28 Sep 2016

New Caledonia leader apologises after Congress outburst

4:45 pm on 28 September 2016

A senior member of New Caledonia's Congress Roch Wamytan has apologised for making a racial slur that led to a raucous Congress sitting to be interrupted.

Mr Wamytan, who is a former Congress president and a leading pro-independence politician, insulted a rival member Gil Brial and then told him to go back to Wallis.

The outburst came in a debate about crime which the authorities struggle to deal with.

When the sitting resumed, Mr Wamytan apologised to the Congress and the public for his remarks.

He said he apologised because he had always said such outbursts should not be part of the discussions when all sides should show respect for one another.

New Caledonian pro-independence politician Roch Wamytan

New Caledonian pro-independence politician Roch Wamytan Photo: AFP