Guadeloupe: economic crisis or racial conflict?

18/02/2009 / GUADELOUPE

Guadeloupe: economic crisis or racial conflict?

Photo published on the sharing site "Fwiyapin".

Twenty-nine days in and protests in Guadeloupe saw their first mortality last night in the French Caribbean island's largest town, Pointe-à-Pitre. Our Observers, two Guadeloupians who live in France, attempt to explain the reasons behind the crisis.

Contributors

Claude Lamaille

Daniel Mugerin

"Guadeloupe – full of scheming and corruption"

Claude Lamaille, 53, works for the state health service in Paris. He left Guadeloupe when he was 17, but he returns often to visit his family.

I feel completely supportive of the social movement in Guadeloupe. People just want to be able to feed themselves; they're sick of fighting to get a job. My brother, for example, had a little restaurant on Gosier Island. And suddenly the mayor forced him to close it. They said that it was because he didn't have running water, but there's no doubt that it was because the town's big shots wanted to do business in that area. It's like that in Guadeloupe - full of scheming and corruption. And there are people who benefit from the system. For example, people high up in companies are given a business allowance, but they never pay their workers and then they fire them without a cent handed over. The people who profit are both sides, black and béké [white people from the island]. It's true that racism does exist between the two communities. Imagine if descendents of Hitler were the biggest landowners in Germany today. It's the same thing. The békés are descendants of slave drivers who made their fortunes from our suffering. However, let me make it clear, that this racism is not the reason behind this current conflict. It's a revolt against misery. I don't know why it didn't come to this before."

Claude Lamaille

"This strike is lasting a long time and it’s imperative that it comes to an end in order to save the island’s economy"

Daniel Mugerin, 35, has Guadeloupian and Martiniquan origins. He's a lawyer and lecturer at the university of Sciences Po Paris. He returns to Guadeloupe regularly to take part in court cases.

All French people should feel concerned about what's happening over there. The main reason why people are protesting is because of the high cost of living. Why are the prices so high? Primarily because of a lack of unity. Most large businesses, the majority of them owned by békés, are located in France itself, and therefore use the same prices. The option of taking legal action against these monopolies has been possible for a long time, but nobody has bothered to do it. The French unity authority, which has existed since 1986, has only just referred the matter to court! Brussels could have done it too, but instead they did nothing.

On top of this high cost of living is the clogged up job market in the Antilles. Unemployment is huge and the people there don't have the same rights as the people on the mainland. For example, if you're fired under unlawful circumstances, you have to wait on average six years to have your case heard by an industrial tribunal. There's certainly a lack of funds for the justice system, but that's surely not the only reason.

This strike is lasting a long time and it's imperative that it comes to an end in order to save the island's economy. Like in France, people are more likely to strike than sit down for discussions. But in the islands, most of the bosses are békés. And békés are not very accustomed to negotiating."

Daniel Mugerin

Français

Comments

my view on two comments.

Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Thu, 19/02/2009 - 04:16.

RE: "The people who profit are both sides, black and béké [white people from the island]."

Nice to see the truth for a change. People like to blame it all on the béké population when in fact, black store owners are buying direct from wholesalers and selling for exorbitant prices...profiting this last month during the strike.....just like the large supermarkets. The problem is the mentality...everyone out for themselves...nobody cares about their neighbour.

RE: "But in the islands, most of the bosses are békés. And békés are not very accustomed to negotiating."

As for this comment....very suprised to see this coming from a lawyer you say?? This is why there are problems in Guadeloupe/Martinique...this kind of mentality. Bosses don't have to negotiate with employees. If you don't like your job...quit. There are many black bosses...and they put up with alot less bullshit than the white ones. For your information, employees are caught stealing in supermarket depots and if there is talk of firing them...everybody is going to go on strike and close down the store....usually during christmas. Everybody in Guadeloupe remembers Christmas 10 years ago... This is not something to negotiate...this is time to clean house...only problem, in Guadeloupe its not easy. I do agree with the strike as the prices are ridiculous...its the same on every french island...time to change.
What they don't need are looters/rioters that are not interested in change...they are out at night destroying property and killing innocent men.
They use the strike as an excuse to steal...and they are stealing from black, white,lebanese and indian.

Unless the mentality changes, Guadeloupe will never improve....they will go downhill...like Haiti.

In reply

Submitted by Daniel Mugerin on Fri, 20/02/2009 - 17:26.

Dear Sir or Madam,

First of all, I would like to say that the short article above was not written by me but instead was a summarization of and a (rather bad) translation of some of the comments I made in French on the phone with one of France 24 reporters.

My point certainly was not to blame all problems of the French Caribbean deparments on the Békés. I have to tell you that the Békés are true French Caribbean citizens, very much like the Afrikaners are part of the nation in South Africa. I believe that current problems in Overseas France are everybody's responsibility.

My point was to put emphasis on the fact that in the French overseas departments, businesses are overwhelmingly owned by the Békés and that the small number of them does create a situation of monopolies or oligopolies. As a lawyer, I do believe that competition law is important to provide for the best possible competition environment. French and European Union legal competition rules and procedures are very elaborate and one of the reasons why prices are so high in Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guyana and Réunion is that those long established competition rules that are applied in Continental France somehow are being constantly ignored in the French Islands.

Moreover, I certainly believe that the Békés are very important for the future of the economy of Guadeloupe and Martinique. I am convinced that many of them, both in Guadeloupe and Martinique, are willing to join in the upcoming discussions on the future of Overseas France that were announced by French President Nicolas Sarkozy on 19 February 2009. Just like the government of the Republic of South Africa did support and prod discussions and rapprochement between all South African communities in the wake of the 1994 democratic elections there, French public policies should and will find a way to bring every and all French West Indians and other Overseas French Citizens together.

As for the notion that the people of Guadeloupe all are looters, I will leave it up to you to specify or add up to what you wrote.

Looters and rioters...

Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Mon, 23/02/2009 - 01:02.

Thank you very much Mr. Mugerin for your explanations...I now understand and agree with what you are saying 100% and I will now explain what I was saying.
I apoligize if it looked like I was calling all the people of Guadeloupe...looters...I was not. I was talking about a very small percentage of people (which included the ones that shot innocent Mr. Bino) They seem to join the demonstrations with their own agendas. Their actions damage everything the other demonstrators are aiming for...which is the end of this strike with benefits for the people of Guadeloupe.
It would be wonderful to see the people of Guadeloupe work together to use
this island to their advantage. There is so much potential but I am at a loss to say how the people (Indian,White and Black) will ever truly join together...to work together to reap the benefits. One of the problems of Guadeloupe is that everyone that could make a difference(for example yourself and Mr. LaMaille have left the island!
Thank you for your response!

Mr. Mugerin

Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Mon, 23/02/2009 - 01:15.

RE: One of the problems of Guadeloupe is that everyone that could make a difference(for example yourself and Mr. LaMaille have left the island!

My apologies...I see that you are from Paris and not Guadeloupe...but it is
good to see that you are still involved in this island's problems....and you understand that I mean Guadeloupe is lacking in good black leaders....

Paralyzing legacy

Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Thu, 19/02/2009 - 14:13.

Colonialist mentality and state-sponsored corruption are a deadly mix. We need more black capitalist leaders, bureaucrats are part of the problem, not part of the solution.

reply to above comment

Submitted by klu (not verified) on Thu, 19/02/2009 - 16:43.

How can you say this? The article says "People like to blame it all on the béké population when in fact, black store owners are buying direct from wholesalers and selling for exorbitant prices"

What is needed is change - NOT giving everything away like they did in South Africa.