(Fort-de-France) The inter-union which launched the blockades on Monday in Martinique plans to toughen up the tone when the authorities open the dialogue, in this island shaken like its neighbor Guadeloupe by a challenge to the anti-COVID vaccine- 19 compulsory, which turns violent in some neighborhoods.
“We received an invitation to a meeting Thursday morning at 10 am with the prefect and the president of the executive council (of the Territorial Collectivity of Martinique Serge Letchimy) at the prefecture”, announced to the press Éric Bellemare, general secretary of Force Martinique worker Wednesday afternoon during a press point.
An invitation arrived when the members of the inter-union threatened “to make other arrangements” in the face of “contempt displayed by the prefecture” had launched the union representative.
The leaders of the 17 trade unions, who have launched a call for mobilization in Martinique since Monday, will now look to their respective bases to decide on future actions.
The unions have all the same warned that they do not intend to lower their guard. “If until now the state has taken small steps, it is thanks to the balance of power,” observed Gabriel Jean-Marie, secretary general of the CGTM. Dams could therefore persist.
Violence again took place in Martinique and Guadeloupe on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday, injuring the police, while the dams continued to paralyze activity on these two islands plagued by a major social crisis.
The prefecture of Guadeloupe, which extended the curfew until Saturday, announced that two gendarmes had “been slightly injured” and six arrests carried out, during the night.
Overseas Minister Sébastien Lecornu assured that in Guadeloupe, “the penal response is underway: almost a hundred arrests as I speak to you”.
Homicide attempts
In Martinique, the prefecture indicated that “very violent events occurred in the agglomeration of Fort-de-France during the night”. “Seven police officers and five gendarmes were slightly injured, but they were not hospitalized”, according to the same source.
“Five people were arrested and are still in police custody for attempted homicide and aggravated violence against persons holding public authority, damage caused by fire, carrying and possession of weapons, participation in armed groups. They have all been sentenced already, ”she added.
From Paris, government spokesman Gabriel Attal denounced a “recalcitrant minority” and “violent” which is taking “an entire island hostage”.
“Public health cannot be instrumentalised for political ends”, he insisted at the end of the Council of Ministers during which President Emmanuel Macron “recalled that our objective, our course, is to protect the Guadeloupeans ”.
” Fed up ”
To calm the situation, Prime Minister Jean Castex announced on Monday the creation of a “forum for dialogue” in order to “convince and support individually, humanly”, the professionals concerned by the vaccination obligation.
The Minister of Health Olivier Véran also “decided to set up a structure which will make it possible to find a solution for each of the 1,400 people suspended because they are not in compliance with this vaccination obligation”, explained Sébastien Lecornu.
The overseas minister will meet on Thursday for a videoconference “all the elected officials of Guadeloupe” to discuss health measures, but also the issue of youth “who find themselves on the dams”.
Solutions that did not convince in Guadeloupe. “There are enough of them. The state is allowing the situation to rot. Instead of responding, they send us the GIGN. As long as there is no negotiation, we are there, we are waiting ”, declared to AFP, Colette, who refuses to give her name, participating in a rally at a roadblock, in the town of Les Abymes.
This administrative technician in a dialysis center dependent on the CHU, is against the vaccine obligation that she equates to “rape”. Opposed to the vaccine mainly by “lack of perspective”, she “received his formal notice prior to his suspension.”