MARTINIQUE-Lull in protests ahead of the resumption of negotiations on the high cost of living

FORT-DE-FRANCE, Martinique, CMC—After a week of renewed protests against the high cost of living, officials on Sunday reported calm on the streets of the capital, and negotiations to reduce prices were said to be progressing.

Most roads were cleared, and only a few remained blocked after several days of demonstrations that featured clashes with the police, an airport invasion, and the return of a 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew.

The prefecture said on Sunday that there were no significant incidents: “The lull that began yesterday is confirmed. The night from Saturday to Sunday was calm.”

The curfew, along with a ban on demonstrations, gatherings, and other protest gatherings throughout the territory and a ban on the purchase, sale, and transport of fuels, petroleum products, fireworks, and pyrotechnic devices to individuals, will remain in place until Monday, but officials say they could be extended.

Meanwhile, the final round of negotiations on the high cost of living, in which the prefect, elected officials, representatives of the RPPRAC – the association that launched the movement against the high cost of living – and distributors, is set for Tuesday. The main point of tension relates to the number of products affected by the negotiated price reductions.

On Saturday, France’s Minister responsible for Overseas Territories, François-Noël Buffet, said the negotiations were progressing “constructively.”

“All political or economic stakeholders have committed seriously, and considerable efforts have been made to find concrete solutions. We aim to substantially reduce prices, with expected drops of between 15 and 20 percent….All partners have made very great efforts. We must now conclude!” he said.

Buffet added that it is imperative to restore public order to allow the discussions to be concluded in good conditions.

“The recent violence is often detached from legitimate demands concerning the high cost of living, and it is crucial to stop it so that the daily lives of our compatriots can resume normally. The State is also committed to ensuring total transparency in price control to guarantee that the measures taken are applied effectively and rigorously,” he said.