28 Feb 2006

French Polynesia gives in to former GIP members, allows them choose new boss

2:54 pm on 28 February 2006

The French Polynesian government has accepted the nomination of Wilfrid Tetuamanuhiri as head of the administrative flotilla on a year-long contract.

The 250-person flotilla is a new body answering to the minister of equipment and is made up of members of the GIP disaster relief group, scrapped last month.

The news agency Tahitipresse reports that Mr Tetuamanuhiri met the minister of equipment, James Salmon, at the flotilla office in the port of Papeete this morning.

The ministry of equipment had originally appointed a military engineer sent especially from France as head of the new flotilla.

But 20 ex-GIP men led by their old boss Leonard Puputauki marched into the ministry office last week to persuade officials to appoint Mr Tetuamanuhiri as the flotilla boss.