Marie-Galante is located in the Caribbean region, which is facing a marked increase in tourist pressure; it has nevertheless remained on the sidelines of tourist development in the Caribbean. The island’s leaders are convinced that lagging 30 years behind may well turn out to mean being 30 years ahead. Marie-Galante has many assets of its own: it has remained an authentic island enjoyed by connoisseurs; it has retained its local customs and boasts magnifi- cent landscapes and a well-preserved shoreline. There is major potential for tourist development, given the wealth and diversity of its nature, rural heritage and landscapes. Marie-Galante provides an oppor-
tunity for alternative, quality tourism in the
Caribbean context.
Problems concerning sustainability and grounds for preparing an LA21
Marie-Galante is a small tropical island, which environmentally and socially speaking is in a shaky position because of:
• Population decline (rural exodus and emigra- tion);
• Social and economic decline: high unem- ployment, lack of motivation and resignation amongst the local population;
• Deterioration of certain coastal environments (coastal areas, coral reefs) and waste from urban areas, and presence of tourism (yachting, diving);
• Pollution of agricultural origin and over-
exploitation of the forests;
• Poorly controlled urbanisation and loss of rural areas;
• Locally degraded landscapes.
Environmental degradation is limited, but the threat of uncontrolled tourist devel- opment is there. To preserve the local environment, the pressures need to be
pre-empted and the risks avoided. The LA21 aims essentially at ensuring the social sustainability of the island’s development: improving the living conditions and welfare of its inhabitants, raising the standard of living. It initially targets the island’s permanent residents. The overall strategy aims at promoting the socio- economic development of Marie-Galante, whilst protecting the island against the denaturing of its environment and local culture, which would likely be irre- versible. The type of tourism being sought is one that is controlled by the resi- dents, with the benefits fairly shared out within the population.
Marie-Galante’s LA21 is also a social and cultural project that goes beyond the effects of image and clientele: mustering the majority of the population behind a forward-looking project based on consensus. It is based on the premise that sustainable development is not a naturalistic slogan, rather a manner of thinking, a way of analysing existing development, and a conceptual and methodological framework for retargeting socio-economic development on pro- tecting and sharing natural resources and assets.