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Category: News
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Published: Thursday, 08 April 2021 05:35
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Written by Bill Jaynes
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By Bill Jaynes
The Kaselehlie Press
March 26, 2021
Saladak, U, Pohnpei—This morning, students of Saladak Elementary School in U, Pohnpei held an event to display what they have learned through an innovative program in cooperation with PREL (Pacific Resources for Education and Learning).
The program for preservation of indigenous learning was made possible by a grant to PREL from the organization Nia Tero who used the funding to begin one pilot program in the FSM and one in the Marshall Islands. The kickoff for the pilot program at Saladak Elementary school was held on November 10, 2020. Since then 6th, 7th and 8th graders spent part of each school week receiving instruction on weaving techniques with coconut fronds, carving with machetes, use of some wooden tools that are used traditionally for husking coconuts, splitting and pounding breadfruit, and sakau cups. Students in all grades participated in the program and the learning also included traditional dancing and even canoe carving. Students planted a working garden using traditional techniques, learned all of the traditional names for the plants and maintained the garden. Some student spent time learning the honorific language and traditional titles as well as all of the village names in the U municipality.
“This has been a dream project for me for a long time. After 30 years of trying to get everyone ready for college it became abundantly clear that we also need an educational pathway for those students who just want to live on their Islands and be productive citizens,” wrote Paul Hadik, PREL CEO in an email last November. “I did this years ago in Kosrae and now with the enthusiastic support of Governor Oliver and Director of Ed Etse we are piloting at Saladak Elementary School. Two-Three days a week the local Elders come in and teach everything from weaving, songs and chants, farming and fishing, canoe and navigation, family lineages, 
story-telling, local medicine, etc.” he continued.
Hadik said that the program will last until May at which time PREL will conduct a one-week skills test for the community leaders.
“The goal is to come away soon with an alternative education system that does not eliminate College Prep, but adds another finish line so to speak, for those students and communities (especially on outer islands) who want an education system more relevant to Island life,” he wrote.
On Friday morning, the students gave impressive performances on the campus of Saladak Elementary School. ECE students each told the gathered crowd which clan they each came from. Fourth grade students each gave a specific example of the importance of local foods. Fifth grade students gave the names of each traditional leader in U and their specific titles within the traditional leadership structure. Sixth graders each demonstrated weaving of mwahrmwars, bowls, and baskets from scratch. Seventh graders also demonstrated weaving from scratch using coconut fronds. In their demonstration, they weaved containers for carrying specific food items such as coconut, cooked fish, and
breadfruit. The seventh graders also performed two traditional dances. Eighth graders demonstrated their knowledge of the traditional names of the various parts of the traditional canoe, a surprising number of parts. They also demonstrated coconut husking and grating.
The demonstration ended with seventh and eighth graders conducting ahmwadang, a traditional sakau ceremony.
PREL’s representative is Canita Rilometo who has worked with the students since the pilot program’s beginning. Pohnpei Governor Reed Oliver and Department of Education Director Stanley Etse attended Friday’s demonstration.
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Category: News
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Published: Thursday, 08 April 2021 05:29
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Written by Bill Jaynes
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Hits: 838
By Bill Jaynes
The Kaselehlie Press
March 25, 2021
Chuuk—This afternoon, Attorney Sabino Asor filed a civil action on behalf of six Plaintiffs at the Chuuk Trial Division of the FSM Supreme Court regarding alleged inappropriate actions regarding Chuuk election processes.
The Plaintiffs in the case (FSM CA 2021-1003) are Sabino Asor, Setiro Paul, Takamichy Mori, Johannes Berdon, Maimichy Masis, and Simay Casro Karen. The named defendants are FSM Congress Speaker Wesley Simina in his official and personal capacities, FSM Senator Tiwiter Aritos in his official and personal capacities, Amando Marsolo as Mayor of Tol in his official and personal capacities, Alexander Narruhn, the FSM Department of Finance, the FSM Department of Justice, the Chuuk Statewide Development Authority, and the Faichuk Development Authority.
