11 Jan 2011

Tahoeraa undecided about role in French Polynesia affairs

2:33 pm on 11 January 2011

French Polynesia's Tahoeraa Huiraatira Party says it will leave it up to its four ministers whether they want to remain in government while the party itself continues to be opposed to the president, Gaston Tong Sang.

The party has issued a statement to recap the main findings of its meeting called to discuss a response to what it calls the territory's economic and social misery.

It says to choose staying with Mr Tong Sang suggest accepting responsibility for the wrecking of the country.

And it says quitting his government implies depriving people of the hope that the Tahoeraa can help lead the territory out of its growing misery.

It says, however, that the party won't endorse any planned tax increases in the 2011 budget which is to be adopted by the end of March.

If the assembly fails to do so, the running of the territory's financial affairs would be handed over to the French high commission, which one Tahoeraa leader, Edouard Fritch, says would be a political catastrophe for the territory.