French Polynesia

Visits at French Polynesia's prisons suspended

The French High Commission said inmates would instead be allotted phone time to communicate with their friends and families.

The High Commission said some inmates might be released early, but that would not be considered if the individual was a risk to the public.

Last month, France was found guilty in the European Court of Human Rights of breaching the human rights of prisoners in Tahiti by treating them in a degrading manner.

Tahiti tourist exodus continues amid flight cancellations

The French High Commission in French Polynesia said since last Friday a total of 2600 tourists had been able to fly out of Tahiti.

This Friday, a last flight bound for France is scheduled to take off before regular services are suspended until at least late April.

The High Commission said since the start of the crisis an air bridge set up with the domestic carrier Air Tahiti had allowed 2,500 holiday makers to fly from the outer islands back to Tahiti.

French Polynesian Covid-19 cases climb to 23

An update was given by president Edouard Fritch, who told the public broadcaster that among the five is education minister Christelle Lehartel.

She has been in isolation for a week.

Mr Fritch also warned that a curfew may be declared because too many people flout the restrictions put in place at the weekend in an effort to curb the spread of the disease.

There had been cases of people being out without the required attestation allowing their movement, he said.

There had also been instances of people meeting up in defiance of existing orders.

Sixth Covid-19 case in Tahiti, two in New Caledonia

Earlier in the day, the authorities said there was one case in Moorea and one in Tahiti.

In an updated statement, the government said a third had been confirmed Thursday.

The individual is reported to be a European tourist who arrived two days ago.

Last week, the first tourist was hospitalised with the virus after falling ill on the atoll of Fakarava.

The French High Commissioner Dominique Sorain said access will be tightened and only residents are now allowed to enter French Polynesia.

2 more covid-19 cases in French Polynesia

One of them is a person close to the parliamentarian Maina Sage whose infection was made public yesterday.

She had returned from France at the weekend and was tested this week to become the first known coronavirus carrier in a Pacific Island country.

The other new coronavirus case concerns a Swiss tourist who fell ill on the atoll of Fakarava in the Tuamotus.

According to Tahiti Nui TV, the tourist had also arrived in French Polynesia last weekend.

The individual has been flown back to Tahiti where tests confirmed his infection.

Coronavirus: French Polynesia won't follow France in closing schools

A government spokesperson said the situation in French Polynesia, with one case, was nothing like that in metropolitan France, which had more than 2280.

The territory's member of the French National Assembly, Maine Sage, was confirmed to have Covid-19 yesterday.

It is believed she contracted the virus during a committee meeting in Paris.

Authorities are trying to track down and isolate her contacts since she returned to Tahiti last weekend.

French Polynesia records first coronavirus case

President Edouard Fritch said the carrier was one of French Polynesia's members of the French National Assembly, Maina Sage, who returned from Paris at the weekend.

Ms Sage was at home in self-isolation, Mr Fritch said.

Reports say she had met the French culture minister Franck Riester, who has also been infected.

Mr Fritch said before returning to Tahiti she had a medical check-up that showed no sign of the illness.

Amid concern over the spread of the virus, she then reportedly arranged for a test which came back positive.

More drugs found on yacht in French Polynesia

The boat was first searched on behest of the customs department after it docked on the atoll of Apataki and 340 kilogrammes of the drug was found.

It was then transferred to Tahiti where more concealed drugs were recovered, bringing the total haul to 436 kilogrammes.

The boat had sailed from Panama and was crewed by four men - three Italians and a Peruvian.

The four are being held in Papeete and are at risk of being jailed for 30 years and incurring fines of nearly $US10 million.

System malfunction sets off tsunami alarms in Tahiti

The sirens went off in Papeete and Pirae on Tahiti as well as on Moorea and Bora Bora.

The sound of the sirens caused confusion and triggered activity on social networks.

Reports say the French High Commission was alerted by firefighters.

Repairs to the system are now reportedly underway.

 

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Edouard Fritch is re-elected French Polynesia president

In the territorial assembly, Mr Fritch of the Tapura Huiraatira received the backing of 39 of the 57 members.

He defeated the challenges of Geffry Salmon of the Tahoeraa Huiraatira Party and of the five-time president Oscar Temaru of the pro-independence Tavini Huiraatira Party.

In a surprise development, an as yet unidentified Tahoeraa member also voted for Mr Fritch.

Mr Salmon received ten votes although his party has 11 members while Mr Temaru got eight votes.