Gaston Tong Sang, President of French Polynesia, in Papeete. (Photo courtesy of Wikicommons.)

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Virginie Ribadeau Dumas, in Wellington.

Politics: Follow up from the political soap opera. Interviewed about various current affairs by the daily La Dépêche, French Polynesia’s president Gaston Tong Sang expressed his concerns about the political instability currently reigning in the territory. “I maintain my call for early elections”, he told the journalists, “without a clear majority at the assembly one cannot rule a country.” He insisted on the need to reform the electoral law next year. This reform will be one of the major issues discussed next September with French Overseas Minister Marie-Luce Penchard.

France / French Polynesia: the pro-independence coalition UPLD held a press conference on Monday to explain why its representative will not attend the meeting hosted next September by French Overseas Minister Marie-Luce Penchard to discuss the polling reform aimed at solving the parliamentary instability in Papeete.

According to the party members, they should not have to go to Paris, the Minister should to come down. On Tuesday a dozen of other political parties – including major parties seating at the Assembly – gathered to discuss their participation to the meeting Overseas Minister Marie-Luce Penchard wants to hold in September. Conclusion of the meeting: nobody should reply to this invitation, not even French Polynesia’s president.ays.

Pensions: In 1990 a deliberation changed the MPs and government member pension system from a contributory pension scheme to a self-funded pension scheme. Since then, representatives no longer pay contribution to the Social Contingency Fund currently on the brink of collapse, but to a private fund.

The situation is all the more absurd when one consider that the government, whose members benefit from that system with their pensions are sheltered in this private fund, is calling for efforts from the population in order to reform the Social Protection System.

Economics: Prices continue to rise in French Polynesia. They climbed by 1,7% in July, 2,5% over the last 12 months. The major part of this rise can be explained by the inflationary sectors such as transports (+5 %) and food (+3,2 %) with a special mention to fresh fish, with an increase of 68,8% since January.

Social issues: French Polynesia’s Economic Social and Cultural Council gathered this weekend to examine the report of its Health Commission concerning the Social Protection System. Adopted by 30 in favour, 2 abstentions and 1 blank vote, the report presents 109 recommendations. The government is now free to follow the voted report – the Council’s recommendations being only advisory – but its priority seems to be the budget rather the reform in itself.

Economic Policies: La Dépêche published an interview of Minister of Economic Reconversion Teva Rohfritsch, in which he explains his difficulties to boost the economy in such a political context. “We need to stop acting dangerously, because our economy is in very bad shape”

Foreign Affairs: Overseas Minister Marie-Luce Penchard held a work meeting with 28 ambassadors acting France from countries surrounding French overseas territories. This meeting’s main objective is to inform the ambassadors of France’s strategy in its overseas territories concerning development and protection of interests especially economic interests.

Health: Lisa Juventin, Director Institution of Prevention (EPAP) resigned on Monday. She wrote a letter to Jules Ienfa, Health Minister and CEO of this public institution to denounce the situation. The EPAP is not close yet but, due to tax cuts, its prevention means has been drastically reduced and it has now trouble to fulfil its missions.

Taxes: On Wednesday, Cabinet adopted the creation of the Institute of Taxes and Contributions to replace after January 1 2011 the current Taxation Policy Centres.

National heritage: Some sites of the Marquesas Islands have been waiting to be listed by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites since 1996. After years of drowsiness and a failed attempt in 2005, the project has finally been validated by the National Committee last June. A ministerial mission will be sent from 23rd to 28th August in the archipelago to organise the various Committees Heritage Management presided over by the mayor of each islands.

Journalism investigation: La Dépêche published at the end of last week an interview of two journalists who have been investigating on Gaston Flosse for years. Fabrice Lhomme (Mediapart, metropolitan online news provider) and Gérard Davet (Le Monde, metropolitan daily newspaper) explains they are working on a book on French Polynesia’s former President, centre of many controversies – an “atypical” character according to them.

Cinema: Polemics around ‘Order and Moral’ have not ended yet. Disapprobation of New Caledonian MP Pierre Frogier, expected reply from French Polynesian President Gaston Tong Sang, full support from pro-independence Oscar Temaru and call to end polemics from pro-autonomy Tahoeraa party, Mathieu Kassovitz’s movie recounting the Ouvea cave events arouse many reactions in a sensitive political context : major crisis within the FLNKS in New Caledonia and electoral campaign in French Polynesia.

In the meantime, many other political actors in French Polynesia as well as in New Caledonia exert themselves to benefit from the godsend – in terms of both money and image in the medias – provided by the movie which could win Cannes’ Palme next May.

Justice: New Caledonian Police carried a search in the Post and Telecommunication Office headquarters in Noumea late last week, as the investigation on the case of tax exemption for the future 3G network. The Police is also interested in other cases such as a project of a cable towards Wallis.

National identity: After the adoption of three of the five sign of identity – the motto, the anthem and the design of the bills – last week by the New Caledonian Assembly, the group “In favour of a common Caledonian flag”, will hold a meeting this Wednesday and will lauch a citizen-originated competition for the creation of a truly Caledonian flag that will “represent everyone”.

Tribes: After a few violent incidents this weekend, the situation seems to have subsided within the Unia tribe. But the relations with the expelled families of Mouirange are still very unstable.

Pacific Games: Next week, the Organization Committee NC-2011 will celebrate the launch of countdown for the Pacific Games with delegates from the 22 participating countries. From August 27th to September 10th next year, New Caledonia will host the 14th Pacific Games.

Sports: for the first time in 28 sessions, New Caledonia International Marathon has been plunged into morning. Despite rescue efforts, a 47-year old runner died 800 meters away from the arrival line.

Cinema: The shooting of ‘Order and Moral’ will start this Sunday on Anaa Atoll in French Polynesia. But MP Pierre Frogier’s letter to Gaston Tong Sang last week revived the controversy around Mathieu Kassovitz’s movie, which recounts the tragic events of Ouvea Cave, evoking “strong reticence among the population and especially Ouvea inhabitants”.

Though Christophe Rossignon, the film producer, accused him of political manipulation, claiming to have the population support and promising a neutral vision of the events, tensions are palpable on the field . For some, the film is breaking a taboo, for others the film might help to make the past rest in peace. Some clans are gathering to discuss and appease tensions.

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).