12:53 PM |
French Polynesia regional news round-up
Resort in Bora Bora, French Polynesia.
Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Virginie Ribadeau Dumas, in Wellington.
Real estate: The auction for the Rockland's Hostel and Lodge the week before ended up being a waste of time. The bids rose up to NZ$4.225 million, far from the expected NZ$5.1 million expected by French Polynesia's Vice-president Edouard Fritch. As a consequence, the Hostel, controversially acquired by the French Polynesian government in 2006 will not be sold. "This is a financial catastrophy", declared Fritch in an interviewed to La Dépèche. The Vice-president said he asked for three weeks to think about it. He will raise the issue at the next Cabinet meeting.
France / French Polynesia: On Tuesday, Gaston Tong Sang's effort to bring unity among pro-autonomy parties failed. Only seven parties – and the smallest ones – showed up at the meeting he called to discuss the consultation Minister of Overseas Marie-Luce Penchard will hold next month. As a consequence, pro-autonomy parties will leave for Paris next week without any common plan to attend the meeting set up by the Overseas Minister 6-9 to discuss a reform of the electoral law. Many pro-independence parties have already announced they refuse to go all the way to Paris, demanding that the Minister herself came to meet them in French Polynesia. On the Minister's side, efforts are being made to appease the situation, slowing down the tempo of the reforms, since new local elections would not be hold before 2013.
Budget: Last July, French Polynesian President Gaston Tong Sang announced several ideas to save 170 millions XPF (NZD 2,6 millions) on the territory's budget, including the abolition of 'administrative' paid leave in 2011. The problem is that according to the legislation, a mere circular issued by the president is not enough to get rid of this privilege granted to public servants. Faced to what some calls an abuse of power, many public servants like Yves Laugrost, are reported to wait for their paid leave to be refused to suit the Territory. Interviewed by Les Nouvelles de Tahiti, the director of French Polynesian Confederation of Trade Union A Ti'a i Mua said "if [Tong Sang] really wants to save 170 millions, he can find these 170 millions at the Assembly, cutting the salaries of the ministers and the ministers' counsellors."
Civil service: A press communicate released on Monday 30th announced the commitment of Internal Affairs Minister Brice Hortefeux, Finance Minister Eric Woerth, Overseas Minister Marie-Luce Penchard and Civil Service Secretary Georges Tron to improve the modalities for Overseas to sit the civil service exams. The objective is to achieve equal opportunity and to make French Civil Service more representative of French overseas territories.
Health: French Polynesian GPs agreed yesterday on a 5% drop of their consultation fees during a consultation with health staff. This is not enough, say management and the workforce along with the Social Contingency Fund (CPS) CEO. The deficit of the is now in the hands of the CPS's hands who will gather next week to discuss 2011 budget. Last June, the Polynesian government had offered health professionals to take part in the discussions to reduce the Social Protection Fund deficit, which amounts to 15 billions XPF (NZD 230 millions). According to the measure adopted by the Social Protection Council on Tuesday, both employers and employees will have to pay to cover the deficit as soon as next January: the subscriptions will increase by 0.8% and repayment rate will decrease by 10%. On Saturday, Les Nouvelles de Tahiti tried to estimate the impact of such measures.
Environment: Under harsh criticisms from many associations for the protection of the environment, businessman Dominique Auroy tried to defend his project of an hydroelectricity station in West Taiarapu. In an interview to Les Nouvelles on Tuesday, Auroy, whose firm owns 35% of the station, said his project plans only minor developments, dealing with micro-hydroelectricity rather than hydroelectricity. But associations fears destruction of the environment.
Water: Heiura – French Polynesia's Green Party – protested this weekend against a drinking water project in Tahiti that would destroy two valleys. They also denounce the sell-off of water public asset.
