130 the contemporary pacific • 22:1 (2010) four-year terms as governor. Moses for Historic Preservation and Consultation subsequently served as FSM ambassa- Conference. Office of nach/fsmis, Palikir, dor to the United Nations and secre- Pohnpei, 13 August. http://www.fsmgov tary of foreign affairs. He was elected .org/press/pr081308.htm to the FSM Congress in 2003 and ———. 2009a. President Mori Delivers the won reelection in 2007. He was the State of the Nation Address before Con- vice speaker of the 14th and the 15th gress. Palikir, Pohnpei, 14 May. http:// FSM Congresses. He is survived by his www.fsmgov.org/press/pr051409.htm wife, four children, and grandchildren ———. 2009b. Public Law Updates (Kaselehlie Press 2009). from 7th Special Session of the 5th FSM john r haglelgam Congress. Press Release 0509-12. Palikir, Pohnpei, 6 May. http://www.fsmpio.fm/ ARCHIVES/RELEASES/2009/may.html References ———. 2009c. Second Update: unof- FSM Constitution. Available online via the ficial Election Results for the FSM Web site of fsmlaw, Legal Information National Election 2009. Press Release System of the Federated States of Microne- 0309-15, Palikir, Pohnpei, 12 March. sia: http://www.fsmlaw.org/fsm/ Haglelgam, John R. 2009. in constitution/ Review: Issues and Events, 1 July 2007 fsmis, FSM Information Services. 2006. to 30 June 2008: Federated States of Presidential Order 30 Establishes FSM Micronesia. The Contemporary Pacific Infrastructure Committee. Palikir, Pohnpei, 21:114–118. 18 August. Kaselehlie Press. 2009. FSM Founding ———. 2008a. FSM Mourns the Passing Father Resio Moses dies at 65. 8 July of Former Vice President Ismael. Palikir, (9:16). Pohnpei, 1 August. http://www.fsmgov Meller, Norman. 1985. Constitutional- .org/press/pr080108.htm ism in Micronesia. Lë‘ie: The Institute ———. 2008b. Presidential Order No. 30 for Polynesian Studies, Brigham Young Amended. Palikir, Pohnpei, 10 September. University–Hawai‘i. http://www.fsmgov.org/press/pr091008 .htm ———. 2008c. Representatives of the National Government Participate at the 3rd Annual Mortlocks Leadership Confer- During a year in which most of the ence. Department of Foreign Affairs Press world experienced a major economic Release, 6 August. http://www.fsmgov downturn, Guam’s political and .org/press/pr080608.htm economic focus was concerned with ———. 2008d. Twenty-One Candidates what promises to be a major boost to Are Certified for the 2009 Congressional the economy yet comes with attendant Elections. Office of the National Elec- political and social consequences. To tions Commission. Kolonia, Pohnpei, buttress the previously announced 6 November. http://www.fsmgov.org/ relocation of several thousand marines press/pr110608.htm and their families from Okinawa to ———. 2008e. Vice President Alik L. Alik Guam, Secretary of State Hillary Clin- Addresses the Micronesian Endowment ton traveled to Japan to sign an agree- pol i t ical reviews • micronesia 131 ment with Japanese officials to formal- crisis is having a significant impact on ize the move (kuam, 17 Feb 2009). travel around the world and we just On Guam, announcements were need to be a little bit smarter about made of expenditures or contracts how we are going to be able to push signed as part of the US Department tourism in our core markets” (kuam, of Defense’s $10 billion in projected 18 March 2009). spending for the relocation (kuam, 15 In April 2009, First Hawaiian Bank Oct 2009). Overall, military construc- issued its economic forecast for Guam tion spending on the island acceler- noting that, despite difficulties in the ated, which in part compensated for tourist industry, the island stands the decrease in tourism resulting from out as one of the few economies in the worldwide economic downturn the world that has a brighter future, (Bradley 2009). primarily due to the massive military Throughout 2008 and early 2009, buildup. The bank’s economic adviser, tourism arrivals declined from Guam’s Dr Leroy Laney, stated, “The coming principal market, Japan. An April military buildup occupies center stage 2009 report from the Guam public on Guam in 2009. It is assured that auditor pointed out that Japan’s 2008 the buildup will come, and parts of arrival numbers were even lower than it are already underway, even though in 2004 when the tourist industry was some uncertainty still exists as to the recovering from two super typhoons exact timing of the transfer” (kuam, and coping with the impact of the 28 April 2009). Asian sars epidemic. Visitor arriv- Uncertainty about the buildup, als from other Asia-Pacific markets though, troubled many island leaders also declined in 2008, and the report and activists, particularly with respect characterized prospects for tourism to infrastructure, environmental, and in 2009 as “bleak” (kuam, 13 April social considerations. Many of these 2009). On the other hand, Guam concerns were voiced in a number of Visitors Bureau (gvb) board chair- forums, including a series of oversight man Dave Tydingco stated that gvb hearings conducted by Senator Judi officials