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Jamaica and New Caledonia

Nick Davis on a death in custody which raised doubts about police conduct and mental health care; Ray Kershaw on the history of some Pacific isles which are still part of France

Owen Bennett Jones introduces two reports from apparently idyllic islands with plenty of social tension to go around.

Nick Davis is in Montego Bay, Jamaica, tracing the story of what happened to Mario Deane - a young labourer whose death in custody earlier this summer has raised doubts about police conduct and about the island's mental health services.

And Ray Kershaw's in New Caledonia - a far-flung territory of France in the Pacific Ocean, where the history of interaction between European settlers and local Kanak peoples has been long and complex. Some islanders want to break away from France after an independence referendum - but others are happy to stick with their croissants and healthcare.

Photo: Mario Deane, pictured (right) before his arrest and later (left) in hospital. (c) Deane family

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10 minutes

Last on

Thu 18 Sep 2014 19:50GMT

Broadcast

  • Thu 18 Sep 2014 19:50GMT