“This is a Civil Rights case brought: (1) to prevent the defendants from using the authorities and resources of the FSM National Government to commit voter oppression and violate voters’ and citizens’ civil rights for the purpose of influencing and controlling the outcome of political elections in Chuuk State, in ways contrary to law…(2) to seek specific performance in referring the allegations of election fraud and voters oppression to the defendant FSM Department of Justice to assign a special counsel to look into such allegations if there are criminal violations involved; and (3) to seek punitive damages against the named defendants for such alleged civil rights violations against opposing voters’ and opposing candidates’ during the March 2021 general election and other local state and municipal elections,” the civil action begins.
Plaintiffs point out that in 2003, the FSM Supreme Court ruled that it is a violation of the Separation of Powers of the FSM Constitution for members of the Congress to be directly or indirectly involved in the distribution and implementation of public projects funds appropriated by the Congress. It says that the Chuuk Statewide Development Authority, and the Faichuk Development Authority were set up by Speaker Simina and Senator Aritos, respectively, in order to process and administer their public projects approved by the FSM Congress.
Plaintiffs allege that the two named Senators backed Marsolo, the incumbent Mayor of Tol by not only promising but by actually providing public project funds for boat motors and other things to voters who
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Category: News
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Published: Thursday, 08 April 2021 05:27
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Written by Bill Jaynes
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Hits: 802
By Bill Jaynes
The Kaselehlie Press
March 15, 2021
FSM—This evening, the FSM Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a motion at the FSM Supreme Court to dismiss the complaint of 13 Plaintiffs who had asked the Court for declaratory judgment that the FSM Government’s emergency declaration that sealed its borders after the world wide COVID-19 outbreak was unconstitutional. The plaintiffs in the case each reside in one of the four FSM states and had traveled outside of the FSM’s borders before the President acted to seal the country’s border. They were each directly affected by the action of the government and for the last year, they have been unable to return to their homes as is the case for many FSM citizens, residents, and even members of the diplomatic corps.
The DOJ motion’s first argument for grounds for dismissal of the case was for failure to name indispensable parties. It argues that each of the State governments also should have been named since each of the four States also issued their own emergency declarations. The argument specifically names the Pohnpei State Government as one of the authorities in the nation that was adamant about its declarations that refused disembarkation of passengers at its port. “Although the FSM state of emergency covers borders control measures, the FSM States remains adamant in the disembarkation of persons from international travels,” the motion says. The motion to dismiss says that failure to name indispensable parties in a civil action is sufficient grounds for dismissal.
However, within the heading discussing that matter, the Assistant Attorney General that filed the motion then diverged from the main argument saying, “This is an extreme circumstance where members of the society is (are) divided in their views. While some plea for the FSM borders to open, some demand the closure to continue. It is understood that certain rights may be impaired at times like this. The society are (is)
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Category: News
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Published: Thursday, 08 April 2021 05:25
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Written by Bill Jaynes
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Hits: 869
By Bill Jaynes
The Kaselehlie Press
March 15, 2021
FSM—This evening, the FSM Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a motion at the FSM Supreme Court to dismiss the complaint of 13 Plaintiffs who had asked the Court for declaratory judgment that the FSM Government’s emergency declaration that sealed its borders after the world wide COVID-19 outbreak was unconstitutional. The plaintiffs in the case each reside in one of the four FSM states and had traveled outside of the FSM’s borders before the President acted to seal the country’s border. They were each directly affected by the action of the government and for the last year, they have been unable to return to their homes as is the case for many FSM citizens, residents, and even members of the diplomatic corps.
The DOJ motion’s first argument for grounds for dismissal of the case was for failure to name indispensable parties. It argues that each of the State governments also should have been named since each of the four States also issued their own emergency declarations. The argument specifically names the Pohnpei State Government as one of the authorities in the nation that was adamant about its declarations that refused disembarkation of passengers at its port. “Although the FSM state of emergency covers borders control measures, the FSM States remains adamant in the disembarkation of persons from international travels,” the motion says. The motion to dismiss says that failure to name indispensable parties in a civil action is sufficient grounds for dismissal.
However, within the heading discussing that matter, the Assistant Attorney General that filed the motion then diverged from the main argument saying, “This is an extreme circumstance where members of the
