Corruption In French Polynesia

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Tahitipresse

Andy Irons defeats CJ Hobgood in Billabong Final September 5, 2010
US surfer Andy Irons defeated another US surfer, CJ Hobgood, Friday in the Billabong Pro Tahiti world tour surfing event. Irons eventually scored 14.67 points while Hobgood scored 8.33 points in the Billabong Final. Before beating CJ Hobgood in the Final, Irons also eliminated surfing legend Kelly Slater in the Semi-Finals. For the last day of the competitio […]
thibault
SOPAC launches new website September 5, 2010
With the recent launching of its new website, SOPAC (Pacific Islands Applied Geoscience Commission) has improved access to its range of scientific, technical and developmental information. SOPAC provides assistance to 19 island countries and territories in the Pacific region through applied geoscience, geoscientific and technical assistance. SOPAC Director D […]
thibault
ASP World Tour Top 32 finalized after Billabong Pro Tahiti Round 3 September 5, 2010
The ASP’s (Association of Surfing Professionals) midyear field reduction from 45 to 32 surfers has been completed after Round 3 of the Billabong Pro Tahiti. US surfer Damien Hobgood, 31, finalized the cut-off roster by eliminating 29-year-old Marco Polo of Brazil in a Round 3 heat, at Teahupoo, in Tahiti's peninsula. Polo joins the following surfers who […]
thibault
French Polynesia joined Free French forces 70 years ago September 5, 2010
A special ceremony was held Thursday morning at the Place Tarahoi, in the heart of Papeete. Representatives from the French High Commissioner's office in Papeete and from the French Polynesian government attended the event. This ceremony was to commemorate September 2nd 1940, when French Polynesia chose to join Charles de Gaulle's Free French force […]
thibault
New High-speed internet offers launched in Tahiti September 5, 2010
New High-speed internet have been officially launched Wednesday in French Polynesia. Teva Rohfritsch, minister of economic restructuring, in charge of the digital economy, said the new offers are a great step forward for Tahitian internet users. The new offers called "no limit" will make using internet in Tahiti easier and faster with lower prices […]
Eric
Billabong Pro Round 3 completed, competition called off for Wednesday September 5, 2010
Round 3 was completed Wednesday morning at the Billabong Pro held at Teahupoo, in Tahiti's peninsula, before the competition was called off because of the small swell. The Billabong Pro Tahiti resumed Tuesday in three-to-four foot (1 metre) waves for the completion of Round 2 and the first 12 heats of Round 3. Tahitian surfer Manoa Drollet […]
thibault
Tahiti Oil company seeks new market in Cook Islands September 5, 2010
Tahiti-based Pacific Petroleum Company (PPC) is looking to expand its operations in the Cook Islands considerably. Two months ago, Pacific Petroleum Company bought the Juhi aviation fuel depot, according to the Cook Islands News. PPC’s strategy and development manager Patrick Moux and Pacific Energy SWP Ltd managing director in Fiji, Roko Nabalarua, were in […]
thibault
International Badminton tournament to start Sept. 3 September 5, 2010
The OPT international series, an international Badminton tournament, will take place in Tahiti September 3-5. More than 40 badminton players coming from overseas are expected for the event. There will be players from Australia, such as Wesley Caulkett and Craig Cassidy, and from New Zealand, such as James Eunson and Bjorn Seguin. But there will also be playe […]
thibault
Billabong Pro continues in Teahupoo September 5, 2010
The Billabong Pro competition resumed Tuesday morning with still a small swell, at Teahupoo, in Tahiti's peninsula. After one week of "waiting period", the competition is now well on. The Billabong Pro Teahupoo in fact already produced some serious upsets. For instance, US surfer Bobby Martinez, the 2009 Billabong Pro Tahiti winner, was defeat […]
thibault
Pro-autonomy parties meet again before Paris meeting September 5, 2010
Some of the main pro-autonomy parties met Tuesday at the President's office, in Papeete. No details of the meeting have been released yet, but leaders of these parties reportedly met to try to have a common stance on an electoral reform for French Polynesia. The electoral reform is to be discussed with French Overseas minister Marie-Luce Penchard […]
thibault

Sat

Aug '09

Part of admin's adventure in French Polynesia (Tahiti)

One of French Polynesia’s big secrets is the amount of corruption that occurs in this country.

On one of the remote islands, the fellow running the post office suddenly quit his job after a large amount of funds went missing.

The funny thing is is that after he quit his job and suddenly started making improvements to his property which was no secret to anybody on the island.

The OPT employee soon after returned to his job as head of the post office for the small island.

French police now are investigating former President Gaston Flosse for his possible role in corruption with the OPT.

For the uninitiated the capital OPT is the French Polynesia equivalent of the post office.

This is a fact of daily life in French Polynesia, there is so much nepotism that it’s amazing anything actually gets accomplished by anybody in government.

I once witnessed government trucks full of gravel drop off loads of stolen gravel to a residential area.

I know that some watermelon farmers were having issues with their watermelon going missing when they went on the government ship to be taken to market.

Corruption is a fact of life in French Polynesia and until action is taken it will always continue to be this way.

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