26 Jan 2004

Joint committee streamlines French Polynesia autonomy statute

7:11 am on 26 January 2004

A parliamentary committee in Paris has added the final touches to a bill which will give French Polynesia new powers of autonomy.

Seven members of the French Senate joined seven National Assembly MPs to work on a final draft of the bill, before it receives it final reading next week.

Under the new statute French Polynesia will be given more powers to decide labour and land tenure issues, as well as powers over civil aviation, and in representing itself overseas.

France would retain control over money supply and defence.

Committee member, Jerome Bignon, said the amendments had been streamlined in order to "make the text compatible with the wishes of French Polynesians and French parliamentarians."