(Pointe-à-Pitre) A dozen blocking roadblocks were maintained Sunday evening on the roads of Guadeloupe – where the reinforcements of the police forces from metropolitan France arrived – but “the cleaning has started” on certain axes, according to a responsible for Route de Guadeloupe.
“A first part of cleaning” took place Sunday “and it will continue tomorrow”, told an AFP correspondent Eric Dethelot, the on-call manager of Route de Guadeloupe.
“Thanks to the security forces present and the requisitions from the prefecture, we were able to clear the axes with greater means such as grapple trucks, dump trucks with more tonnage,” explained Mr. Dethelot. “The key was also to be able to store what we picked up somewhere, so that it wouldn’t end up on the road again just after”.
Reinforcements of police and gendarmes sent from metropolitan France, in particular 50 members of the GIGN and Raid units, arrived on the island on Saturday evening.
Certain axes have been cleared, such as the “route des Mamelles”, which crosses the National Park in the center of Basse-Terre. But a dozen dams “reinforced in the afternoon” remained in place, in several strategic points of the archipelago.
These barricades, made of sheets, containers of trash cans or trees, are held by “15 to 50 people”, underlines Colonel Jean-Pierre, of the command of the gendarmerie of Pointe-à-Pitre. Groups that can “reform” a few hours after being dispersed, he said.
At least “three fires were rekindled” and “there were still stones thrown at the police, without causing any injuries”.
“We can’t go everywhere. There are strongholds where there are patients behind but we cannot go there, ”notes Patrick Portecop, director of SAMU Guadeloupe.
In addition, the reception of students “in schools, colleges and high schools in mainland Guadeloupe” is suspended Monday, announced the rectorate in a statement. “The situation remains uncertain regarding road traffic and the possibility for staff and students to move safely and safely, seems compromised at this stage,” he explains.
The prefecture and the sub-prefecture, respectively located in Basse-Terre and Pointe-à-Pitre, “will be exceptionally closed” Monday, indicate the prefectural services in a statement.