Guadeloupe

Guadeloupe and Martinique are two French islands in the West Indies. They are not considered as colonies, nor as Territories. No, these two tropical paradises are administered as "departments" that is to say as part and parcel of France.
In order to compensate for the distance that separates them from the mainland, these two islands, on top of having the euro as currency and being part of the EU, receive every year billions of euros in subsidies from the French government.
But nowadays, with the world economic crisis, tourism is down and the only production, expensive bananas loaded with EU taxes, cannot compete with the cheaper "dollar bananas" from Central America.
The islanders have turned to violent demonstrations. Their complaints go from asking for more subsidies, of course, to independance. Mr. Besancenot, the young French leader of the newly minted "PAC" or Anti-Capitalist Party is visiting, trying to pour his brand of snake oil on the fire.
Perhaps these two islands would be better off independant. Although judging from the economies of its neighbors one could doubt it.
In any case, independance would mean great savings for the average French taxpayer.
As Levi-Strauss said: Tristes Tropiques!