Traveling to Guadeloupe, the Minister Delegate for Overseas Territories, Jean-François Carenco, announced measures for “real repair”. Chlordecone, widespread in banana plantations, was banned in the United States in 1975, but authorized until 1993 in the French West Indies.
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“Now I mean it’s action.” The Minister Delegate for Overseas Territories, Jean-François Carenco, announced several measures aimed at living without “chlordecone risk”including covering the cost of drinking water treatment, during a two-day trip to Martinique and Guadeloupe. “We are going together on the construction of a real repair”commented the minister, Wednesday, June 28, on the antenna of the local radio RCI.
Chlordecone, used in banana plantations to fight the banana weevil, was banned in the United States in 1975, but authorized in France from 1972 to 1990, and even until 1993 in the West Indies, where it benefited from a derogation, under the pressure of planters, industrialists and certain politicians. Due to a slow natural degradation, this molecule always contaminates the plots on which it has been used.
“Double the effort on research and innovation”
Jean-François Carenco had declared during his previous trip to Martinique in January that he recognized “the humiliation that people have been subjected to by dragging out this affair for thirty or forty years”. The government has announced “bear, in an exceptional and derogatory way, the additional cost of drinking water treatment caused by chlordecone pollution”Tuesday, in a statement inspired by the amendment proposed by the senator of Martinique, Catherine Conconne, which had been adopted unanimously by the Senate in December.
Seven drinking water production stations are concerned – six in Guadeloupe and one in Martinique. “In recent years, the quality of the water distributed complies with the quality limits set for pesticides at more than 97.5% in Guadeloupe and 100% in Martinique”, assures the government. The state also plans to “finance aid for cattle farmers affected by chlordecone pollution”.
Fishermen, another profession concerned, will benefit from a simplification and extension of the financial aid devoted to them until the end of 2027. In 2022, 344 fishermen benefited from it, according to the government. Finally, the executive intends “double the effort on research and innovation by 2030”. “The health of women and children, soil depollution and life-size experimentation of the discoveries of researchers” are among the areas that will benefit from this funding.