Tema’e, explanations and situation on May 4, 2023

After the bitter failure (1) of the FRITCH government and the mayor of Moorea, M. E_HAUMANI, in their joint attempt to grant the WANE Group, after modification of the PGEM (2), the possibility of building a set of bungalows on stilts in the lagoon anchoring the public beach of Tema’e, similar to those of the Sofitel hotel belonging to the same private group, the Country opts this time for the purchase at a premium price (3) and with public funds, of an 18-hectare parcel of marshland (4) representing less than ⅓ of the new property (5) of the said local private group.

The aim of the operation: “to preserve access to the coastline for the population” (6) with, in particular, the development of a public park (7) on the edge of the airfield, while reducing the coastal edge of the public beach from the current 550 meters to 161 m.

In his press conference on March 10, VP J-C. BUISSOU declared that “the government has heard the main demands of the people of Moorea”; but the government’s No. 2 is clearly mistaken about the population.

In the coconut grove (8) immediately behind the 550 m of public beach, there is a 3.2-hectare site reserved by the commune of Moorea since 2013 (9) for a public garden project, which for the time being prevents the current owner of the site, Groupe WANE, from building on it.
The association of Tema’e Moorea residents (AHTM) and the Fédération Tāhei’Autī ia Mo’orea (FTAIM) are concerned with this precise site, not the 18 hectares of marshland.

To date, we don’t know the real intentions of the mayor of Moorea-Maiao regarding the future of this reserved right-of-way, as the subject seems taboo. Does he want to remove it from the PGA to allow the WANE Group to build part of its hotel project there? Or, on the contrary, to create a public garden?

However, on analysis, both the island’s mayor and his ally, the FRITCH government, are leaning more towards the interests of the private group.

In the wake of the 2023 territorial elections, which came to a close on Sunday April 30, we expect to receive the BROTHERSON government’s action plan on the subject at the end of May (10).

1: decision of the Administrative Court of French Polynesia of 20 SEP 2022
2: decree no. 2009/CM of September 10, 2021
3 : 2.6 billion Pacific francs (21,713,414 Euros)
4 : wetland protected under the RAMSAR convention
5: 62 hectares purchased at 2.850 billion Pacific francs (23,801,242 Euros) and not 6 billion XPF as repeatedly stated by vice-president Mr. J-C. BUISSOU and Chairman Mr. E. FRITCH.
6 : cf. Report n°21-9023 of the French Polynesia Assembly, dated FEB 16, 2023, relating to a draft resolution concerning modification n°1 of the French Polynesia general budget for 2023 ; II- Adjustments to the investment section / B- Program authorizations / p.5 – Mission n°903 – Partnership with communities – AP n°372.2023 – Acquisition of plots of land in the commune of moorea to maintain access to the sea.
7 : amount of project not communicated.
8: surface area over 7 hectares, bordered by the beach, the motu road, the Sofitel hotel and the beach soccer pitch.
9: reserved right-of-way no. 22.
10 : cf. reply letter dated 04/14/2023 from the President of Tavini Huira’atira, Mr. O. TEMARU, and from the candidate for President of the Government, Mr. M. BROTHERSON, to the open letter to candidates for the ET 2023 elections dated 03/31/2023, jointly signed by the respective presidents of the TAIM Federation, the Aimeho Tau Ora Federation and the A