Audit raises serious concerns about government overtime payments
By Bill Jaynes
The Kaselehlie Press
November 13, 2013
Pohnpei, FSM—Last week Pohnpei’s Office of the Public Auditor (OPA) released their audit of Pohnpei’s Payroll System for fiscal years 2011 and 2012. Though the audit says that the Pohnpei State Government payroll system has basic controls in place it also says that there were serious management deficiencies in the use and payment of overtime during the two fiscal years they audited.
Mr. Ihlen Joseph, Pohnpei’s Public Auditor said this afternoon that by tomorrow he will have sent an official letter to Pohnpei’s Attorney General recommending an official law enforcement investigation into the matter of overtime payments.
Read more: Audit raises serious concerns about government overtime payments
Pohnpei eco-adventure maps show the way
By Bill Jaynes
The Kaselehlie Press
November 13, 2013
Pohnpei, FSM—For the last year and a half Alex Zuccarelli has been wandering and exploring every nook and cranny in Pohnpei. His has been no aimless meandering. He carried a small GPS (geo-positioning satellite) unit and thoroughly documented his highly systematic wandering. From that documentation and scads of other research, he produced a series of highly informative eco-adventure maps, the first three of which arrived on island one month ago.
The first three maps in the Pohnpei eco-adventure series cover Lenger Island, Sokehs Island, and the Temwen Vicinity including The Nan Madol Ruins. Each of the highly detailed maps include points of interest, biking, hiking, climbing, and kayak routes. The maps additionally offer a wealth of helpful information including important rules of etiquette for each site as well as background information on the area. They include well researched information on each of the features, and even a listing of seasonal events in the areas. If there are access fees the current rate is listed. Don’t know how to get there? It’s in there. There’s even a very helpful listing of lodgings in the vicinity, many of them private accommodations that even long term residents of Pohnpei might not have known about.
US provides $33 Million in Compact payments in October
Embassy of the United States of America
The Fiscal Year 2014 Trust Fund payment of $26,104,960 was deposited to the FSM Trust Fund in October. The FSM Department of Finance received Compact Infrastructure Grant and Supplementary Education Grant payments from the United States Government totaling $7,202,837 for a total of
$33,307,797.
Trust Fund Deposit $26,104,960
Supplementary Education Grants $ 5,000,000
Infrastructure Grants $ 2,202,837
Total Amount $33,307,797
The $33,307,797 was divided among the
States and the FSM National Government
as follows:
FSM Trust Fund $26,104,960
National Government $ 1,185,460
Chuuk $ 2,333,354
Kosrae $ 954,138
Pohnpei $ 1,288,974
Yap $ 1,440,911
Read more: US provides $33 Million in Compact payments in October
Mr. Uemoto first FSM National to become an FSM citizen under changed immigration law
On October 25, Mr. Sei Francis Uemoto became the first National of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) to obtain his citizenship under a changed immigration law.
Mr. Uemoto was born in Pohrasapw Village, Kitti Municipality in Pohnpei on September 17, 1930 to a Pohnpeian mother and a Japanese father. He had twelve siblings who were born in Pohnpei, most of whom had passed on.
Read more: Mr. Uemoto first FSM National to become an FSM citizen under changed immigration law
Yap recognizes World Food Day and International Day for Disaster Reduction
International Organization for Migration
COLONIA, Yap – The State of Yap joined the world in recognizing the 2013 World Food Day and the International Day for Disaster Reduction at the State Community Center on October 30, 2013. Since 2011, the Joint Risk Management Network (JRM-N) has organized events each year to remind the people of the FSM to prepare themselves for natural disasters and to raise awareness of the ever-present possibility of natural disaster occurrence. The theme for this year’s worldwide World Food Day event was “Healthy People Depend on Healthy Food Systems – Sustainable Food Systems for Food Security and Nutrition” but the local event organizer’s the Yap Interagency Nutrition Education Council (YINEC) translated it locally and made the theme “Let’s Celebrate Breadfruit-Breadfruit of the Pacific”.
Read more: Yap recognizes World Food Day and International Day for Disaster Reduction
Quality Coffee in Pohnpei
John Ranahan
November 12, 2013
Kolonia, FSM- Earlier this year, the Pohnpei Buzz pilot project team started the first of many quality trials on the taste of Pohnpei Buzz coffee to prepare for its first and limited edition scheduled for early December.
What does it taste like? Does it have that great coffee aroma? Is it a quality product? As part of the Pohnpei Buzz Pilot Project to develop a viable specialty coffee business with Wilbur and Magdalena Walter, around forty samples of dark and medium roasts have been offered to ‘target market’ potential customers since July. The ‘Buzz’ Team has also invited coffee lovers to the project office for a few tastings as they further develop the product’s quality.
