It is one of the strangest episodes in Polynesian pearl farming. In 2012, the government triumphantly announced a technological revolution: a one-of-a-kind sorting machine capable of automatically grading Tahitian pearls. Five years later, the dream has turned into an administrative nightmare.

“We are facing a textbook case of mismanagement,” denounces Marcel Tuihani, spokesperson for the current government. The General Inspectorate of Administration (IGA) has been tasked with shedding full light on this embarrassing affair.

The Secrets of a Phantom Contract

Investigations reveal:
  • 40 million XPF committed for a prototype never delivered
  • 20 million XPF already paid to the American company Ritco
  • No patent filed and no proof of concept validated

“No one has ever seen this so-called machine in operation,” confides a senior maritime official.

2012: The Year of Suspicious Payments

Payment timeline:
  • 14 million XPF in May 2012 (35% of the contract)
  • 6 million XPF in October 2012 (an additional 15%)
  • 50% paid before any proof of feasibility was provided

The minister at the time, Temauri Foster, still defends his initiative: “We had to innovate to maintain our technological edge.”

An Investigation That Promises to Be Explosive

Key points under review by the IGA:
  • Absence of a technical specification document
  • Lack of control over advance payments
  • Possible undeclared conflict of interest

“All those responsible will have to be held accountable,” warns the public prosecutor.

A Scandal That Tarnishes the Maison de la Perle

This fiasco adds to a series of setbacks:
  • Structure dissolved in 2013 after only three years of existence
  • 200 million XPF in cumulative deficit
  • 7 employees laid off amid controversy

“This machine was our last hope to justify our existence,” laments a former executive.

Toward International Legal Action?

Options under consideration:
  • Filing suit in the U.S. against Ritco
  • Legal action against the contract signatories
  • Recovery of misused public funds

“We will use every possible legal recourse,” assures the current Minister of Finance.

Scandal by the Numbers

→ 40 million XPF committed → 0 machine delivered → 5 years of investigation ahead → 1 pearl sector still seeking credibility