tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17639100.post5263371815604940482..comments2024-01-30T20:05:29.835+10:00Comments on Woolly Days: General strike escalates in Guadeloupe and MartiniqueDerek Barryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15581505641163336050noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17639100.post-41707741646098169052009-02-23T09:03:00.000+10:002009-02-23T09:03:00.000+10:00Of course I'll publish your reaction, Anonymous, I...Of course I'll publish your reaction, Anonymous, I have nothing to hide. <BR/><BR/>I accept there is no evidence for riots on Martinique and I thank for the clarification, though you yourself talk about arrests with accompanying violence.<BR/><BR/>My intention is simple; to draw attention to the inequities that exist on the islands.<BR/><BR/>Thank you for your comments, but I'd inclined to take them a lot more seriously if you put your name to them.Derek Barryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15581505641163336050noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17639100.post-73923635664362778052009-02-23T08:28:00.000+10:002009-02-23T08:28:00.000+10:00There are so many mistakes over present and past e...There are so many mistakes over present and <BR/>past events, inaccurate statements and <BR/>inaccurate analysis in your article that it is <BR/>unclear what your intentions are. It will be <BR/>interesting to see whether you are going to <BR/>publish my reaction as it follows on your <BR/>website. I will not correct all your mistakes <BR/>but let's simply mention that there has been no <BR/>riot in Martinique so far (feb. 22), <BR/>that demonstrations are not simply over high <BR/>prices for food although it is the first line <BR/>in the list of points to be negociated <BR/>including several other points that lead to a <BR/>re-organization of the whole society in these <BR/><BR/>overseas departments; let's also mention that <BR/><BR/>the arrest of 80 people during which police <BR/><BR/>special forces showed a lot of violence and <BR/><BR/>brutality unfortunately accompanied with racist <BR/><BR/>words was what started violent reactions from a <BR/><BR/>minority of youngsters in Guadeloupe<BR/>who torched cars. People ransacking shops the <BR/><BR/>arrest of 80 people are not protesters. <BR/>Guadeloupe's demonstrations were not mostly but <BR/><BR/>were totally peaceful up to that point. It is <BR/><BR/>not a mere black against whites situation nor <BR/><BR/>only the poorest, nor only blacks that are seen <BR/><BR/>demonstrating in the streets.<BR/>Local expression is not a dialect but a <BR/><BR/>language<BR/>Neither the LKP nor the collectif du 5 fevrier <BR/><BR/>demanded aid, they want the government to stop <BR/><BR/>protecting and giving money to the monopoly of <BR/><BR/>land owners. They demand that the government <BR/><BR/>apply laws against monopoly as is done in other <BR/><BR/>French departements and as should have been <BR/><BR/>done years ago.<BR/>These islands being French departements, just <BR/><BR/>like any other French department,they have the <BR/><BR/>same currency, stamps, as Parisians. They do <BR/><BR/>have their own logal flags as well as the <BR/><BR/>French one although the government fought this <BR/><BR/>initiative like it did in Corsica and Britany. <BR/> <BR/>conditions you are mentionning when Yves Jégo <BR/><BR/>left the Caribbean are inaccurate.<BR/><BR/>the negociations for a monthly €200 increase in <BR/><BR/>base salaries had not started yet in Guadeloupe <BR/><BR/>when you wrote your article<BR/>France did not acquired Guadeloupe<BR/>Today Guadeloupe does not only depend on sugar <BR/><BR/>and rum production as well as tourism.<BR/>But both islands’ economy is topped up with <BR/><BR/>support from France and Europe just like other <BR/><BR/>regions in France, Italy, or the rest of Europe <BR/><BR/>considering that taxes paid on these islands <BR/><BR/>are also sent back to France and Europe.<BR/><BR/>Unemployment in these departments oversea is <BR/><BR/>not double but at least three times that of the <BR/><BR/>mainland.<BR/><BR/>Not only political parties but also trade <BR/><BR/>unions in either department DID articulate how <BR/><BR/>they would manage economic and social <BR/><BR/>development within or not the French economy <BR/><BR/>but this has never been accepted, those <BR/><BR/>countries being forced to be the priviledge <BR/><BR/>customers of France's and Europe's market.<BR/><BR/>Demonstrators on the islands want Paris to let <BR/><BR/>them do more themselves.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17639100.post-15822087090495217142009-02-20T02:27:00.000+10:002009-02-20T02:27:00.000+10:00Its really crazy whats happens in Guadeloupe !Its really crazy whats happens in Guadeloupe !Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com