Legal Dispute Over the Tahiti Pearl Consortium: Court Ruling Expected Within 24 Hours
By Sandrine, Wednesday 12 December 2012 at 13:18 :: Legislation
The collective “Touche pas à ma perle”, opposed to the creation of the Tahiti Pearl Consortium, brought the case before the Administrative Court on December 4, challenging the agreement that the Maison de la Perle was preparing to sign with international consultant Gaetano Cavalieri.
The hearing on Tuesday, December 11, addressed the key question of whether this agreement constitutes a public or private contract, given the status of the Maison de la Perle as a public industrial and commercial establishment (EPIC).
Attorney Robin Quinquis, representing the Maison de la Perle, argued that the agreement is a standard contract under common law and is therefore not subject to public procurement rules, stressing that the court’s review concerns the formal legality of the agreement, not the validity of the Tahiti Pearl Consortium as a tool for the pearl sector.
Attorney Vincent Dubois, representing the collective, countered that the agreement constitutes a public contract requiring a competitive bidding process, call for tenders, and public notice. According to him, the Maison de la Perle — despite its EPIC status — should be regarded as an administrative public institution. A court decision is expected within the next 24 hours.