On 15 April more than 100 fishermen demonstrated in the streets of Fort de France, the main town on Martinique, in the French West Indies.
In January they barricaded the port until the government in Paris allocated €2m ($2.6m) in aid, which they are still waiting for. The contamination caused by chlordecone, a persistent organochlorine pesticide, means their spiny lobsters are no longer fit for human consumption. The people of neighbouring Guadeloupe are increasingly angry for the same reason.
After polluting the soil, the chemical is wreaking havoc out at sea, an environmental disaster that now threatens the whole economy.
If we are to maintain our place as the nature island its time to rid the island of all those dangerous chemicals. Many of which was banned from countries like the us. Organic but GMO free is the way for them future
Do you no some of DOMINICA fish a not the same as Martinique and Guadeloupe fish
We really have to start looking at all those chemicals being used and the rise in our ill health NCD,s and cancer. Let us start now!!!
Sad , but now our lobsters will take blows
So sad.. people are talking about ‘them’ when Dominica lies dead right in the middle… ‘them’.. as if fish don’t swim. Yes my people.
What are you talking about? The same farmers that cause these chemicals to pollute the marine environment? And in Dominica we have yet another marine polluter, see what the quarries are doing!
u mean dat nice lobster i eat dere in martinique cannot ener my mouth again. Bondie we have to do someting bout dis. we use so many chemicals. time to reduce dem ting or is we dat will b reduced
We can always go with the common saying “sah yeux pas voir ,cheh pa ka fait mal””What the eyes dont see dont hurt your Heart”
Not sure if this will save us so we better find out what our situation is .We already know we have very high cancer rates even with our Nature Island slogans.
All the pesticides and herbicides banned in the developed Country is sold to the “THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES.” Manger Cochor
How far away are we from them? not far. We are in it too! but who will say so? Dominica fish and food has been poisoned since I was a lad. Gramaxzon in all our grown foods, and D.C.P (Dominica Coconut Product) poisoned our waters and our fish. The cancer rate just spiked in Dominica some years ago. Need I tell you more? Who can grow their organic food better do so. Rain water is not as pure as it used to be, with its “acid rain.” However, I think, right now, rain water is best to drink. My advice? give the French people Dominica passport. hehehehehehe
Perfect example of how industrial countries have used our ignorance to destroy our small country. Banned in France but allowed to use elswere as long as they can keep producing bananas for us.
Dominica is not immune. Ever wonder why there is such a high rate of cancer in Dominica. When we find out it may be to late. At least Guada can claim damages and they have found out a problem
Believe it or not, these are some of the reasons why cancer is on the rise.
The chemical chlordecone (aka kepone) is known to be an endocrine disrupter and was listed a carcinogenic since 1979.
Body Organs Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that may interfere with the body’s endocrine system and produce adverse developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune effects in both humans and wildlife. A wide range of substances, both natural and man-made, are thought to cause endocrine disruption, including pharmaceuticals, dioxin and dioxin-like compounds, polychlorinated biphenyls, DDT and other pesticides, and plasticizers such as bisphenol A.
Endocrine disruptors may be found in many everyday products– including plastic bottles, metal food cans, detergents, flame retardants, food, toys, cosmetics, and pesticides.
The NIEHS supports studies to determine whether exposure to endocrine disruptors may result in human health effects including lowered fertility and an increased incidence of endometriosis and some cancers. Research shows that endocrine disruptors may pose the greatest risk during prenatal and early postnatal development when organ and neural systems are forming.
This is very serious and can have serious long term health problems if we do not monitor the chemicals used on plants and food we consume.
Our government needs to inform the public whether this chemical was used here at all. Not only that – they need to inform the public about ALL the pesticides that have been used in DA and whether any of them fall into a similar category as chlordecone. Now, while this is being done, we have to watch out for Guadeloupe and Martinique fishermen poaching in our waters – they already have a reputation of doing that, I see even more reason for them to be more brazen about it. This is also a potential economic boost for our farmers as well – providing, of course, our food chain has not been similarly compromised.
Well if we share water with them both and they are both contaminated then surely we must have some form of issue! Time to check our waters. Also time to regulate what is being used. Geothermal can wait. Safe food supply comes first.
Farmers aren’t protesting, fishermen are! Unless Dominican farmers can grow lobsters I don’t see an opportunity for Dominica. Dominica has seen many an opportunity but they only jump on the ones where they can get a big pay out right away like selling passports (citizenship) or begging for money
grow up dazzzzzzzzzzzzzzz, sssssssssssssssaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Truly a horrible situation. Lesson for all of us
Dominica lies between both Martinique &Guadeloupe that is one water chain fishes migratedont you think we are in it too? what about the chems we have used and continue to use in D A do you think is only they affected? they have resources to carry out the necessary research so as to find out what is happening to them, do we in D A really care more worry for us>
Boy, I always wonder why we still allow the use of such things like gramazone. That should be banned long time ago.
LET’S DO IT!
Too many candy shoppers in the herbicide and pesticide aisle.
It will contaminate fish here too.
Every wonder why Dominica has such a high cancer rate per capita? We need some studies like these conducted. We may just be amazed by what we fin out…IJS
Like the diseased frogs. What happened to cause them to be diseased?
that situation in French WI is very sad
this is a typical environmental crime
just wondering : what about dominica ?
chlordecone’s been banned by the US in 1976, has it been used in dominca ? until when ?
Sad story for them. But i sm,elle oportunity for Domincia. Come on farmers, time to make money!!!
BOOM;i agree with you 1000000%,but the government must work with the farmers,this is it;Dominica’s time to rise,control all the chemical being use on island,monitor the chinese so they doe contaminate the rivers,and we good to go.yow yow!
feed the french people and make the euros.
you bastard… check to see if we not contaminated too before you start thinking largess
I disagree with you and tend to agree wholly with BOOM. The sea life around Dominica may well be contaminated. But unlike Dominica, the land in Guadeloupe is also contaminated preventing them from using a portion of their arable land for producing crops. Here lies the opportunity for farmers in Dominica! However the apathy of young able-bodied people in Dominica towards farming is the biggest spoke in the wheel of progress. The opportunity is there.
We have the land, we have the water, we have access to Capital. If any of you took Economics at DGS, you would know that there is only one factor of production missing…. Entrepreneurship. Who will take the initiative to start producing marketable crops. That should be at least on the political platform come next general election.
Why call the person a bastard? stuppppes
Shame on you! mr. knows his father. Do you know yours?
what are they going to grow LOBSTERS?
Do farmers grow lobsters now? Pls. L t me know. I definitely would like to harvest some myself.
very good is time to make money let teach the french counties that we have value to