Guy Losbar has appointed Catherine Romuald as the interim Director General of Services (DGS) of the Departmental Council of Guadeloupe. The decision was made public during Losbar's opening speech at the fifth plenary meeting of the year, held at the Palace of the Departmental Council in Basse-Terre. This comes amid rising social tensions on the island, as the assembly is reviewing an additional budget of more than 84 million euros in new expenditures. Losbar expressed confidence in Romuald's ability to turn the council's decisions into tangible actions for the community. The appointment of Catherine Romuald was announced to departmental councilors, directors, and staff during a meeting in Basse-Terre. Guy Losbar stated that he had chosen Romuald for the interim role, emphasizing her dedication, experience, and leadership in bringing teams together. He reiterated his trust in her to lead the administration in a modern and effective manner, working alongside the DGA, directors, service heads, and all staff to continue implementing public policies that benefit the people of Guadeloupe. The meeting addressed a full agenda, including the review of the 2026 supplementary budget, the presentation of the Departmental Risk Analysis and Coverage Plan (SDACR) by Sylvain Montgenie, the appointment of Justin Plumain to replace the late Jean-Claude Maes, and the adoption of four resolutions from the June 24, 2026 Congress of Elected Officials focused on water. Losbar also spoke about the current social climate, noting issues such as the high cost of living, rising fuel prices, declining purchasing power, and a water crisis. He mentioned having met with representatives of the Nou Las Palé collective and expressed support for the demands of mobilized high school students, while condemning acts of violence and vandalism. The 2026 supplementary budget includes more than 84 million euros in new expenditures, partly funded by nearly 39 million euros in new revenue. Nearly 20 million euros will be allocated to support the elderly and disabled, nearly 15 million to RSA and integration programs, nearly 4 million to child protection, family, and youth initiatives, and nearly 22 million to infrastructure investment. Losbar also honored deputy Élie Califer, who stepped down from the finance committee presidency for personal and organizational reasons but will remain engaged in its work. Regarding water issues, Losbar noted that progress on the agreement with SMGEAG for repairing leaks was slow but nearing completion. He also highlighted a recent agreement with Action Logement and Marylène Adhel, the newly elected president of the ADIL, which will provide 1,000 euros per beneficiary for property regularization, including in the 50 geometric steps zones, and up to 5,000 euros for home ownership. The speech also covered recent events, including the Blue Week, which was affected by an armed attack in Trois-Rivières, Pink October with the launch of a cancer house project, and the Month of Kreyòl, which runs until October 30.