Teva Rohfritsch and Frédéric Riveta, who were part of the previous version of Temaru’s government formed in February this year, under a then Flosse-Temaru alliance, accepted an offer to retain their portfolios in the new line-up that was announced at the weekend.
Both are members of former President Gaston Flosse’s Tahoeraa Huiraatira.
Ahead of the expected reshuffle, last week, they were cautioned not to join any new team, since a Flosse-Temaru alliance was now considered null and void due to outspoken differences between the two leaders.
Tahoeraa Huiraatira’s response was swift: the party’s executive office on Tuesday met and resolved to “suspend” the two dissenting ministers who did not follow their party’s recommendations.
Therefore, the executive council added the two ministers’ decision to remain on Temaru’s government, despite the end of the previous alliances, was a “personal one” and that from now on, they would “only represent themselves” and “no longer can invoke any connection with Tahoeraa Huiraatira.”
The two MPs reacted to the decision saying they were “relieved” in a way, but at the same time “disappointed” at a sanction they labeled “inadequate.”
They have not indicated as yet whether they now intend to resign from Tahoeraa altogether.
There has been growing dissent within Tahoeraa Huiraatira in past years and several of its key former members have left the once-dominating party, especially since the May 2004 general elections that saw Flosse being unseated after almost 20 years of undisputed leadership of French Polynesia.
During the past five years, local media have counted over 20 defections from the once-ruling party, many of those high-profile leaders.
The latest open resignation to date is that of another key Tahoeraa Huiraatira member, Bruno Sandras, who announced his decision at this week’s executive party council.
Sandras told the meeting he “no longer felt comfortable with a party that spent most of its time sanctioning and excluding people.”
Sandras told the daily newspaper La Dépêche de Tahiti that since the 2004 general elections, Tahoeraa Huiraatira’s support has steadily fledged and that it now only represented of 12 percent of the votes.
He also lashed out at Flosse’s heavy hand on his party and his refusal to accept “those team members who have a little bit of personality.”
Meanwhile, French Polynesia’s minister for tourism and the digital economy, Jacqui Drollet, announced the appointment of Jean Paul Barral as chairman of the board of the local Office of Posts and Telecommunications, a public enterprise.
The appointment came in the form of a decree signed by President Temaru.
“The relation of trust and loyalty existing between the minister of the digital economy and the new chairman of the board are conducive to facilitate the necessary control from the government on of one its key public enterprises,” Drollet said.
Barral, who already held OPT’s top position in previous years, under previous governments, replaces Moana Tatarata, who has been dismissed.
