A visit to show the government's “firmness” and “desire for dialogue”.
Sébastien Lecornu arrived Sunday afternoon in Pointe-à-Pitre (Guadeloupe), an island in the West Indies shaken for several days by violent riots.
On the sidelines of a meeting with local authorities, the Minister of Overseas Territories detailed the results of law enforcement operations: 118 operations have taken place since the start of urban violence, writes France-Antilles, who attended at the press conference.
This "represents a judicial activity as important as for three to four months", specified the member of the government.
Also according to Sébastien Lecornu, nine dams were still in place Sunday afternoon against 24 at the start of the crisis.
Sébastien Lecornu will then travel to Martinique, also shaken by blockades, violence and looting for a week.
The night from Saturday to Sunday, however, was quieter in these two Caribbean islands.
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Born from the refusal of compulsory vaccination for caregivers and firefighters, the movement has spread to political and social demands, in particular against the high cost of living, in these French islands with high unemployment rates, especially among young people.
The minister indicated that he would meet "a dozen people" from the inter-union, "to discuss health claims".
He reiterated that the vaccine obligation, postponed to December 31, would not be lifted: "The laws of the Republic are intended to apply" in the French Antilles.
"I did not come here to embody a weak State, but (I came to embody) also obviously a State which dialogues" added Sébastien Lecornu, specifying that "the hand (was) extended, nevertheless it remains a hand of firmness ".
Staff who are reluctant to vaccination accompanied to "create the conditions for their professional mobility"
According to Max Evariste, of the FO union, the inter-union "cannot imagine that there will be decisions taken (during the visit), since it only comes for one day".
The inter-union wants "all" of the organizations to participate in the meeting and calls for "real negotiations", the "reintegration of suspended people" with all their rights, but also the "release of all those who have been convicted" afterwards. violence.
This latest request has "more than shocked" the Minister of Overseas Territories, who repeated that staff reluctant to vaccination would be accompanied to "create the conditions for their professional mobility".
These negotiations are due to start on Monday.
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Sébastien Lecornu is also due to meet Monday in Guadeloupe with "local elected officials and economic players," said the ministry, as the next day in Martinique where he will also meet the intersyndicale.
The minister, who sparked the ire of opposition in metropolitan France by indicating Friday that the government was "ready" to raise the issue of more autonomy for Guadeloupe, will return to Paris on Wednesday, the ministry said.
In a press release, elected Guadeloupe officials considered that the "current priority" was "the way out of the crisis" and that "the local domiciliation of decision-making power (was) a question that (should) be addressed in due time".
