Pol I T Ical Reviews ‡ Polynesia 215 Jon Tikivanotau M Jonassen References
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pol i t ical reviews polynesia 215 2009). While reviewing their own been stranded for ten days on Manuae alert system, Cook Islanders raised Island when their rundown Gypsy thousands of dollars for the Red Cross Trader broke anchor and disappeared WRDVVLVWWVXQDPLYLFWLPVLQ6ëPRD out to sea (CIN, 17 May 2010). Police $PHULFDQ6ëPRDDQG7RQJD CIN, 7 launched an investigation into the Oct 2009). The Cook Islands also had incident (CIN, 18 May 2010). other national alerts: tropical cyclone Cook Islands Voyaging Society Nisha (CIN, 29 Jan 2010), cyclone Oli members assisted in constructing (CIN, 2 Feb 2010), cyclone Pat (CIN, 8 several sea-voyaging canoes (CIN, Feb 2010, 1), a tropical depression in 28 July 2009). Two months later, February 2010 (CIN, 22 Feb, 23 Feb double-hulled canoes Te Marumaru 2010), and cyclone Sarah (CIN, 27 Feb Atua (Cook Islands), Faafaite (Tahiti, 2010). When cyclone Pat hit Aitutaki, French Polynesia), Uto ni Yalo (Fiji), the island was pounded (CIN, 11 Feb Matau O Maui (Aotearoa), and Hine 2010). Most houses were flattened by Moana PL[HGQDWLRQV6ëPRD7RQJD the winds and damages were estimated and Vanuatu) arrived in Avana (CIN, at NZ$10 million (CIN, 12 Feb 2010). 31 May 2010). A symbolic traditional Reconstruction became a major prior- stone-laying ceremony followed in ity for the government (CIN, 22 Feb honor of the five voyaging canoes 2010), and New Zealand announced that had sailed from New Zealand to a NZ$5.5 million recovery plan for the Rarotonga (CIN, 2 June 2010). island (CIN, 13 Mar 2010). However, jon tikivanotau m jonassen the Aitutaki mayor expressed opposi- tion to Habitat for Humanity New Zealand’s offer to build seventy-two References new homes, saying that the island needs housing that is strong and suits CIN,&RRN,VODQGV1HZV Daily. Rarotonga. the environment (CIN, 17 Mar 2010). Air New Zealand launched a NZ$1.00 fare to Aitutaki for the period 21–29 French Polynesia March to assist in the Aitutaki recov- ery program (CIN, 20 Mar 2010). The frequent making and unmaking of There were two dramatic rescues political alliances by opportunist poli- during 2009–2010. The country’s ticians, resulting in regularly occurring police-managed patrol boat Te ousters of governments since 2004, .XNXSD rescued a Canadian sailor continued during the review period, about 450 km (280 miles) northeast of with one successful motion of no Rarotonga (CIN, 6 Oct 2009). Forty- confidence in late 2009 and another eight-year-old Sylvain Caron and his change of majority in the assembly in fox terrier Eddie had for three days 2010. Yet none of these events repre- hung on to their sinking forty-foot sented anything substantially new. The ketch Inherit the Wind before being ongoing chaotic situation continued to rescued (CIN, 7 Oct 2009). Some six annoy the French government, which months later, four other people were by mid-2010 was planning yet another rescued by 7H.XNXSD after having revision of the territory’s organic law. 216 the contemporary pacific 23:1 (2011) Meanwhile, the economic situation is Michel Yonker; and Haddad him- further deteriorating. self. Another former postal director, Before this inevitable round of the Alphonse Teriierooiterai, who had political debacle began, however, pub- been detained earlier, was released in lic attention in Tahiti during the begin- July pending further investigations ning of the review period was turned (TPM, Aug 2009). for a while to the long overdue efforts However, the principal suspect in by the French judiciary to examine the affair, Flosse himself, was initially some of the earlier misdeeds of lead- protected from investigations because ing politicians. Most prominently, of his parliamentary immunity as a the investigation of corruption senator. In late June, the prosecutor’s charges against Senator Gaston office formally demanded the lifting Flosse intensified in the second half of Flosse’s immunity, and on 22 July, of 2009 at a pace never seen before. the Senate granted a partial lift so that (Former President Flosse held office he could be interrogated for a short as the country’s top elected official while in Paris a few days later. Because under various titles 1982–1987; increasing evidence was accumulating, 1991–2004; Nov 2004–Feb 2005; in late August the prosecutor’s office Feb–April 2008.) Among other things, once more demanded the lifting of the Flosse was accused of receiving bribes senator’s immunity (TPM, Aug 2010, amounting to several million euros Sept 2010). from French businessman Hubert The intensification of these judicial Haddad. Because some of the pay- inquiries coincided with the appoint- ments were apparently masked as ment of José Thorel as the new public payments for advertisements in the prosecutor on 31 August. During French Polynesia telephone directory, his first few months in office, Thorel as well as in the onboard magazine of proved that