KPress Vol. 20 Iss. 16

Jaynes, Bill (2020-07-29). KPress Vol. 20 Iss. 16 (PDF) (Report). Kolonia, Pohnpei: Kaselehlie Press.

• Has attachment: File:C4DSQGH3.pdf

Abstract: KPress Vol. 20 Iss. 16: NEWS: Madolenihmw voters elect Ricky Carl in a July 7, 2020 special election after the Pohnpei Legislature previously declined to seat him following the 2019 general election, with the Credentials Committee certifying his eligibility and the Legislature conducting an accelerated swearing-in; Carl announces creation of a Madolenihmw Medical Assistance Fund using his initial legislative allowance to support residents without medical insurance, with remarks by Iso Nahniken Salvador Iriarte emphasizing constitutional respect for custom and unity; the U.S. Department of State’s 2020 Trafficking in Persons Report again ranks FSM at Tier 2, detailing investigations, prosecutions, convictions, and gaps in victim protection, judicial training, labor monitoring, and prevention efforts, including reference to recent Chuuk convictions and unresolved allegations of official complicity; tensions at Pohnpei State Hospital escalate as doctors and staff resign over enforcement of a statutory overtime pay cap (“max pay”), with Director of Health Services Wincener David acknowledging regulatory constraints and clinicians warning of staffing losses during COVID-19 border closures; IOM, USAID, and the U.S. Embassy mark completion of Tropical Storm Jelawat recovery projects in Pohnpei, including 18 road, bridge, and culvert repairs and housing vouchers for nearly 880 beneficiaries, with remarks by Ambassador Carmen Cantor and IOM Chief of Mission Nathan Glancy; a performance audit of the Pohnpei Department of Land for FY2017–2018 identifies major deficiencies in lease management, revenue collection, board governance, historic preservation, and survey functions, citing millions in arrears and lack of compliance with statutory requirements; President David Panuelo signs Public Law 21-152 exempting an additional 20 percent of national revenue shares from FSM Trust Fund deposits for FY2021–2022 to provide direct fiscal relief to states during the pandemic; Australia partners with IOM to fund COVID-19 response projects improving water, sanitation, hygiene, and gender-based violence services across FSM; FSM and Kosrae COVID-19 Task Forces conduct simulation exercises and assessments concluding Kosrae is not yet ready for citizen repatriation, outlining gaps at points of entry, quarantine, and isolation facilities and extending national task force support; OPINION / EDITORIAL: Youth 4 Change and the Pohnpei Office of the Public Auditor present advocacy on anti-corruption education and civic engagement, framing corruption prevention as a shared responsibility requiring sustained youth participation.