KPress Vol. 20 Iss. 15

Jaynes, Bill (2020-07-15). KPress Vol. 20 Iss. 15 (PDF) (Report). Kolonia, Pohnpei: Kaselehlie Press.

• Has attachment: File:5ESJ6NR5.pdf

Abstract: KPress Vol. 20 Iss. 15: NEWS: Pohnpei Department of Public Safety officers, acting on a search warrant issued by Pohnpei Supreme Court Associate Justice Robert Nakasone, seize a 20-foot shipping container at the Federated Shipping Company compound in Dekehtik containing an estimated 800 kilograms of dried sea cucumbers bound for Hong Kong, with prosecutors preparing placeholder criminal charges amid an ongoing investigation; College of Micronesia–FSM Land Grant Program Director Dr. Manoj Nair briefs U.S. Ambassador Carmen G. Cantor on the sea cucumber aquaculture project at Nihco Marine Park nurseries and offshore Palikir farms, outlining spawning, grow-out timelines, theft challenges, and regulatory barriers including the $25,000 fisheries license fee; Pasifika Renaissance releases the first publicly accessible instructional video series on traditional Carolinian navigation, documenting master navigator Ali Haleyalur’s teachings with UNESCO grant support and Yap State approvals; COVID-19 travel restrictions delay the opening of the PRC-funded Kahmar River Bridge in Nett despite construction completion, with FSM Transportation Secretary Carl Apis and PRC Ambassador Huang Zheng citing inspection requirements by Chinese engineers and broader donor project delays; Pohnpei Governor Reed Oliver extends the state COVID-19 emergency order for an additional 30 days, maintaining the Emergency Task Force, funding directives, and travel restrictions while operating under elevated preparedness levels despite no confirmed cases; the U.S. Embassy in Kolonia marks the 244th U.S. Independence Day through environmental cleanup events, youth essay awards, and public outreach tied to enforcement of FSM Public Law 21-76 banning single-use plastics; Micronesia Conservation Trust and Conservation Society of Pohnpei publish a GPS-mapped assessment identifying active dredge sites and more than 100 illegal dump locations along Pohnpei’s main road, prompting Governor Oliver to direct EPA enforcement actions; FSM health officials warn after biohazard waste bags intended for medical use are mistakenly employed for roadside vegetation disposal in Kolonia, emphasizing infection-control risks; Australia funds the establishment of Pohnpei’s first 24-hour Domestic Violence Hotline through the Governor’s Office and Social Affairs, coordinated with FSM agencies and international partners; the FSM signs an Establishment Agreement with the World Bank to open a sub-regional office in Pohnpei and expand infrastructure, energy, ICT, and maritime investment across the North Pacific; the Telecommunication Regulation Authority issues an operating license to Kacific Broadband Satellites, expanding satellite internet services alongside FSM Telecom, the Open Access Entity, and Boom! Inc.; OPINION / EDITORIAL: Japan’s Ambassador Sobashima Hidenobu outlines Japan’s COVID-19 “3Cs” and cluster-based response as lessons for FSM preparedness, while a letter from MiCare patients stranded in Guam appeals to FSM and state leaders for medication access and repatriation amid prolonged travel restrictions.