THE CHARACTERS:
The five female entrepreneurs profiled in this video represent varying ages, class backgrounds, and household arrangements. They live in different parts of the island, and their businesses span many sectors of the economy, including agriculture, retail, small industry, service, and medical. The women owners include the following:
George Dijoux, created a reupholstery fabrication company (François)
Dominique Bonne,created two restaurants and an insurance franchise, (Fort-de-France) and two restaurants (Diamant)
Ghislaine Present, started a vegetable farming operation (Rivière Salée)
Marie-Louise Lordinot, created a medical laboratory (Sainte Marie)
Janine Ozier-Lafontaine, creator of tropical consumer products export company (Ducos)
OTHER PARTICIPANTS:The supporting cast that helps tell this story includes:
Marie-Eugénie André, economist and Chief Assistant to President of the Retail and Industrial Businesses government ministry
Justin Daniel, professor of political scientist and Director, Center for Caribbean Research at the Université des Antilles et de la Guyane
Madeleine de Grandmaison, veteran politician, representative to France
Marie-Claude Pastureau, Director of School of Management and Commerce, elite French business school with branch campus in Martinique
Roland Suvélor, professor emeritus of literature