The French Polynesian man vying to revive the Pomare royalty has hit back at comments by the French high commissioner, urging local leaders to assume responsibility for the territory's crisis.
The commissioner, Adolphe Colrat, rejected calls in Tahiti for France to give more money in the face of the unprecedented economic crisis.
Walter Zweifel reports.
"Joinville Pomare has written an open letter to the French high commissioner, acknowledging the territory's crisis. But he accuses him of cynicism, saying France was behind large scale corruption over 40 years to allow for French nuclear weapons tests to proceed. He says during that time, Paris has corrupted, bought and silenced local political as well as church leaders. Mr Pomare also says France has failed to honour the 1842 and 1880 treaties it signed with the Pomare rulers."
