French Pacific news in brief

More attacks on New Caledonia's religious buildings

More religious buildings have been set on fire in New Caledonia.

On Thursday night, a chapel in the Catholic mission of Touho (East Coast of the main island of Grande Terre) was vandalised and set ablaze by a group of rioters.

In Nouméa, also on Thursday, the prayer room of the Buddhist pagoda in the Magenta neighbourhood was also targetted by arsonists, generating further shock and disbelief within the affluent Vietnamese community of New Caledonia.

Over the past two week, the two main Catholic missions of New Caledonia, in Saint Louis (near Nouméa) and Vao (Isle of Pines, off Nouméa), also suffered major damage by fire.

On Monday, the French High Commission announced all religious and heritage buildings were to be protected by French security forces.

Last weekend, a mausoleum in memory of Great Kanak Chief Ataï, who led an indigenous insurrection at the end of the 19th century, was also partly destroyed and desecrated.

The human remains of the great chief (including his skull) were also stolen.

French caretaker minister on Pacific tour

French caretaker junior Minister for Overseas Marie Guévenoux is visiting the Pacific.

In French Polynesia, she is representing the French government during the PARIS 2024 Olympics surfing event.

She will then travel to New Caledonia for three days (31 July-2 August), where she will focus on supporting all agents committed to restoring law and order in the face of the crisis New Caledonia has been facing for several weeks.

Air Calédonie to sack over a third of its workforce

New Caledonia's domestic airline Air Calédonie (AirCal) will sack over a third of its 350 staff, the company announced.

This is a direct consequence of the violent unrest that started in the French Pacific archipelago on May 13 and has since caused 10 fatalities, hundreds of injuries, and thousands of businesses and residences looted and destroyed by fire.

Domestic and international air traffic was also seriously disrupted due to roadblocks barring access to both domestic and international airports.

AirCal estimates that since the crisis began in New Caledonia, it has lost about 70 percent of its former traffic volume and lost almost 15 million Euros for the 2024 financial year.

International carrier Air Calédonie International (AirCalin), faced with a drastic drop in passenger traffic, especially tourists, also had to downgrade its flight schedule to and from the Asia-Pacific region for the rest of 2024, CEO Daniel Hombouy said.

French Polynesia's historic pro-independence leader's statue now classified

The statue of French Polynesia's historic pro-independence leader Pouvāna'a a 'Ō'opa, in downtown Papeete, is now a classified historic monument.

The decision was made by French Polynesia's latest cabinet meeting, based on recognition of the 'metua' (leader) personality, charisma, and his struggle for the interest and his love for the Polynesian people.

This also means that all buildings within view of the monument cannot be altered without prior authorization of the relevant authorities.

Pouvāna'a a 'Ō'opa is widely regarded as the father of modern politics in French Polynesia during the post-war second half of the twentieth century.

Air Tahiti buys four new ATRs

French Polynesia's domestic airline Air Tahiti will purchase four new ATR 72-600 aircraft to be delivered between 2025 and 2028, the company said in a release.

This new generation of turbo-propelled aircraft is said to generate 45 percent less CO2, ATR said.

"These new aircraft will allow Air Tahiti to better manage the frequency and the capacity of its flights", the manufacturer said without disclosing the amount of the sale transaction.

Another jail sentence for importing meth into French Polynesia

A court in Papeete has this week sentenced a 25 year-old man to a 5-year jail term for illegally importing four Kilos of crystal methamphetamine.

The accused explained, during hearings, that the idea was suggested to him by a former co-detainee who was a member of a Mexican drug cartel, while they were both serving a previous jail sentence in the United States.

The crystals were intercepted in several parcels both by French customs in Tahiti and the US customs department.

Some of the parcels' contents were declared as car spare parts.