5 Jun 2008

French Polynesia opposition queries cost of Tong Sang's Paris trip

6:36 pm on 5 June 2008

French Polynesia's opposition Union For Democracy has asked the government to detail who made up the delegation it sent to Paris last month and how much the trip cost.

The territory's president, Gaston Tong Sang and dozens others went to Paris to meet French government leaders, including President Nicolas Sarkozy who received Mr Tong Sang twice within a week.

The Union For Democracy, which is led by the assembly president Oscar Temaru, has issued a statement, describing the Paris trip as a communication exercise to polish the image of the To Tatou Aia coalition.

The French and French Polynesian leaders signed a five-year development contract which will see France transfer 280 million US dollars to help fund infrastructure projects.