It's a euro jungle out there

French officials have been spreading the gospel of the euro to the South American rainforests.

Jungle dwellers in French Guiana have been visited by officials travelling by motorised canoe and armed with euro-kits and glossy brochures devised by the Ministry of Finance in Paris.

Because most of the indigenous population does not speak French, Jacques Charlet, the finance officer at the prefecture, has even had T-shirts printed proclaiming the changeover in the local dialect Taki-taki. The shirts carry the slogan, "2002 wang tra money" which translates as: "In 2002 the currency changes."

Michelle Legus, from the prefecture in Cayenne, said: "M Charlet has headed a number of missions to meet people in far-flung areas and explain the introduction of the euro."

The tropical euro mission has been eased by the fact that the indians are familiar with the currencies of neighbouring Surinam and Brazil.

"The euro changeover will be much less difficult for them than for the inhabitants of the principal towns of Cayenne and Kourou," explains Jean-Francois Courtois, of the prefecture in Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni.

He adds: "Our communication campaign is working. Europe may be far off but it is not just an abstract concept for local people who see the European flag flying on public buildings."