were surprised to see that Guthertz, chair of the legislature’s arrivals from Japan had been rising Committee on the Guam Military recently. Among the reasons given for Buildup and Homeland Security the upturn was the strengthening of (kuam, 3 March 2009). The University the yen and the reduction in the fuel of Guam (uog) also held symposiums surcharge, which decreased the cost featuring speakers on the buildup. In of airfare. However, with respect to November 2008, the uog College of Guam’s other major market, Korea, Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, along visitor numbers remain challenging as with Sanctuary, Incorporated, hosted a that country’s currency, the won, lost discussion about the military buildup 30 percent of its value against the US for students and island residents (PDN, dollar. Tydingco said, “We are hoping 21 Nov 2008). At a uog symposium that with the stabilization of the Japan in April 2009, Dr Catherine Lutz of market the summer months are look- Brown University led a presentation ing better but this global financial entitled “U.S. Military Basing and Its 132 the contemporary pacific • 22:1 (2010)

Impact on Local Communities and “Obviously we’re not too happy about Global U.S. Strategy” (kuam, 13 April [the] idea that the budget we submit- 2009). Another symposium featured ted has yet to be entertained. But the Meio University’s Kiyoshi Nakachi reality is that a lot of the things we and focused on Okinawa’s experiences submitted in the 2010 budget are in hosting US military forces (kuam, specifically to meet the demands of the 15 April 2009). military buildup. There’s substantial The US Department of Defense amount of money for the port, dpw indicated that it needed more land [Department of Public Works], and for than previously estimated for the various agencies that need to beef up buildup of troops and was exploring their infrastructure prior to the mili- the possibility of leasing Government tary beginning the construction. We’re of Guam (GovGuam) property (kuam, still pushing that the 2010 budget 17 Feb 2009). In February 2009, we submitted will be entertained, but Senator Benjamin J F Cruz introduced as [the] governor stated he is disap- legislation to allow Guam voters pointed by the lack of interest or to decide whether they support the movement by the federal government” buildup; only after public consent is (kuam, 21 Dec 2008). given would a determination be made Indigenous rights groups also as to whether the government should voiced their concerns on the mili- lease land to the military. In this same tary buildup and a number of other vein, Senators Rory Respicio and issues. In October 2008, the Chamoru Judi Guthertz raised concerns about Summit II was held, with the theme accessibility of US funding to deal “Mina‘dos na Huntan Manamoru: with the expected strains on Guam’s Huntan i Manamoru ni‘ Pumetsisigi civilian community from the projected Dinitetminan Maisa (Chamoru Sum- expansion of military activity. They mit II: A Meeting of the Chamoru cited an e-mail from Enrique Manza- People Working towards Self-determi- nilla, director of the Pacific Southwest nation).” The forum brought together Communities and Ecosystems Division more than fifty Chamorro professors of the US Environmental Protection and students to learn about effective Agency’s Region 9, expressing con- Chamorro leadership and self-deter- cerns “that there is no commitment of mination. The chair of the summit’s funds to address the civilian impacts planning committee, Chamorro rights of the military buildup” (kuam, 2 activist Lisa Natividad, stated that Dec 2008). This same concern was the event had two goals: to teach echoed by members of the governor’s younger generations of Chamorros Civilian / Military Task Force, which the meaning of self-determination, is leading the government’s response and to create functional commit- to the buildup. Task force member tees. The different committees “are Tony Lamorena said that despite specific to educational strategies on Guam’s 2010 request for funding for Chamoru self-determination[;] there’s the military buildup, there had been a second one on rethinking education no response from the federal authori- for Chamorus, [and] one on a legal ties, so prospects look dim. He stated, committee looking at developing legal pol i t ical reviews • micronesia 133 strategies for achieving self-determi- In October 2008, Chamorro nation,” as well as to revitalize the activists demonstrated and testified Chamorro Registry (kuam, 25 Oct at the Guam Legislature in support 2008). (The Chamorro Registry is an of an indigenous fishing rights bill. election roll maintained by the Guam Maga‘håga (the highest-ranking Election Commission. At some point, female) Trini Torres of the Taotao- the Government of Guam will hold a mona Native Rights Group stated self-determination vote or a plebiscite their goal was to restore native rights on the island’s future political status; to fish in Guam’s waters (kuam, 31 those eligible to vote on this issue are Oct 