Murdering union organisers is something I'd expect from third-rate banana republics, not European countries.
As a rule of thumb, colonies that has been to weak to break from their former master often resemble third-rate banana republics. A vote for PES is a vote for EPP! A vote for EPP is a vote for PES! Support the coalition, vote EPP-PES in 2009!
OTOH, the thirteen North American colonies that broke away from their English master finally managed to become...
Oh, wait. Forget about it...
Having traveled through the Caribbean at various times, I can assure you that quality of life in the non-independent islands (Martinique, Guadeloupe) is way, way above that in the independent ones (St Vincent, St Lucie, etc). Some of these places are good examples of hell under the tropic sun.
There would be one exception : the Virgin Islands, Tortola being a more civilised place than St Thomas.
I'd be curious to see the figures, but I assume a lot more money flows into the french islands than the opposite. The real problem seems to be the leechers living off this financial stream.
I am no expert, but I'd say the natural ressource would be tourism, and it's just not competitive with the Dominican Republic or Cuba : high costs, not enough local production, etc. I don't see an easy way to development over there. Just as in many places, too few resources for the number of people and the way of life they are expecting.
