Pacific

New French Polynesian government line-up announced

10:55 am on 17 June 2004

The new French Polynesian president, Oscar Temaru, has named announced his government line-up, two days after his election.

Mr Temaru has named a nine-member team, with Jacqui Drollet the vice-president.

Walter Zweifel reports from Papeete.

"President Temaru has reduced the number of ministries from 16 to 9 in a bid to cut a top-heavy territorial administration. He has named as Finance minister, Emile Vanfaffe, a retired Tahitian official of the French Revenue Department in Paris. The Education portfolio has gone to a Linguistics professor, Jean Marius Raapoto, while a local professor of Marine Biology, Keitapu Maamaatuahiautapu, takes over the Natural Resource portfolio thta includes the Pearl industry. The line-up includes one woman - Marie-Laure Danizette. Mr Temaru has also announced he will go to Paris in a month for top-level talks with the French government."