CLAYTON FLORENT, Guadeloupe Correspondent Negotiations have been suspended until Monday in the general strike, which has crippled Guadeloupe for the past 31 days.
After meeting with executive presidents and parliamentarians of the Overseas Departments Thursday evening, French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, broke his silence by announcing a 580 million euro-purse to the Overseas Departments. This, he said, will go a long way in alleviating the poor living conditions in the Departments.
The striking unions, Employers Federation, the Prefect and the two mediators met Friday afternoon to begin negotiations on the proposals made by President Sarkozy, but after about three hours of deliberations, the negotiations were suspended until Monday.
According to the spokesman for the striking unions in Guadeloupe, Elie Domota, the presentation made by President Sarkozy is not clear.
"We have been given new laws, new proposals, and new Ministers; every time a new one comes out, we are told that's the solution to our problems. We are being fooled for the past 50 years; we are not just going to accept the President's words until it is clearly defined and concrete measures are put in place to give us solutions to the problems facing our people," he said, adding that there is a willingness to negotiate, but the strike continues.
Meanwhile, the body of 48-year-old Jacques Bino, the trade unionist who was killed Tuesday, will be exposed Saturday at the Trade Union building in Pointe-a-Pitre before making its way to his birthplace, the northeastern town of Petit-Canal, where he will be buried on Sunday.
Martinique, which is also on strike, is now into its 15th day. The unions and supermarket owners have agreed to lower the price of about 100 items on their shelves, but agreement has not been reached on a raise in salaries.
