This decision, led by the Minister of Marine Resources Tearii Alpha, was validated during a recent session of the Council of Ministers.

Charged with promoting and legally protecting the Tahitian pearl, the institution was also tasked with sorting, classifying, and evaluating pearl production. However, many industry professionals had expressed reservations about its effectiveness. With an annual budget ranging between 250 and 300 million XPF — peaking at 735 million in 2013 — the usefulness of the institution had been seriously called into question.

The dissolution of the Maison de la Perle is part of a broader desire to “rationalize public action,” explained Vice President Nuihau Laurey. He reminded that the majority of the institution’s functions had previously been handled by the Directorate of Marine Resources, which will now take over these responsibilities. In a context of fiscal austerity, the government opted for this reassignment to keep public spending under control.

The Vice President also announced that other public institutions are currently under review for potential cost-saving measures. Three entities are receiving particular attention for possible dissolution or partial privatization. The executive intends to complete this review before the end of the year as part of the Growth Pact discussions with the State. Reducing public spending has been set as a priority, and targeted privatizations could be implemented depending on the conclusions of the ongoing evaluations.