Martinique, one of the oldest french colonies, is currently an inequality-ridden overseas department, undermined by post-colonial resentment.
Strikes, over 20% of unemployment, deleterious climate.
160 years after the abolition of slavery, black and white people haven't healed History's scars yet. The Békés, heir of the white colon families, are still the actual masters of Martinique.
After arriving on the island in the XVIIth century, the béké families are less than a percent of the total population of Martinique. They still own over 20% of the island's GPD. The heart of their power is land ownership and their "flair for business" : they own over 52% of agricultural land, control 40% of retail distribution in Martinique, are almost in monopoly position of the agri-food sector.
Another advantage of the béké patriarchs : their political connections, in Paris and Brussells, where they defend their family business at the highest possible level.
The complicity between powerful béké families and political power was brought to light in 2007, with the kepone scandal, a powerful pesticide forbidden in France, but the source of a major sanitary catastrophe in the french Antilles.
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