2008). The bill, sponsored by the indigenous natives of Guam—the Senator Judi Guthertz, was passed Chamorros.) Another organizer of the unanimously by the legislature in summit, former Senator Hope Cris- December (kuam, 23 Dec 2008). The tobal, noted that the issue of decolo- new law mandates that the Depart- nization was also addressed, with ment of Agriculture and a fishing task forces created to cover the status council made up of grassroots organi- options of statehood, free association, zations develop rules to allow indig- and independence. Cristobal explained enous fishermen to practice traditional that this was done because there is forms of fishing within the preserves. a need to continue public discussion However, in June, Acting Director of about these status options and to Agriculture Joe Torres claimed that the make up for the lack of political dis- new law is too ambiguous to imple- course on this issue. It was also noted ment at this point. Torres questioned, that the increasing pace of the mili- “What constitutes a Chamorro tary buildup may make it difficult for grassroots organization? Who has Chamorros to exercise self-determina- the power to select an indigenous tion. Organizers explained that they taskforce committee?” Torres said hoped to hold summits periodically to that senators Rory Respicio and Judi present new findings and information Guthertz are currently working on to the community (kuam, 25 Oct drafting legislation that would clarify 2008). these points (kuam, 27 June 2009). The military buildup was also Also in June, according to Senator one of the principal concerns in May Respicio, the Association of Pacific 2009, when the island’s youth along Island Legislatures, comprising legisla- with various grassroots organiza- tors from Micronesia, Hawai‘i, and tions came together for the “Reclaim American Sëmoa, adopted a resolution Guåhan: Chule‘ Tatte Guåhan” youth in support of the Chamorro indig- rally. The event took place at Skinner enous fishing rights law (pers comm, Plaza in Hagåtña and was organized June 2009). to provide an outlet for “education, The attention to Chamorro fishing expression and empowerment.” It also rights in many ways paralleled broader featured poetry, local bands, art, film Guam community concerns about the showings, and opportunities to talk rising cost of living. As with communi- about the island’s present and future ties worldwide, the price of gas and (kuam, 23 May 2008). electricity was of great concern, par- 134 the contemporary pacific • 22:1 (2010) ticularly as the price of regular grade timeline, Judge Tydingco-Gatewood gasoline reached $5 per gallon at one ordered the Government of Guam to point in 2008. The 70 percent fall in provide the financing for the construc- world oil prices from July to Decem- tion of the new landfill. However, ber 2008 saved island consumers more the Camacho administration and than $2 per gallon by the end of 2008 the Guam Legislature continued to (PDN, 1 Jan 2009). On the other hand, disagree on the final bond legislation, the Guam Power Authority’s electric- and, as a result, Tydingco-Gatewood ity rates did not keep pace with the issued a further court order requir- drop in gas prices, though consumers ing GovGuam to deposit $1 million were seeing reductions in their power per week in a special fund to finance bills by mid-2009 (kuam, 21 April the landfill project until an acceptable 2009). Overall, purchasing power by bond financing measure was in place Guam’s consumers went down over (kuam, 22 Feb 2009). By June, Gov- the past year (PDN, 1 Jan 2009). Guam had sold $474 million in bonds One infrastructural problem that not only to finance the new landfill remained at center stage of public but also to pay past-due income tax discussion throughout the year was refunds and cost-of-living allowances Guam’s sole civilian landfill. This issue for retirees (kuam, 15 Jun 2009). has been in court for years as the fed- The two main issues confronting eral government sued the Government the Guam Public School System this of Guam for failing to close the Ordot year were selecting a third superin- landfill and to open a new permitted tendent to head the department in the facility. Early in 2008, US District past three years and finding a home Court Judge Frances Tydingco-Gate- for the students of John F Kennedy wood placed the DPW Solid Waste (jfk) High School. jfk High School Management Division in receivership, was closed last year when it was citing GovGuam inaction on the mat- deemed unsafe, and the entire school ter. In October, the court-appointed operation was transferred to George receiver released a timetable for con- Washington High School in Mangi- structing a new landfill in Inaråjan in lao. The two schools were forced to southern Guam (PDN, 1 Jan 2009). The share the same campus, necessitating site selection has been controversial double sessions (PDN, 1 Jan 2009). and opposed for some time by Guam As an interim solution to finding a legislators and other concerned resi- new home for jfk High