By Colette Borda
POINTE-A-PITRE, France (Reuters) - A union representative was shot dead and several policemen were wounded by protesters on the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe overnight in growing violence over the cost of living.
A month-long general strike has spread to neighbouring Martinique and in the past few days has become more bitter as negotiations failed to produce a solution, fuelling fears the protests might fan trouble in mainland France.
The mayor of Pointe-a-Pitre said gunfire rang out all night.
"No one can go out onto the streets," Jacques Bangou told Europe 1 radio. "For the past 48 hours, the streets have been in the hands of groups of young people, completely out of control."
A senior government official said the union representative was shot after he drove up to a barricade set up by youths in Guadeloupe's biggest town, Pointe-a-Pitre.
Three policemen were hit by gunfire as they tried to reach the scene, Hubert Vernet told Reuters. He named the dead MAN (MAN.XE)as Jacques Bino.
"He was injured by gunshot and when the security forces tried to help him they were also fired at. Sadly, by the time they had secured the area, he was dead," he added.
A group of some 30-50 people broke into a shopping centre in Pointe-a-Pitre and fired shots at police in a standoff lasting about an hour, police official Stephane Grauvogel told France Info radio.
He said three officers were slightly wounded by gunfire in other incidents, while French media said at least six officers had been injured in clashes.
SARKOZY SILENCE
Guadeloupe, a region of France and part of the European Union, has been brought to a standstill for the past month by a general strike over high prices for food and other necessities.
Concerns have grown about a possible spillover of unrest to the French mainland, where up to 2.5 million people took part in demonstrations last month to protest against the government's handling of the economy.
President Nicolas Sarkozy has not spoken publicly about Guadeloupe, concentrating on trying to defuse the union protests in mainland France.
But he is to see Guadeloupe parliamentarians on Thursday and Interior Minister Michele Alliot-Marie said she would hold daily meetings with police chiefs to discuss the security situation.
Guadeloupe depends heavily for fuel and food staples on imports and prices are higher than in mainland France, while unemployment is more than 20 percent and wages are lower.
Most of the island's big businesses are in the hands of a minority of "beke" or white families, many the descendants of slave-era colonists, which has added to protesters' grievances.
The strike has been led by an alliance of about 50 unions and associations known as "Liyannaj Kont Pwofitasyon" (LKP), or "Stand Up Against Exploitation" in local dialect.
Elie Domota, leader of the LKP alliance, appealed for calm and said the violent incidents had been provoked by racist insults and brutality from police officers breaking up protests.
(Additional reporting by Crispian Balmer; writing by James Mackenzie; editing by Andrew Roche)
