Geffry Salmon (born 1952) is a

French Polynesia )Territorial motto: ( en, "Great Tahiti of the Golden Haze") , anthem = , song_type = Regional anthem , song = " Ia Ora 'O Tahiti Nui" , image_map = French Polynesia on the globe (French Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of Frenc ...

n politician and former

Cabinet Minister A minister is a politician who heads a ministry, making and implementing decisions on policies in conjunction with the other ministers. In some jurisdictions the head of government is also a minister and is designated the ‘prime minister’, � ...

. He is a member of Tahoera'a Huiraatira. Salmon is a former chair of the board of telecommunications company OPT and chief executive of Air Tahiti Nui. In early 2009 he was arrested as part of a corruption investigation into state-owned telecommunications company OPT. He was released in November 2009 after being detained for six months. The case was eventually dismissed in 2019. He served as Environment Minister and Tourism Minister in 2014. He headed Tahoera'a Huiraatira's list for the

2018 French Polynesian legislative election Legislative elections were held in French Polynesia on 22 April and 6 May 2018. On 22 April 2018, voters cast their ballots in the first round of the election to the Assembly of French Polynesia. A second round was held on 6 May 2018 for the thre ...

s after party leader

Gaston Flosse Gaston Flosse (born 24 June 1931) is a French politician who has been President of French Polynesia on five separate occasions. He is currently a member of the Senate of France and has been a French junior minister under Jacques Chirac. He receiv ...

was barred from public office after being convicted of corruption. Despite heading the list, Tahoera'a refused to allow him to participate in election debates. After being elected to the

Assembly of French Polynesia The Assembly of French Polynesia (french: Assemblée de la Polynésie française, Tahitian: Te apo'ora'a rahi o te fenua Mā'ohi) is the unicameral legislature of French Polynesia, an overseas country of the French Republic. It is located at Plac ...

, he was the party's candidate for president, but lost to

Édouard Fritch Winfred Édouard Tereori Fritch (born 4 January 1952) is a French politician who has served as President of French Polynesia since 2014. He previously presided over the Assembly of French Polynesia on three occasions: from April 2007 to February ...

, receiving only ten votes of 57. During the election campaign Salmon accused Fritch of vote-buying, and as a result was sued for defamation. An initial conviction and fine of US$5,000 was subsequently overturned on appeal.

References

Living people 1952 births Tahoera'a Huiraatira politicians A here ia Porinetia politicians Members of the Assembly of French Polynesia Environment ministers of French Polynesia Tourism ministers of French Polynesia {{FrenchPolynesia-bio-stub