18 Apr 2006

French Polynesian president refuses to act on ministerial resignation

1:46 pm on 18 April 2006

The French Polynesian president, Oscar Temaru, is yet to accept the resignation of the telecommunications minister, Emile Vernaudon, who stepped down nearly a week ago.

This means that the minister cannot return to his seat in the territorial assembly which he vacated once he had been made a member of the executive.

Last week, the French supreme court told Mr Temaru to act without delay in processing the resignation of another minister, Hiro Tefaarere.

He returned to the assembly for last week's election of a new assembly president but Mr Vernaudon was barred.

Opposition parties have questioned the propriety of forming assembly committees while Mr Vernaudon, who is the leader of the Aia Api Party, is being excluded.

The new assembly president who won office thanks to the backing of the opposition has allowed the process to get started in Mr Vernaudon's absence.

His presence tomorrow depends on Mr Temaru who had been told by the court to act on the resignations with only reasonable delay.

The government had argued that the statute didn't specify any time frame to acknowlede a resignation.