French Polynesian

Radio 1 said the Chinese company Tahiti Nui Ocean Foods has been taken to court by the construction company Coco Group Engineering over alleged payment delays.

After years of negotiations and months of preparations, the $US 1.5 billion project was due to be started this month.

Tahiti Nui Ocean Foods has acknowledged the delays but said the project was unchanged and would be completed.

The mayor of Hao suspects that the setback has been masterminded by the political opposition.

The court has also declared the mayor for Tumara'a Cyril Tetuanui ineligible to hold public office for two years after finding him guilty of the inappropriate use of his office for business dealings.

In a second case judged at the same time, he was given a suspended eight-month prison sentence for favoritism.

The mayor is free because he has still the option of appealing to France's highest court.

Five years ago, Tetuanui was given a suspended sentence and declared ineligible for public office for a year by France's highest court.