21.   Socialist Mayor Lucien Cilla won a by-election for a seat in the General Council, one of two local legislatures in this French overseas department.

22.   The election in the French overseas departments was, as usual, characterized by a high rate of voter absenteeism.

23.   The northern part is a French overseas department.

24.   The northern half is a French overseas department.

25.   The northern half of the island is a French overseas department.

26.   The state doles out more unemployment checks in the overseas departments and collects less taxes because people there are poorer than in most mainland regions.

27.   France began negotiations with Guianan high-school students Wednesday, a week after a series of riots in this French overseas department.

28.   In demonstrations in French overseas departments, scuffles broke out at rallies by civil servants threatened with a cut in extra payments for overseas workers.

29.   As in the previous government, the junior secretary for overseas departments and territories is a woman, Margie Sudre.

30.   Calm returned to this French overseas department Friday following four days of civil unrest, officials said.