Chief Clerk returns offer missing at sea KOLONIA, Ponape - Congress Chief Isaac of Pingelap which they found tank for a sea anchor while cutting their Clerk Sintaro Ezra, Trust Territory drifting on Oct. 26. motor and drifting. Food Services Coordinator for the FSM They left Sokehs about 10 a.m. Oct. They sighted Ponape about 3 p.m. Nihlis Ernest and local fisherman Ounis 24, in a 19-foot fiberglass boat with a Oct. 30 still drifting with the current Jack returned to Kolonia late Monday, single 35-horse-power outboard motor and wind moving them toward the is- Oct. 31, after being missing seven days on and were reported seen by local fisher- land. The current changed about 4 p.m., a fishing trip in rain storms and rough seas. men about 3:30 p.m. that afternoon so they started their engine and reached They were admitted to the Ponape trolling in a school of fish during a Ohwa Pass on the east side of the island State Hospital for observation and re- heavy rain storm which limited visi- at 5:45 p.m. Oct. 31. leased Nov. 1 in good condition. bility. Ezra said "We had fish and water pro- The trio reported that they survived They said that they last saw local visions enough to last for about a on dried fish and rain water captured hi fishermen John Thomas at 2 p.m. Oct. month," and they never saw the rescue an unmanned boat owned by Sohsi 24, and that they used an empty gas planes and ships searching for them. The National Union £Peace JMni/y ^tfat/u <s & AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION FOR THE PEOPLE AND THE STATES OF THE FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA Volume 4 Kolonia, Ponape, October 30, 1983 Number 20 In State of the Nation Message President says plan completed KOLONIA, Ponape - President Tosi- guidelines for funding local projects of the Compact of Free Association with wo Nakayama announced the comple- during his fourth annual State of the the United States by the Federated tion of the National Development Plan Nation Message here Oct. 28. States and the Saipan Accords with the and urged the FSM Congress to follow its The President cited the ratification presidents of Palau and the Marshall Islands to gain acceptance for the Com- pact in the U.S. Congress as steps toward entry into a new era of development and prosperity for the FSM. "The economic prosperity we seek which will be the source of our political self-reliance will be base on the actions we take now to build the foundation for our development and growth," he told the Congress. "As we prepare for this new era of self-government during free association, the most important thing that we can do is to complete the foundation that we began to lay for our economic develop- ment," he said. "Our National Development Plan has Jeen completed," the President said, noting that Volume II dealing with state development programs and national financial investment policy has been forwarded to the Congress. He said that Volume I dealing with STATE OF THE NATION MESSAGE - FSM President Tosiwo Nakayama, upper national characteristics operations ac- left, is delivering his fourth annual State of the Nation Message on Oct. 28 in the counts and fiscal policy will be for- Congress chamber. From left are Floor Leader John Haglelgam of Yap, Nakayama, warded to Congress {vfore the end of Speaker Bethwel Henry and Administrative Assistant Mitchuo Daniel, of Ponpae. its current session whk . is scheduled for (See message text on Pages 4-6 and related stories on Page 2-3.) Nov. 8. (Continued on page 3) en Congress disapproves 4-year ferms for off oe ON KOLONIA, Ponape - The Third FSM for President and Vice President. said he objected to the bill because the o f) Congress disapproved a bill which would Presently, only those members elected FSM President and Vice President are amend the FSM Constitution to provide from each state at-large serve four-year of "broader constituency," and he for four-year terms for all of its members, terms. All other members represent does not want to treat the FSM Cons- Oct. 28, after President Tosiwo Nakaya- specified election districts and serve titution just like any public law that must ma delivered the State of the Nation two-year terms. be amended every time the Congress Z Message. The bill which was submitted for ap- meets. O proval by the Judiciary and Govern- Fritz said that the bill comes from The bill received 8 votes for and 4 mental Operations Committee chaired by many constituents out of a growing against it, with 10 votes required for Senator Jack Fritz of Truk, would concern and that there needs to be more passage. reduce the number of elections and cut selection in the Congress for the highest Measures adopted on the 19th day costs regarding campaigns and the admi- offices in the executive branch. Iof the current regular session include nistration of the voting process, the Com- Speaking hi favor of the proposed Congressional Bill 3-91, changing the mittee report