Martinique negotiations continue
Published:Wednesday | February 11, 2009 | 1:27 PM
A working group is expected to meet with Martinique island administrators today to discuss the lowering of the price of services in the French overseas territory.
Yesterday, supermarkets in the country agreed to a 20 percent cut in the price of 100 products, as a general strike over the high cost of living drags on.
The supermarkets had earlier refused to make price cuts of more than 10 percent.
Meanwhile, in neighbouring Guadeloupe, a similar strike is now into its third week, as workers press for increased salaries, lower taxes and reduced petrol prices.
The two French islands have seen their vital tourism industry suffer from the global financial downturn, with hotels shutting down and charter flights cancelled.