The mobilisation is decreasing, but the organisers are ready to harden the movement
There were slightly fewer people than at the first demonstration last week. There were only 1500 people in Noumea on 8 March to protest against the health insurance reform. There were also several small demonstrations in the interior of the country. The project foresees a strong increase in the contributions of the self-employed. The self-employed currently pay significantly less than employees and civil servants. The self-employed believe that hundreds or even thousands of craftsmen could go bankrupt.
They can block the Noumea agglomeration
It is true that the mobilisation is decreasing, but it still worries the authorities. Trucking companies are often very small one-person businesses. They are often mine transporters. The majority of them are against the reform. It only takes about twenty trucks judiciously placed on roundabouts to block the Greater Noumea agglomeration (180,000 inhabitants).
The elected representative of the Oceanian Awakening, Milakulo Tukumuli, who proposed the reform is, however, ready to discuss. It should be pointed out that the New Caledonian health system is very generous since it is similar to that of France, but it is heavily in deficit.
