May 13th planned for repatriation of stranded citizens
Details Written by Bill Jaynes
FSM Information Services
April 4, 2021
PALIKIR, Pohnpei Per Congressional Resolution (C.R.) 21-252, the Declaration of Public Health Emergency originally implemented by His Excellency David W. Panuelo, President of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), on January 31st, 2020, has been extended to May 31st, 2021. Citizens interested in reading C.R. 21-252 may find it here: https://gov.fm/files/CR 21-252 - Effective Date for COVID-19 Emergency Declaration on May 31 2021-compressed.pdf
For the great bulk of citizens, residents, and stakeholders, including those residing in the FSM and those stranded abroad, C.R. 21-252 offers no change from the status quo of the past several months and is thematically similar to the previously enacted C.R. 21-245, C.R. 21-228, C.R. 21-185, and C.R. 21-175. Economic provisions, such as cargo shipping and at-sea transshipment of fish, remain i
April 8, 2021
Palikir, Pohnpei This afternoon, Ambassador of Japan to the FSM Sobashima Hidenobu met with FSM Secretary for Foreign Affairs Kandhi Elieisar to officially sign paperwork to turn over a $3.7 million grant to be used for capacity building at the FSM Fisheries and Maritime Institute.
The FSM Fisheries and Maritime Institute (FMI) is located in Yap and operated by the College of Micronesia FSM. It offers majors in Navigation, Marine Engineering, and Fishing Technology.
Ambassador Sobashima said that FMI has been hampered in its ability to conduct field training due to lack of necessary equipment. He said that the grant would be used for construction of additional classrooms and dormitory rooms, and also rigid-hull inflatable boats and a training ship.
Republic of Palau- Office of the President
A world-first COVID-safe, quarantine-free “Sterile Corridor” opened today between Palau and Taiwan with the arrival of Palau’s first inbound tourism flight since March 2020. The sold-out China Air flight landed in Palau at around 7:30 pm, carrying Taiwanese travelers eager for their first international vacation in over a year.
Palau’s border has remained closed since March 2020 to keep its local population of 18,000 safe from the risk of COVID-19. Palau is one of the only countries to remain completely COVID-free, but as tourism is Palau’s biggest economic driver, the border closure has had a devastating effect on the country’s economy.
Using implementation and climate science to diminish Dengue in the FSM and RMI
Details Written by Bill Jaynes
(Hagåtña, Guam) – Many US-Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPIs) are disproportionately affected by climate change. Low elevation islands, particularly those in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and the Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI), have already experienced rising sea levels and persistent drought affecting access to drinking water, decreased living space, and climate-sensitive diseases like dengue.
The FSM and RMI health leadership and PIHOA have teamed up with the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES) U.S. Department of State to building predictive models. Using climate and dengue data, the team will develop and implement early warning systems against dengue for the FSM and RMI. This lead time would allow FSM and RMI to train vector staff, reduce mosquito sources, test insecticide resistance, and
Madolenihmw officials convicted of multiple charges related to theft of funds
Details Written by Bill Jaynes
April 11, 2021
Pohnpei After many hearings, Pohnpei Supreme Court Associate Justice Robert Nakasone issued a judgment of conviction for four former Madolenihmw officials including the former magistrate, Petrick Ringlen. The judgment, which was issued on March 2, only last week came to the attention of The Kaselehlie Press. A sentencing hearing was scheduled for April 6, but was postponed.
Last year, Pohnpei State charged the four with various crimes after a Pohnpei Office of the Public Auditor revealed that they had been receiving significant, unauthorized payroll advances, some for more than a decade. Besides Ringlen, the convicted officials were Maioleen Etse, the Madolenihmw government treasurer; Sohnasem George, an account clerk; and Hernet Ringlen, a tax collector for Madolenihmw.