School, the dents of Guam, especially those in the Camacho administration negotiated a south, because of environmental con- one-year lease with Core Tech Inter- cerns including possible contamination national Corporation for a warehouse of a nearby water supply (kuam, 3 near the airport. The deal called for Feb 2009). Another site, authorized $4.5 million in lease payments plus by prior legislation, was preferred by an additional $3.9 million for desks, several senators who also objected to chairs, and other equipment. This was the high cost of the receiver’s plans for approved by the authorizing statute the new landfill (kuam, 21 Nov 2008). passed in June, which also provided Early in 2009, based on the receiver’s that these payments could be covered pol i t ical reviews • micronesia 135 by the issuance of tax credits. Public tion were Republicans Mark Forbes, schools are scheduled to open by 11 Frank Ishisaki, and Jesse Lujan, and August, and Core Tech spokesman Democrat David Shimizu. Two of their Joshua Tenorio said the next step is to replacements were returning senators, order the necessary school equipment Democrats Jr and Tom so that it will be on hand for the start Ada. The other two were newcomers of classes (PDN, 27 June 2009). Republican Telo Taitague and Demo- As a permanent solution, the crat Matt Rector, the president of the government is moving forward with Guam Federation of Teachers (gec constructing a new jfk High School. Web site). Voters also rejected, for the Camacho administration officials third time, an initiative to authorize have stated that the contract signing casino gambling at Guam Greyhound and ground breaking for the project is Park. The proposal received 13,735 set for August, with actual construc- “yes” votes and 19,449 “no” votes. tion expected to be finished in nine Within days of the defeat, Guam months. If this holds, jfk students can Greyhound itself was closed due to expect to have their graduation cer- ongoing losses in its operations (PDN, emony for the coming term in the new 1 Jan 2009). school, according to Dr Nerissa Breta- Guam leaders also saw new oppor- nia-Shafer, who was selected to fill tunities with the election of President the superintendent slot in July 2008 Barack Obama. Shortly after his (PDN, 27 June, 1 Jan 2009). In other inauguration, the Guam Legislature education news, the Western Associa- adopted a resolution setting out an tion of Schools and Colleges renewed “Agenda of Concerns for Guam on the accreditation for the University of Federal-Territorial Issues” to present Guam for another eight years, and the to the new president and the incoming prospect of new construction at the US Congress. Among the issues listed university with federal stimulus funds were the following: recognition of the was actively discussed (uog, May Chamorro right to self-determination; 2009; kuam, 24 Jan 2009). improved political status; funding of In the 2008 general election, voters capital infrastructure to deal with the on Guam went to the polls to choose costs of the military buildup; World a new legislature as well as to select War II reparations; establishment of mayors, school board members, and a Guam-only visa waiver program the public auditor (gec Web site). The for visitors from the Philippines and previous legislature had changed from China; reimbursement for the adverse Republican to Democratic control impact of the Compacts of Free Asso- mid-term when a Republican sena- ciation on local health, education, and tor who passed away was replaced public safety; the return of ancestral by a Democrat in a special election Chamorro lands; exemption from that produced an 8 to 7 Democratic the Jones Act, which requires island majority. In November 2008, voters use of US shipping and consequently increased the Democratic majority increases the cost of living; investi- to 10 seats in the 15-member body gation of cases of island victims of (PDN, 1 Jan 2009). Ousted in the elec- military radiation poisoning; cleanup 136 the contemporary pacific • 22:1 (2010) of environmental hazards attributed to the Guam Congress was a purely advi- federal activity; and increased partici- sory body, with all executive, legisla- pation in existing federal programs tive, and judicial power resting in the (Guam Legislature Web site). As 2009 hands of the island’s naval governor. progressed, movement was made on The protest, which received national some of these issues, especially war publicity, is credited with prompting reparations (PDN, 27 June 2009). Addi- the passage of the Guam Organic Act tionally, the Obama administration by the US Congress, which ended the was moving to appoint a Chamorro, naval government, granted Chamorros Anthony “Tony” Babauta, as assistant US citizenship, and ushered in demo- secretary of interior for insular affairs cratic self-government for the people (kuam, 10 March 2009). of Guam. Taitano was also hailed as a As one local election wrapped up, leader in the revitalization of indig- island politicians started preparing for enous culture in Guam