Media / Judicial liquidation of the "France Antilles" group: "a part of the heritage of the Antilles that is disappearing"

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The mixed commercial court of Fort-de-France announced yesterday, Thursday, January 30, the liquidation of the press group France-Antilles, publisher of the daily newspapers of France-Antilles Guadeloupe, France-Antilles Martinique and France-Guyana.

The France-Antilles group, in receivership since June 25, 2019, employed 235 employees in three separate editions in the three overseas departments. Formerly a subsidiary of the Hersant group, the daily was created in March 1964 on the occasion of the official visit of President Charles de Gaulle to Martinique and on February 18, 1965 in Guadeloupe. Only the radio subsidiaries of the three editions are sold to a buyer.

"It is a part of the heritage of the Antilles which is disappearing and a little democracy which is collapsing", reacted France-Antilles Guadeloupe. "On the social level, it is a real earthquake with 235 employees from Martinique, Guadeloupe and Guyana who lose their jobs", underlines the newspaper.

"A social cataclysm"

In their “One” yesterday morning, the employees had already expressed their pessimism: “Dear readers, you may have in your hands the latest edition of your France-Antilles newspaper, created in 1965” ...

"The West Indies and Guyana will be the first and therefore the only regions of France to be deprived of a daily newspaper", continues the daily in "Une", also emphasizing "the social cataclysm" which "throws 235 employees and workers into the street their families ".

Girardin and Riester take note…

In a joint press release, the Minister of Culture, Franck Riester, and the Minister of Overseas Territories, Annick Girardin “regret that the mobilization of private investors, alongside exceptional support from the State, has not was sufficient to allow a takeover project ”, before specifying:“ since the group was placed in receivership, following a suspension of payment, on June 25, 2019, the State has stepped up initiatives to allow France-Antilles to build and finance a recovery plan. The existence of a pluralist and diversified press throughout the national territory is a democratic requirement and the Government will continue to mobilize strongly in this direction ”.

The two ministers will follow with the greatest attention the social consequences of this judicial liquidation and the support which will be provided to the employees of the France-Antilles group.

Finally, the latter reaffirm their mobilization so that there is a local press in the Antilles and in Guyana and more generally support all initiatives which could contribute to bringing to life the pluralism of the press and information in the overseas territories. _AF

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