Problèmes socio-économiques insolubles de la Martinique

Abstract

There is substantial social unrest underlying the prevailing neocolonial political and societal structure in Martinique. It is burdened with chronic high rate of unemployment rate and continuing rising cost of imported food and other basic necessities of life. Banana is the foremost plantation crop grown in Martinique. There is also an ecological disaster arising from the widespread use of carcinogenic chlordecone for controlling banana pests for more than 3 decades. Although this practice had stopped in 2003, the recalcitrant pesticide remained largely in the soil. The challenge to create meaningful new jobs under these social-economic and environmental constraints is thus formidable.