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My field is in marketing and communications. A dear friend of mine recently asked me to help him create a press release regarding his homeland Guadeloupe, where he resides, regarding and their current struggle. I've posted the release below to spread the word since the media has failed to do so.
Since January 20, 2009 the people of Guadeloupe, a French Caribbean Island south of Puerto Rico, have united in a general strike covering the entire archipelago. They are demanding that the French government and the Industry leaders give them greater purchasing power.
In effect, this neighboring Island has known a general economic strike for more than 3 weeks now motivated by the unification of more than 49 unions and local associations under the abbreviation LKP « Lyannaj Kont Pwofitasyon » Unification Against Abuse. The abuse refers to the high costs of first necessity products, high cost of basic services such as water, electricity and the telephone. The price difference in many cases has been noted as 5 times more expensive than in France; where the minimum wage base is the same.
The LKP, for negotiation purposes drew up a list of 133 demands which were used as a basis of discussion between the Industrial Association of Guadeloupe, the local political representatives and the Prefecto, an official French government representative based on the Island. The following are some of the principal demands:
• Raise the minimum net wage in Guadeloupe by 200 Euros
• A reduction in the gas prices, at 1.57€ in December, equivalent to $2.00 a liter or $6.00 a gallon.
• The possibility of Guadeloupe’s inhabitants to gain access to executive positions
Due to the gravity of the situation, on Sunday, February 1st, the French government, after 15 days of strikes, decided to send the responsible Minister of the France Overseas Department (DOM), of the outer islands, to aid in the negotiation process and put an end to the strikes.
But this same person who had made a vow to the people, abandoned the Island on Sunday, the 7th without any prior warning, missing out on a scheduled meeting with the unions.
This lack of commitment on behalf of the Minister has left the people of Guadeloupe in a standstill creating a sentiment of indignation and augmenting the existing tension in this territory.
Since January 20th thousands of Guadeloupians have been peacefully protesting in the streets of the principal cities of the Island. According to LKP there were 50,000 protesters the first week, 70,000 the second and more than 100,000 in the last protest.
Also, on February 5th Martinique, another sister French Island to Guadeloupe, has joined this movement on a similar demand platform, almost identical to those of Guadeloupe.
Here too the protesters make up the thousands in the streets of this Island. The French government worries that this movement may expand to the French Guyana where the unions have already called for strikes.