KPress Vol. 08 Iss. 03
Jaynes, Bill (2008-01-09). KPress Vol. 08 Iss. 03 (PDF) (Report). Kolonia, Pohnpei: Kaselehlie Press.
- Has attachment: File:L2UM2WIM.pdf
Abstract: KPress Vol. 08 Iss. 03: NEWS: Palikir, Pohnpei—following reporting in the December 22, 2007 issue, a meeting was held on January 4, 2008 with John F. Uwas, Assistant Secretary for the Division of Customs and Tax Administration, in the CTA conference room to review the accuracy of statements previously reported regarding computer shipments to Chuuk; at a Chuuk Chamber of Commerce meeting, Helen Aten of Aten and Associates stated that two shipments—one of 16 boxes and another of 14 boxes—had delivered a total of 30 computers to Chuuk; Uwas presented customs documentation showing two shipments of computers arriving in Chuuk, one shipment of eight computers on October 28 and another shipment of seven computers on November 14, for a total of 15 computers; the computers were supplied for two separate, externally funded projects facilitated by Pohnpei Computer Consulting, owned by long-time Pohnpei resident and businessman Noel Boylan, who paid the full customs tax owed for both shipments in Palikir after the computers arrived in Chuuk; Aten asserted that because Boylan paid the customs tax in Palikir, the 50 percent state share that would normally accrue to Chuuk instead went to Pohnpei State; Uwas disputed this claim and provided documentation showing that Chuuk State received credit for its full 50 percent share of both customs payments, totaling more than $327 from two payments that together exceeded $600; Uwas acknowledged that although Boylan requested that “Chuuk State” be written on his November 22, 2007 customs tax payment, a receiving clerk initially recorded an incorrect account number, temporarily crediting Pohnpei, but that a correcting journal entry was later made crediting Chuuk State with $152.55; the October payment of $349.57 was handled correctly from the outset, resulting in Chuuk State receiving $174.79 from that transaction; OPINION / EDITORIAL: a separate item reports that during a ceremony letters of exchange were signed for a gratuitous grant of US$1,000,000 to be applied toward the FSM Trust Fund, with the agreement signed on behalf of the FSM Government by Secretary of Foreign Affairs Lorin S. Robert and on behalf of the Chinese side by a vice minister; additional commentary notes that Uwas expressed disappointment that Helen Aten wrote a strongly worded letter directly to President Mori rather than addressing concerns to the Customs and Tax Administration, stating that he only became aware of the issue after President Mori asked Secretary of Finance and Administration Finley Perman to investigate, and asserting that the concerns raised stemmed solely from Boylan’s lawful decision to pay his own customs taxes, with the only entity not receiving a share of the transaction being Aten and Associates, despite having been paid for shipment of the items.
