Amendments approved for funding needs

French Polynesia and New Caledonia have received initial approval for four amendments aimed at securing additional funding for health care, education, and climate-related relocation efforts. The amendments, proposed by deputy Mereana Reid Arbelot, were approved by the finance committee of the National Assembly on Wednesday. However, they still require passage through several parliamentary stages before becoming law.

Funding for medical treatments

The first amendment allocates nearly 2.4 billion francs (20 million euros) to cover the cost of expensive medical treatments in French Polynesia and New Caledonia. These treatments are currently funded by the territories' social protection systems, which face significant strain due to fewer contributors compared to the Social Security system in metropolitan France.

Support for health evacuations

A second amendment proposes a state contribution of nearly 1.8 billion francs (15 million euros) to support health evacuations (Evasan) in the two territories. Deputy Reid Arbelot emphasized that these expenses are currently borne entirely by the territories and called for state support to ensure continuity of care.

Creating new education roles

The third amendment seeks nearly 196 million francs to create 22 new positions in Polynesian schools, including four nurses, nine social service assistants, and nine technical staff. This comes amid a current strike by health workers and aims to address the needs of students from remote areas who often leave their families at a young age for schooling.

Climate relocation fund

The fourth amendment proposes a fund of nearly 239 million francs (2 million euros) to assist populations displaced by rising sea levels. This would provide resources for relocation efforts, with Deputy Reid Arbelot stating that the territories are on the front line of the climate crisis and must be prepared.

Budget balance through reallocations

The proposed funds are offset by equivalent reductions in other programs to maintain budget balance. The funding for expensive medical treatments would come from the "Disease Protection" program, while the climate-related fund would be sourced from a reallocation of credits from the public energy service.

Next steps for the amendments

Despite the initial approval, Deputy Reid Arbelot cautioned against declaring victory, noting that the amendments still need to be adopted in a public session of the National Assembly. The finance bill will then proceed to the Senate, followed by potential new readings between the two chambers before final adoption.