutrition for babies.[2][3]

Political career

In his political career, he pioneered the Gaullist movement in Martinique. In 1958, he participated in the official creation of the Union for the New Republic (UNR) of Martinique, a political party, he became departmental secretary from 1958 to 1965. From its creation, the UNR of Martinique fiercely defended the complete assimilation of Martinique to France and the status of an overseas department.

He was a great admirer of General de Gaulle and a convinced assimilationist, opposing Martinique's autonomists, who were in favor of Martinique's separation from France. Throughout his political career, he demonstrated an unwavering attachment to the French nation and to republican values.[4]

He was one of the founding members of the Société d'histoire de la Martinique (Martinique History Society), in 1955.[5] The history society established itself as an organisation which overcame the political, as can be seen in its offering interest to such differing personalities as Petit and his fellow society member, Aimé Césaire.[6]

Fonds Saint-Jacques estate in 2017, including Father Labat's sugar factory, 17th century, warehouse, monastery, chapel
Fonds Saint-Jacques estate in 2017 - Father Labat's sugar factory, 17th century, warehouse, monastery, chapel[7]

Mayor of Sainte-Marie

A longstanding mayor of Sainte-Marie, he oversaw a number of developments in the town between 1967 and 1983. Sainte Marie's housing stock was extensively rebuilt, gaining a new quarter (Villeneuve), several schools, market buildings, a medical and educational centre, town hall and stadium. He also arranged for the allocation of a plot of land to the SICA de Fonds Saint Jacques, which is now a historic site and cultural centre.[4]

On 15 April 1982, he was re-elected president of the Regional Council of Martinique.[8] He did not participate in the 1983 French municipal elections.[9] Petit died at the age of 81 in Paris, after an illness; he is buried in the cemetery of Bagneux. He is the grandfather of Maud Petit, member of the French National Assembly representing Val-de-Marne.[10]

Terms of office

Local government

Parliamentary terms
  • 5 March 1967 - 30 May 1968 : Deputy of Martinique's 1st constituency[11]
  • 23 June 1968 - 1 April 1973: Deputy of Martinique's 1st constituency
  • 4 March 1973 - 2 April 1978: Deputy of Martinique's 1st constituency
  • 12 March 1978 - 22 May 1981: Deputy of Martinique's 1st constituency
  • 21 June 1981 - 1 April 1986: Deputy of Martinique's 1st constituency

References
  1. de Reynal, Guillaume (2021-04-26). "PETIT Camille". CONTRUIRE NOTRE VIVRE-ENSEMBLE (in French). Archived from the original on 2021-09-24. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
  2. "Portail de la Banque Numérique des Patrimoines Martiniquais - Découvrir - Expositions virtuelles - Solange Fitte-Duval - Union des Femmes de la Martinique". www.patrimoines-martinique.org. Archived from the original on 2022-04-27. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
  3. Lerandy, Luc (12 August 2018). "Camille Petit, le bâtisseur – Belia Sainte-Marie" (in French). Archived from the original on 2022-07-20. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
  4. Lerandy, Luc (12 August 2018). "Camille Petit, le bâtisseur – Belia Sainte-Marie" (in French). Archived from the original on 2022-07-20. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
  5. Lerandy, Luc (12 August 2018). "Camille Petit, le bâtisseur – Belia Sainte-Marie" (in French). Archived from the original on 2022-07-20. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
  6. Bégot, Danielle (2011). "Sociétés savantes d'outre-mer : la Société d'histoire de la Martinique et la Société d'histoire de la Guadeloupe". Actes des congrès nationaux des sociétés historiques et scientifiques. 134 (6): 131–144.
  7. "DOMAINE FONDS SAINT JACQUES". Martinique - Best Caribbean Islands, Caribbean Tourism, Best Caribbean Destination. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
  8. "Les élections des présidents". Le Monde.fr (in French). 1982-04-17. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
  9. "OUTRE-MER La gauche enlève quinze communes à l'opposition". Le Monde (in French). 1983-03-15. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
  10. Faatau, Jean-Tenahe (28 May 2017). "Législatives 2017 – d'Outre-mer en Hexagone: Maud Petit, candidate En Marche! dans le Val-de-Marne". Outremers360° (in French). Retrieved 2022-07-20.
  11. "Assemblée nationale - Les députés de la Ve République : M. Camille Petit". www.assemblee-nationale.fr. Archived from the original on 2022-01-07. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
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