That is vital information for the West Indians. Parliament definitively adopted, on Tuesday, a invoice recognizing the State’s “share of accountability” in the chlordecone scandal in Guadeloupe and Martinique. The textual content carried by the Guadeloupean socialist deputy Elie Califer was unanimously accepted by theNational Assembly with 236 votes in favor. This adoption marks the fruits of a protracted parliamentary journey round one of many predominant well being points within the French West Indies.
Utilized in banana plantations Guadeloupe and Martinique till 1993 regardless of warnings about its dangerousness, chlordecone contaminated greater than 90% of the grownup inhabitants of the 2 territories, in keeping with the Nationwide Well being Safety Company (Considered). In July 2021, the company additionally concluded that there was a possible causal relationship between publicity to this pesticide and the danger of prostate most cancers. For Elie Califer, “the world knew” and, whereas a number of nations together with the USA had banned this substance, France “regarded elsewhere and determined to sacrifice the Antilles”.
“Restore confidence” with the West Indians
Earlier than the vote, the MP estimated that “this compromise textual content will make it attainable to revive deeply broken confidence”, whereas judging that “we should go additional on the trail to repairs”. He additionally denounced a distinction in remedy between the abroad territories and France, affirming that “if such poisoning had affected 90% of the inhabitants of Creuse, Brittany, Ile-de-France, the accountability of the State would have been acknowledged a very long time in the past.
The textual content gives that the State acknowledges its “share” of accountability within the harm linked to this pollution. The preliminary wording referred to the accountability of the State with out nuance, however it was modified by the Senate. Abroad Minister Naïma Moutchou recalled that “the State has its share of tasks”, including that it was a query of “recognizing that choices had been taken, that alerts existed and that the protections which ought to have prevailed didn’t make it attainable to keep away from the implications that we’re seeing right now”.
The query of compensation pending
The query of compensation, nevertheless, stays unresolved. The regulation units this goal however doesn’t create a direct redress mechanism. “Recognizing the State’s share of accountability is a requirement of reality. Constructing a good, equitable, legally stable reparation system is one other requirement,” underlined Naïma Moutchou. An interministerial inspection mission will quickly journey to Guadeloupe and Martinique to review the phrases of a attainable restore system.
In addition to thecompensation victims, the textual content gives for actions in favor of the depollution of contaminated land and water in addition to the strengthening of scientific analysis. He additionally invitations the State to look into “the looks of pathologies developed by girls”. Moreover, the Paris Courtroom of Enchantment should rule on June 22 on a attainable reopening of the judicial investigation linked to chlordecone, after the enchantment of the civil events contesting the dismissal of the case on this case.