and as a strong 2010, a gubernatorial election year. advocate for Chamorro self-determi- Former Governor and nation. He was given a state funeral Senator Frank Aguon Jr announced with eulogies by former Governors that they were seeking the Democratic Paul M Calvo and Carl Gutierrez as nomination for governor and lieuten- well as former US Congressman Rob- ant governor, respectively. Gutierrez ert Underwood (kuam, 4 April 2009). was governor from 1995 to 2002, and Legislation has also been introduced to Aguon was the party’s nominee for rename the Guam Congress Building lieutenant governor in 2006 (kuam, (gcb), where the 1949 walkout took 18 March 2009). On the Republican place, as the Speaker Carlos P Taitano side, Senator , son of Building (kuam, 27 March 2009). former Governor Paul Calvo, made a Other Guam leaders who passed away formal announcement of his guberna- during the year were former Agana torial bid with Senator , Heights Mayor Juan Pangelinan, who was rumored to be his running former Mangilao Mayor Jesus Santos, mate (kuam, 1 May 2009). Still to former Senator Sonny Shelton, pioneer jump in the race was Republican businessman Ken Jones, and longtime Lieutenant Governor Mike Cruz, who newspaper editor and columnist Joe had not publicly stated his intentions Murphy (Guam Legislature Web site). as of June 2009. There is speculation kelly g marsh and that Senator James Espaldon may be tyrone j taitano his running mate. Among the Guam statesmen who passed away during the year in review Un dangkolo na si Yu‘os ma‘åse was former Speaker Carlos P Taitano, (thank you) to Lisa Natividad and who died of natural causes at the age Shannon Murphy for providing input of ninety-two on 26 March 2009. and insight regarding events on Guam Taitano was most well known as one during the period under review. We of the architects of the Guam Con- also thank Shannon Murphy for gress walkout in 1949 to protest US reviewing an earlier version of this Naval Government rule. At that time, article. pol i t ical reviews • micronesia 137

References thirteen other udp members, includ- ing former President and current Bradley, Joseph. 2009. Presentation given Jabat Senator Kessai Note, signed at the Association of Pacific Island Legisla- the motion, although in entering the tors General Assembly held in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia. June. motion they acknowledged that they lacked the minimum seventeen votes gec, Guam Election Commission Web site. needed to unseat Tomeing. Among http://gec.guam.gov/results/ the list of reasons for the motion, the Guam Legislature Web site. http://www United Democratic Party cited deterio- .guamlegislature.com/ rating relations with the , kuam, kuam.com: Guam’s News the inaction on the part of the Tome- Network. http://www.kuam.com/ ing government to respond adequately to the recent loss of jobs for Marshal- PDN, Pacific Daily News. Hagåtña, Guam. http://www.guampdn.com/ lese citizens at the US Army base on Kwajalein, failing to support a bill in uog, University of Guam Web site. the US Senate that would have ear- http://www.uog.edu/ marked $4 million per year for the next fifteen years for health services to Marshallese from nuclear-affected atolls, and the administration’s Marshall Islands “refusal” to move forward with the The past twelve months in the Repub- newly approved Uliga Elementary lic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) have School (Chutaro and Johnson 2008). been characterized both by the break- According to the RMI constitu- ing of new political ground—including tion, the Nitijela must vote within five two votes of no confidence, cabinet to ten days after the submission of a shake-ups, and emerging diplomatic no-confidence motion, regardless of prospects—and by the reappearance whether or not Parliament is in ses- of entrenched electoral, fiscal, and sion during that time. Sensing that the demographic challenges. United Democratic Party did not have Certainly the most highly antici- the votes necessary to prevail, Speaker pated and watched political events of Jurelang Zedkaia, a ruling aka party the last year were the two votes of no member, convened the Nitijela on 21 confidence filed against the adminis- October; after preliminary opening tration of President Litokwa Tomeing, remarks, udp chairman Ailinglaplap heading a coalition government led Senator Ruben Zachras withdrew by the Aelon Kein Ad (aka) majority the motion. The United Democratic party, within his first fifteen months Party was further embarrassed by the in office. The first no-confidence vote absence of one of the original sign- was introduced to the Nitijela (Parlia- ers of the motion, Majuro Senator ment) by Ebon Senator John Silk of Wilfred Kendall, who later explained the opposition United Democratic that he failed to attend the meeting Party (udp) on 14 October 2008, the as he thought the vote would fail last sitting day of the year’s parlia- anyway. While significant as only the mentary session. In addition to Silk, third no-confidence motion in RMI