Thread: More Bad News from Guadeloupe

Sarkozy Pledges Aid To Quell Unrest In Guadeloupe
2-19-09 1:42 PM EST
POINTE-A-PITRE, Guadeloupe (AFP)--France caved in to demands for wage increases in Guadeloupe on Thursday in the hope of ending a month-long strike that has plunged the French Caribbean island into violent protests.


(snip)

Shots were fired at security forces during a third straight night of riots and police confronted gangs of youths who looted stores and ransacked the town hall in Sainte-Rose on the north coast.

Hundreds of police reinforcements have been deployed from mainland France to Guadeloupe after a labor activist was shot dead late Tuesday near a barricade in Pointe-a-Pitre, the island's biggest town and economic hub.

READ COMPLETE ARTICLE HERE: Morningstar - : Sarkozy Pledges Aid To Quell Unrest In Guadeloupe

the situation in guadesoupe must e affecting tourist bookings in ST barthelemy.

Here s the text of a notice published in the Saint Barths weekly:

Message from
the President
of the
Collectivity

“In keeping with the
Travel Alert issued by
the State Department
warning travelers about
current conditions and
labor strikes in Guadeloupe
(French West
Indies), the Collectivity
of Saint Barthélemy
confirms there are
absolutely no strikes or
demonstations taking
place on the island of
Saint Barthélemy. In
fact, Saint Barthélemy
is not officially part of
the Department of
Guadeloupe, which is
located over 125 miles

away from our island”.


FROM: St. Barths Online - Journal de St. Barth - St-Barth Weekly

so sad for all of them

Originally Posted by canarymoon

--France caved in to demands for wage increases in Guadeloupe on Thursday in the hope of ending a month-long strike that has plunged the French Caribbean island into violent protests.

Originally Posted by canarymoon

the situation in guadesoupe must e affecting tourist bookings in ST barthelemy.

Here s the text of a notice published in the Saint Barths weekly:

Message from
the President
of the
Collectivity
“In keeping with the
Travel Alert issued by
the State Department
warning travelers about
current conditions and
labor strikes in Guadeloupe
(French West
Indies), the Collectivity
of Saint Barthélemy
confirms there are
absolutely no strikes or
demonstations taking
place on the island of
Saint Barthélemy. In
fact, Saint Barthélemy
is not officially part of
the Department of
Guadeloupe, which is
located over 125 miles

away from our island”.


FROM: St. Barths Online - Journal de St. Barth - St-Barth Weekly

Really an unfortunate situation for St. Barths where everything is totally fine!

Certainly can understand why tourists might have concerns. The first thing that came to my mind and even asked on another thread here if St.Martin (French side) and/or St. Barths were also having problems ... since they are also a part of the French West Indies .

Hate what's going on in Guadeloupe and Martinique ... but very glad all is well in St. Martin and St.Barths .....

The officials there say that they have seen 10,000 vacation cancellations for the months of February, March, and April.

Don't know if that includes St B or not... but it's an enormous number for them!

Probably does NOT include cruise ship calls that aren't happening, either.

This is from an article last month--seems the "unrest" is over.
Does anyone know if ships are calling there again?

Discontent at the rising cost of living led to violent protests early in 2009, and France sent in troops when rioters killed a trade union official. The French government raised wages for the low-paid, a key demand of the protestors, who ended a general strike in March.