Overseas Minister Sébastien Lecornu, “on his way to the West Indies” to meet elected officials – Le Monde

The elected officials of Guadeloupe had requested, on Saturday, the arrival of a delegation on the subject of “State powers” after the government put the issue of island autonomy on the table. The overseas minister, Sébastien Lecornu, is on his way to the West Indies, his entourage told Agence France-Presse on Sunday, November 28.

“The minister is currently on his way to the West Indies, [où] he will deepen the discussions on site ” carried out in the last few days, confirmed a source from the ministry, who did not wish to specify the time of arrival, ” For safety reasons “. “In the two territories of Martinique and Guadeloupe, a notable return to calm took place during the night from Saturday to Sunday thanks to the tireless work of the police”, welcomed this source. Between 2,000 and 3,000 people took part, Saturday, November 27, in a demonstration, part of the Pointe-à-Pitre University Hospital, in order to demand the total lifting of the vaccination obligation for caregivers and firefighters.

Before flying to the West Indies, Mr. Lecornu greeted “The method agreement signed last night [heure de Paris] between the State, the local elected representatives of Martinique and the intersyndicale, which will allow the opening of discussions on the main issues of the territory (health, fuel prices, youth, transport, etc.) ”, underlines the entourage of the minister.

“Some of these themes concern the State, others more the local authorities: everyone will play their part”, explains this source, which took “Note of the intersyndicale’s commitment to temporarily lift the roadblocks”. “Social dialogue for hospital staff and unvaccinated firefighters will continue”, adds this source.

Proposal variously appreciated

On Friday, in a televised address to Guadeloupe, Mr. Lecornu said that the government was ” ready “ to raise the question of more autonomy if this could make it possible to “Solve the real problems of the daily life of Guadeloupe”.

According to him, the question was asked “Hollow” through “Some elected” during the negotiations which took place during the last days following the eruption, ten days ago, of a protest movement, which caused violence, degradation, looting, fires and road blockages. Born from the refusal of the vaccination obligation for caregivers and firefighters, it embraced multiple demands: social, economic and identity.

Sébastien Lecornu’s proposal was immediately pounded by the right-wing and far-right opposition, which denounced a retreat or a drop, or even, for the RN presidential candidate of 2022, Marine Le Pen, an attempt “To buy the radical separatists”. On the left, Jean-Luc Mélenchon (LFI) judged “Astounding” the “Macron’s response” and called to speak only about status ” in good time “, the resolution of“Social and health emergency” being a priority according to him.

Asked in Sunday Newspaper of November 28, Mr. Lecornu specified that ” autonomy is certainly not independence ”. This autonomy “Already exists for certain overseas communities to varying degrees, the most advanced model being, for example, Polynesia”, further explained the minister.

The question of autonomy is ” off topic “, for his part, decided Elie Domota, spokesperson for the union collective LKP, on LCI, stressing that the demonstrators did not “Never heard” as to their claim to “Negotiations on the vaccination obligation and the health pass”.