The French Polynesian president, Oscar Temaru, says the indigenous people need to be put at the centre if there is to be genuine development.
Mr Temaru made the comment at the assembly during the opening of a week-long seminar on sustainable development.
He says the Polynesians never took centre stage in the territory's development and after 160 years of colonisation there are not enough indigenous teachers, doctors and architects.
Mr Temaru says when tourism was developed the question was never raised whether it was something that the Polynesians wanted.
