27 Feb 2004

Former chair of French Polynesia social provident fund fined for suspect loan approvals

11:56 am on 27 February 2004

A former chairman of the French Polynesian social provident fund has been fined 62-thousand US dollars for approving loans to companies he helped set up.

Half the fine is to be paid by the former chairman, George Tramini, himself and the other half is to be paid by the companies he is responsible for.

The Pape'ete court also order the companies to pay one French Pacific franc to the complainant, Alexandre Cormier.

Mr Cormier laid the complaint in 2000 when he was president of the General Confederation of Small and Medium Business Enterprises.

Tahiti Presse reports that between two and three million US dollars were loaned to companies during Mr Tramini's time as chair of the fund.

Most of the money went to the construction of a hotel in Huahine, north of the capital island, Tahiti.