23 Aug 2004

Green party in French Polynesia denounces new government's policies

7:34 am on 23 August 2004

The Greens in French Polynesia have presented a new party line-up and denounced the new government's policies, saying they fail to be an alternative to those of the ousted administration.

Although the Greens failed to win a seat in the May election outright, they supported the coalition which brought the Oscar Temaru-led coalition to power.

In a weekend announcement, the Greens raised several points and in particular took issue with a tuna project on Hao atoll, saying it was bad for the environment and financially suicidal.

The AFP news agency says the project involves catching and transferring young tuna from the Marquesas to be farmed at Hao in the Tuamotus.

A Greens spokesperson, Jacky Bryant, also says the placement of a cross in the territorial assembly by the speaker, Antony Geros, is at attack on democracy.