KPress Vol. 16 Iss. 12
Jaynes, Bill (2016-05-16). KPress Vol. 16 Iss. 12 (PDF) (Report). Kolonia, Pohnpei: Kaselehlie Press.
- Has attachment: File:ZDUZJTXN.pdf
Abstract: KPress Vol. 16 Iss. 12: NEWS: issuance by Pohnpei State authorities of a foreign investment permit to a Chinese company, followed by a small public protest organized by Wescott Panuelo questioning the decision, with limited participation attributed to late notice and reliance on social media for outreach; filing by the Pohnpei State Attorney General’s Office of Human Trafficking and Criminal Exploitation charges against four individuals, marking the first prosecutions under Chapter 8A of the Pohnpei Criminal Code after an investigation that began as a larceny case; confirmation that two separate sets of trafficking and exploitation charges were filed, resulting in arrests, with the identities of defendants and victims withheld pursuant to statutory privacy protections; prosecutorial use of recorded video testimony from four alleged victims to avoid public courtroom testimony and reduce retraumatization; explanation of statutory penalties for human trafficking and criminal exploitation, including imprisonment of up to ten years and fines of up to $10,000, with enhanced sentencing available where multiple victims are involved; indication by police that investigations remain ongoing to determine whether additional perpetrators or victims are connected to the case; completion of a $40,000 solar power installation at Sapwalap Elementary School; training of FSM emergency medical responders and firefighters by the Guam Fire Department; recognition of FSM artist Jasmine Mendiola as a top prize winner in the regional “Tuna Day” competition, which solicited creative works addressing Pacific tuna, local cultures, and livelihoods across multiple artistic media.
