Pacific

French Polynesia's GIP negotiations continue

18:43 pm on 5 August 2005

French Polynesia's government has held talks with members of the GIP intervention force and reportedly agreed to seek a way of creating lasting employment for GIP members whose contracts expire.

This comes after last week's threats by the GIP of unprecedented blockades, should the GIP's newest members lose their jobs.

About 300 were hired by the previous government amid claims that no budget provisions were made for their employment.

The new government is reviewing the GIP force whose ranks now include 13-hundred members.

The force rebelled in March when the government appointed a new boss, forcing it to stand him down.