Island news: La Dépêche dedicated an article to Makatea island. One Hundred years ago, phosphate explotation started on that island located in the Tuomatu archipelago. From the 1910s to 1960s the mineral was massively extracted on Makatea. In 1966, the extraction abruptly stopped: Within a few weeks , the staff deserted the island, abandoning the equipment – including a 7-km-long railway for a 7,5-km-long island -, leaving the island like a ghost city. There are no more than 60 inhabitants nowadays.
Internet: Happy ending for the long series of setbacks, Mana – the Office and Telecommunication internet branch – made public its internet offers last Wednesday, the Honotua cable being in service at last. Internet connection will be cheaper and the debit higher. Teva Rohfritsch, minister in charge of the digital economy, uttered its satisfaction for having respected the deadline, despite the numerous troubles brought by the Honotua cable with the American authorities. All the regulation issues have been solved. The temporary exploitation permit run till December and the Minister is confident the American authorities will deliver a definitive permit before that deadline. "If this wasn't the case, we'll ask for another temporary permit", the Minister said.
Cinema: On Sunday, the shooting of 'Order and Moral' started on Anaa Atoll. Recounting the Ouvea Cave events Mathieu Kassovitz's new movie is supported by local government. The famous French film producer wishes to operate discreetly, far from the far from the throes brought about by his movie project in New Caledonia.
Politics: A new episode in the political crisis that torn appart pro-independent parties in New Caledonia. On Thursday, Victor Tutugoro, leader of the UPM (Melanesian Progressist Union), publicly pondered about the use of the FLNKS. Weary of the petty fights between the UC (Caledonian Union), he reasserted his wish to build a socialist society and suggested another way than the Kanaky party could be found to gather pro-independent supporters and build a socialist society.
Institutions: At a crossroad between economy, politics and culture, the Custumary Senate still struggles to find his place in among the New Caledonian institutions, 11 years after its creation. On Tuesday, Les Nouvelles Caledoniennnes dedicated a special feature on the reasons for this unsuccessful period. The Customary Senate was created in 1999 in the continuity of the Noumea Accord with the objective to reconcile the tradition rooted in the Kanaky spirit, and the need for modernity in the context of globalization. On a formal and protocolar perspective, the Senate is the second most important institution in New Caledonia, but it has no budget of its own and it still doesn't play the part it should be playing in the institutional life of the Island. The Senate estimates it is being set apart, but others blamed its lack of initiatives. The article's conclusion advocates the Senate to deal with serious issues in the feature such as the codification of customs.
Technology: Countdown has started: D-90 for Digital Terrestrial Television. On November 30, 8 new television channels will appear on the Island's screens. A revolution for New Caledonians who, except from cable television subscribers, could only watch 2 channels – TNC and Tempo.
Telecommunication: After allegation of corruption in the future 3G network market, the Office of Post and Telecommunication decided to suspend the allocation of the market to Jean-Marc Bruel.
Kiwi wine: Les Nouvelles Calédoniennes published a special feature of New Zealand wine. Interviewed by the daily about the growing success of kiwi wine in the world, President of New Zealand Wine Philip Gregan explained that the taste of the wine produced in New Zealand is "lighter and fresher", especially the sauvignin blanc and pinot noir, and attract an increasing number of new consumers looking for new tastes. However, if exports increased a lot in 2009 – half of the production was sold abroad last year – and in 2010, not so much wine is exported to New Caledonia or French Polynesia. Traditionally, French wine is still in high favour and taxes on foreign wines are very high.
Culture: On Friday, Les Nouvelles Caledoniennes published an interview of Marilyn Kohlhase, an art connoisseur with a passion for Oceanian art. In her art gallery located downtown Auckland, she exhibits painters such as Paula Boi or Yvette Bouquet who, according to her, tell the story of New Caledonia.
Virginie Ribadeau Dumas is conducting an internship at Scoop Media (NZ), and is a French student majoring in international affairs journalism at the Political Sciences Institute of Rennes (France).
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aotearoa, new zealand
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