Strikers who have been blockading electricity supply on Wallis island for the past four months are now claiming they have taken over French company,Suez ,and its subsidiary, Electricity of Wallis and Futuna, or EWF.
The group also claims they have the backing of the King of Wallis, who announced through a spokesman that from now on, the public supply contract with EWF has been terminated.
Local television has reported that former strikers are re-opening EWF agencies and administration buildings, but removing signs to rebrand the organisation SWEE or the Wallis Water and Electricity Association.
They have also reopened administration buildings and called on subscribers to come and pay their outstanding bills.
EWF General Manager, Pascal Louvet, has urged the general public not to pay any monies to the new so-called SWEE as EWF was now preparing to take the matter to Court.
The deputy Speaker at Wallis and Futuna's territorial assembly, Pesamino Taputai, said the MPs stood by the newly-arrived French prefect and administrator superior of Wallis and Futuna.
