Polynesian Pearl Farming: The Incredible Fiasco of the “Miracle Machine” That Never Existed

Investigation into a flagship 40-million-Fcfp project turned financial black hole.

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

“We’re dealing with a textbook case of mismanagement,” denounces Marcel Tuihani, spokesperson for the current government. The General Inspectorate of Administration (IGA) has been called in to shed light on this embarrassing affair.

The Hidden Truth of a Phantom Contract

Investigations reveal:

• 40 million Fcfp committed for a prototype never delivered
• 20 million Fcfp already paid to the American company Ritco
• No patent filed or proof of concept validated
  “No one has ever seen this so-called machine in operation,” admits a senior maritime sector official.

2012: The Year of Suspicious Payments

Payment timeline:

• 14 million Fcfp in May 2012 (35% of the contract)
• 6 million Fcfp in October 2012 (an additional 15%)
• 50% paid before any feasibility proof

Yet, the then-minister, Temauri Foster, defends his initiative: “We had to innovate to maintain our technological edge.”

An Explosive Investigation in the Making

The IGA is examining:

• Lack of technical specifications
• Failure to control advance payments
• Possible undeclared conflicts of interest
  “All those responsible will have to answer for this,” warns the public prosecutor.

The Scandal Tarnishing the “Maison de la Perle”

This fiasco adds to other setbacks:

• The organization dissolved in 2013 after just 3 years
• 200 million Fcfp in accumulated deficit
• 7 employees controversially laid off
  “This machine was our last hope to justify our existence,” laments a former executive.

Toward International Legal Action?

Options under consideration:

• Filing a lawsuit in U.S. courts against Ritco
• Legal action against contract signatories
• Recovery of wasted public funds
  “We will pursue all possible legal avenues,” assures the current Finance Minister.

The Scandal by the Numbers

→ 40 million Fcfp spent
→ 0 machines delivered
→ 5-year investigation looming
→ 1 pearl industry struggling for credibility