19 Jul 2012

Renewed Tahiti protest again fails to get traction

12:41 pm on 19 July 2012

The French Polynesian group of professionals, Te Tau no te Hono, has for a second day failed to mobilise a significant number of people to demonstrate against the last fuel price hikes.

A planned blockade of Tahiti's port entrance didn't happen yesterday and reports say today's planned protest action was also largely abandoned.

Last night, the movement's leader, Franck Tehaamatai, told television audiences that today's action would involve the blockade of two unnamed ministries in Papeete.

The French high commission, which is responsible for security, has warned that it won't tolerate blockades even though it says the demands are legitimate.

The employers' federation says it's no solution to block more of the economy as the remedy should not be killing the patient.