Martinique’s territorial councilors voted unanimously on Thursday for a bill to encourage the government to draw up a guidance and programming law on chlordecone.
“It is a proposal for the government to present a bill,” launched Serge Letchimy, president of the Executive Council of the Territorial Collectivity of Martinique (CTM).
The former deputy from Martinique and president of the parliamentary commission of inquiry on chlordecone had in the past formulated the demand for a framework law on this matter.
David Zobda, executive counselor in charge of Sustainable Development, who presented the deliberation to the assembly, considers that it is a question of “sanctifying in law a certain number of provisions capable of responding in a lasting manner, in a serious and intangible way, to an action that would finally be recognized by the nation”.
“Restore confidence” of the population and “protect” it
The proposal formulated by the CTM consists of 55 articles. Seven axes articulate the text, among which stand out “restore trust” with the population, “protect the population from health risks”, “preserve the agricultural sector and fishing” or “soil decontamination”.
This law, if supported by the government, would replace the chlordecone plans devised by the state.
“We do not believe in the efficacy of the plans that are offered to us”, justifies David Zobda.
The Chlordecone IV Plan, which began in 2021, will end in 2027. Its budget of 92 million euros for all actions carried out in Martinique and Guadeloupe is considered grossly insufficient by local elected officials.
A cautious opposition
If the territorial opposition voted for this text with the majority, it showed its distrust. “The state has been misleading in the past with all the Martiniquais, if we are doing a bill today, we have to follow this bill to be able to frame things,” warned Louis Boutrin, a territorial adviser for the opposition and a lawyer for one of the civil parties. in the criminal aspect of the chlordecone case.
In France, chlordecone was used in Guadeloupe and Martinique between 1972 and 1993 to control weevil invasion in banana plantations. Due to a slow natural degradation, this molecule always contaminates the plots in which it has been used.
Source: BFM TV
