France's Estrosi Unveils More Aid For French Polynesia
(Oceania Flash)
French State Secretary for overseas, Christian Estrosi, has launched a series of new projects as part of his fourth visit to French Polynesia since June this year.
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Estrosi arrived in Tahiti's international airport on Sunday for a three-day visit, during which he is also scheduled to visit French Polynesia's Northern Marquesas Island group.
Estrosi's recent actions in French Polynesia include a set of Bills than have earlier this month been endorsed by France's both Houses of Parliament, the Senate and the National Assembly.
The Acts are both related with an outspoken aim, on the part of the French government, to "stabilise" political life in the French Pacific territory.
For the past four years, French Polynesia has seen five Presidents elected, then toppled in motions of no confidence in the local legislative assembly, where the majority and been shifting chronically between the two main political blocks, the pro-French Tahoeraa Huiraatira (of former long-time President Gaston Flosse) and the Union for Democracy coalition (headed by pro-independence Oscar Temaru, who is also the current President of French Polynesia).
As a direct result of the two French Bills, French Polynesia is to hold snap general elections late January, 2008.
However, Temaru was not at the airport to welcome the French minister, local media reported at the weekend, adding the official reason for the President's hold-up was a cabinet meeting.
Estrosi, on his part, said during his whole visit, he would take every precaution not to be involved in any political debate or comment.
The French State Secretary also confirmed his next visit to French Polynesia would probably take place in April 2008, with French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
In the mean time, apart from French Polynesia's general elections, municipal elections are also to be held in March 2008.
At the weekend, Estrosi officially opened a series of projects, including the laying of the foundation stone for an additional building at the Pape'ete Nu'utania prison.
The 32-cell building will host people who have been convicted and are to serve a rehabilitation sentence.
Its estimated cost is about two million euros (about 2.9 million US dollars) and it is scheduled to be completed in one year.
It is to be built as a transitional measure in order to relieve the main prison, which has been saturated for the past few years.
It was also to be used as a transitional facility, pending the completion of the scheduled construction of a larger, 300-room extension to French Polynesia's overcrowded main gaol.