said. bill, Senator Peter Christian of Ponape closing time of polk from 7 p.m. to The report also said that the bill would said he thinks only senators who ran 5 p.m. for national elections, and Con- provide the members of the Congress unopposed should be elected President gressional Resolution 3-85, CD1 com- who presently serve two-year terms with and Vice President. He called the bill mending FSM public safety officers upon more time to establish their programs "an act of bravery!" their graduation from the Micronesian and achieve long-range goals, and would Senator Pedro Harris of Ponape said Police Academy in Sitka, Alaska, and give each member equal standing. "after talking with some people, it recognizing others for organizing and Floor Leader John Haglelgam of Yap (the bill) appears to be self-serving." conducting the training program. C.B. 3-3, CD1, which would amend Article IX, Section 8, of the FSM Cons- President vetoes two measures titution to provide that all member of the Congress serve four-year terms KOLONIA, Ponape - President Tosi- classroom repair and $5,000 for an would also make all members qualified wo Nakayama informed the FSM Cong- Anwachang taro patch wall, were allotted ress that he vetoed two acts, including to the Truk governor and expended, and one to change the allottee for all public could not be allotted, again, as required Settlement reached projects on Tol Island from the Truk by the bill. State Government to the Outer Faichuk In an Oct. 18 letter to the Speaker, KOLONIA, Ponape - President Tosi- Social Economic Development Authority the President said, "If the approval wo Nakayama announced during his board of directors. process suggested hi CB 3-104, CD1, Oct. 28 State of the Nation to Congress The second act to increase the juris- were to take effect, in most cases the a settlement was reached with the owners diction of the Congress over fishing only way to obtain prompt action on an of a Japanese boat caught fishing illegally rights agreements was vetoed, the Presi- agreement would be to call a special in FSM waters who agreed to pay a dent said, because it would mean his session of Congress, a time consuming, $500,000 penalty, plus $21,476.92 in having to call a special session every time expensive and unnecessary requirement, costs. an agreement was being finalized. in my view. The settlement was reached earlier In an Oct. 14 letter to Speaker Beth- "For this reason, I have chosen to Oct. 28 in negotiations here between wel Henry, the President said that he disapprove the bill," he said. FSM Chief Litigator David Nevitt and disapproved C.B. 3-123 which was The President said that the amend- John Moore of the Moore, Lawlor and approved during the first special session ments would change existing law from Hall law firm in Guam, representing of the Third FSM Congress hi August requiring that fisheries agreements with Goyo Marine Products, owner of the because it would take the fiscal 1982- foreign parties be approved by the Con- Goyo Maru No. 2 purse seine fishing ves- funded projects from the chain-of- gress when it is in session, or the Re- sel which was apprehended while fishing command structure of the state govern- sources and Development Committee Aug. 17 near Kapingamarangi Atoll, ment and make its accountability diffi- when it is not in session and approval by Ponape state, a few weeks after the latest cult under the Financial Management by the Micronesian Maritime Adminis- agreement with the Federation of Japan Act. tration when fewer than 10 vessels are Fisheries Cooperative Associations He said that "we have learned from involved. expired. experience that it is difficult to monitor The changes would require congres- The boat was brought to Ponape Is- national appropriations for state public sional approval of all agreements involv- land, and the Attorney General's Office projects when the designated allottee is ing six vessels or more and approval by filed charges in the FSM Supreme Court removed from the chain-of-command the R&D Committee of agreements for seeking $3.6 million in fines and penal- structure of the state government," and fewer than six agreements, he said stat- ties, plus forfeiture of the $6 million that "the intent of the State Public ing that "Such an approach would ef- vessel and its catch. Projects Regulations can be easily frus- fectively eliminate the capacity of the "We must do all that we can to trated as they become difficult, if not im- government to approve foreign fishing enforce our fishing laws in order to reap possible to apply." agreements in a prompt and timely a fair compensation for the use of our Nakayama said that the provision fashion and would throw into dissarray valuable fisheries resource and continue of the bill to consolidate four $10,000 regulation of the 200-mile zone." its conservation," the President told Con- economic improvement projects for Tol The President also cited the recom- gress.