Pacific

Temaru presents new French Polynesia government

17:35 pm on 6 April 2011

French Polynesia's new President, Oscar Temaru, has presented his new ten-member government to replace the administration of Gaston Tong Sang which was ousted in a no confidence motion last weekend.

The new government is Mr Temaru's fifth in seven years.

Walter Zweifel reports.

"The new Temaru government is the smallest he has formed, reflecting the pressure brought on by the territory's economic decline. Mr Temaru has taken on the tourism portfolio and re-appointed several close collaborators from his earlier governments, such as Antony Geros, James Salmon and Tauhiti Nena. A surprise choice is the Greens leader, Jacky Bryant, who is the new environment minister. Mr Temaru has acknowledged the political instability and should his team last until the next scheduled election in 2013 it will be the longest serving government he has run since first coming to power in 2004."