The French overseas territories minister, Victorin Lurel, is expected to cut his official visit to French Polynesia short because his mother died.
Mr Lurel arrived in Tahiti this morning and on arrival, he was told that his mother had just died in Guadeloupe.
He has told media that the schedule of his visit is being revised and that he is likely to leave for Guadeloupe tomorrow .
Mr Lurel was to stay for three days to raise a range of issues about the territory's economic development.
Mr Lurel was met by the vice-president, Antony Geros, after the president, Oscar Temaru, issued a statement from New York to say he would be absent.
