The collective “Hands Off My Pearl,” opposing the Tahiti Pearl Consortium’s creation, filed a lawsuit with the Administrative Court on December 4th. They challenge the agreement the Maison de la Perle was preparing to sign with international consultant Gaetano Cavalieri.
During the December 11th hearing, the court examined whether this agreement constitutes a public or private contract, given the Maison de la Perle’s status as a public industrial and commercial establishment (EPIC).
Key Legal Arguments:
- For Maison de la Perle: Me Robin Quinquis maintains the agreement is a common law contract not subject to public procurement rules, emphasizing the court should only review the agreement’s formal compliance, not the Consortium’s validity as a pearl industry tool.
- For the Collective: Me Vincent Dubois contends the agreement qualifies as a public contract requiring competitive bidding procedures. He argues the Maison de la Perle, despite its EPIC status, should be treated as a public administrative body.
The court’s decision is expected within the next 24 hours.
Leave a Reply