25 Jul 2014

Temaru reminds French HC of court ruling

2:55 pm on 25 July 2014

French Polynesia's opposition leader, Oscar Temaru, says he will remind the French High Commissioner, Lionel Beffre, to enact a Paris court decision and terminate the tenure of President Gaston Flosse.

France's highest court upheld last year's conviction which bans Flosse from holding office for three years.

The decision has been forwarded to Mr Beffre, who is yet to enforce it.

Flosse maintains his innocence and refuses to resign while appealing for a presidential pardon.

Mr Temaru says the judiciary has recently allowed sentences to lapse because they were not delivered within the mandated time.

"We are fed up with the French justice. We want to be judged on behalf of the Maohi people, not on behalf of the French people any more. This guy should have been in jail 50 year ago."

Oscar Temaru says right-wing politicians were involved in a cover-up of a conflict of interest already 50 years ago when Flosse was the mayor of Pirae and the head of an insurance company.

Flosse's party has struck back, saying Mr Temaru is responsible for the disaster French Polynesia is in and for that he should be imprisoned.