29 Mar 2006

French Polynesian president slammed for fresh independence call

4:04 pm on 29 March 2006

French Polynesia's centrist Fetia Api party leader, Philip Schyle, has expressed outrage at recent comments by President Oscar Temaru in favour of independence.

In a release sent from Paris, Mr Schyle says the president has an obsessive attitude which he says is incompatible with the serene exercise of his responsibilities.

He says by making constant calls for the territory's independence for, Mr Temaru is betraying the confidence which some elected members and parties placed in him when they supported him during his election last year.

Fetia Api supported Mr Temaru when he was first elected President of French Polynesia in June 2004.

But Temaru was removed in a motion of no confidence only four months later.

He came back to power in March 2005, but this time without Fetia Api's support.