25 Feb 2005

French Polynesia candidate Tong Sang seen as Tahoeraa consensus person

2:19 pm on 25 February 2005

The presidential candidate of French Polynesia's Tahoeraa Huiraatira Party is being described as a person who could bring about a consensus within his movement.

Gaston Tong Sang who is the mayor of Bora Bora will stand against Oscar Temaru of the Union For Democracy.

The election is to go ahead in four days if at least 35 of the assembly's 57 members are present.

It follows the ousting of Gaston Flosse a week ago in a vote of no confidence.

The Tahoeraa's communications manager, Yves Haupert, says the party only considered Mr Tong Sang as a candidate

"He is one of the founders of the party, with Gaston Flosse and Edouard Fritch and the deputy mayor of Papeete, Michel Buillard. Maybe Gaston Tong Sang is actually the person who can make a kind of consensus inside the party."

Yves Haupert