he was much more deter- the territorial airline Air Tahiti Nui, mined to prosecute political corrup- the corruption plot became known as tion cases than his predecessor Jean the “phone book affair.” Bianconi, whom some suspected of In connection with this affair, vari- being a crony of former French Presi- ous government departments, banks, dent Jacques Chirac and there fore offices, residences, and the head- rather inclined to protect Flosse and quarters of Flosse’s party, Tahoeraa his collaborators (TPM, March 2010). Huiraatira (People’s Rally), were Besides the “phone book affair,” searched by the authorities, incrimi- judicial investigations were also nating materials were seized, and c onducted into the activities of the enough evidence was gathered to former presidential intelligence service, arrest several officials and business- staffed with retired French secret ser- men and place them in detention. vice agents, which Flosse had illegally By July 2009, the detained included set up during his presidency in order Geffry Salmon, the former director to carry out surveillance and spying of the territorial post office and Air operations on his political opponents Tahiti Nui; Flosse’s secretary Melba during the 1990s and early 2000s Ortas; Haddad’s business partner (TPM, Sept 2009). pol i t ical reviews polynesia 217 A third matter, dubbed the “sushi the country’s former strongman was affair,” involved the embezzlement of arrested on 9 November and placed public funds to pay for an exclusive in detention in Tahiti’s Nuutania party hosted in the presidential palace Prison. Flosse’s detention was con- to celebrate the expected election sidered a landmark event because it victory of Tahoeraa in May 2004 (a signified that the justice system was at miscalculation, since the elections last working properly and that even were ultimately won by Flosse’s formerly all-powerful political lead- opponents and marked the end of his ers had to submit to it. After further semi-authoritarian regime). On 24 investigation, Flosse was released on September, for this “affair,” Flosse bail on 25 November but remained received a one-year suspended prison under judicial control (TPM, Dec sentence, a fine of more than one mil- 2009). lion cfp francs (US$10,000), and one By that time, however, current year of ineligibility for public office, to politics had once again caught up with be effective immediately (meaning he investigations of the past. To recall would lose his position as senator, and the existing situation: Oscar Temaru thereby his immunity). However, the had been president of the country senator’s attorneys managed to obtain since February 2009 in a coalition a delay by lodging a second appeal comprising his own pro-independence (TPM, Oct 2009). UPLD; Jean-Christophe Bouissou’s pro- As if three affairs were not enough, French splinter party Rautahi (Unity; Flosse and his party leadership were the name of its caucus is Ia Ora Te also charged with bribing Noa Tetu- Fenua [May the Land Live]); and anui, an assembly member who was initially, as major coalition partner, part of the opposing coalition, Union Flosse’s Tahoeraa. In April, how- pour la Démocratie (upld), which ever, after heavy arguments between had won the 2004 elections. Tetuanui Temaru and Flosse, Tahoeraa left the crossed the floor to join Tahoeraa in government, and Temaru made a new October of the same year, which led to alliance with Gaston Tong Sang’s Flosse retaking the presidency again more pronouncedly pro-French coali- for a few months before by-elections tion, To Tatou Aia (Our Land). definitively ousted him in February Given the difference in ideologies, 2005. While Tetuanui had always it was not surprising that conflicts claimed his switching of allegiance had between Temaru and Tong Sang arose been caused by his disappointment quickly during the following months, with the policies of upld leader Oscar particularly because of Temaru’s fre- Temaru, the investigations uncovered quent statements in favor of indepen- evidence that Tetuanui had received dence, each of which were strongly financial aid from members of Taho- contradicted by Tong Sang (TP, 17 eraa at the time of his floor crossing June 2009). At the same time, a group (DT, 28 Oct 2009; NT, 28 Oct 2009; of opportunistic outer islands repre- TPM, Nov 2009). sentatives gradually shifted their sup- After the French Senate finally port away from Temaru and formed lifted Flosse’s immunity completely, their own assembly caucus, named Te 218 the contemporary pacific 23:1 (2011) Mana o te Mau Motu (The Power of Edouard Fritch was appointed vice the Islands), in September (TP, 18 Sept president (TP, 28 Nov 2009). 2009). In mid-October, Clarenntz Ver- The replacement of Temaru with naudon, another politician notorious Tong Sang represented the third for his constant changes of allegiance, change of government in 2009, and formed his own political party with a the fifth since the early election of few fellow opportunists, contributing 2008.