Opinion

Pohnpei’s new “government” website—a work in progress

“Welcome to the Official Website of Pohnpei State Government,” the home page of the website at www.pohnpeimet.fm says. The website was published to the international web community on July 5, 2010, according to Pohnpei State Public Affairs Officer Heinrick Stevenson. At the top of the screen, the words, “Peace, Unity, Transparency” and “Accountability” float by one at a time from left to right before they fade away, superimposed over the word,“Kaselehlie,” the beautiful and meaning filled greeting so often taken for granted by many of us who use it. Though the website has been published for the world to see, it’s obvious that it is a work still in progress. The home page of the new website, along with several others pages doesn’t quite fit horizontally on a computer screen. The drop-down headings don’t fit in their spaces. Neither do the menus below the headings. Additionally, the website isn’t, in the fullest interpretation of what the word “government” means in FSM, the official website of the “Pohnpei State Government” since only the Executive Branch is represented. “The website is designed primarily to inform and to share with the people of Pohnpei and the general public true and realistic information concerning what the government (executive branch) is doing, and at the same time to seek public input and guidance on how best we can improve delivery of public services to those that we serve,” says the message written by Pohnpei State’s Governor John Ehsa which dominates the home page. Under the heading of “Latest News” on the home page are the words, “Welcome Governor Ehsa from your trip from South Korea,” followed by the words writ in blue, “Contact us…” At least in its start up phase the website doesn’t have a great deal to offer yet and though “contact,” as Governor Ehsa said in his message, is the purpose for the site it is also a missing component. While every page has an alluring blue lettered, “Contact Us,” clickable link, the link doesn’t work. I clicked the blue letters, filled in the requested information boxes including my name and email address and wrote a fairly long comment in the box provided for that purpose and clicked submit. The next page that came up said, “The contact form you are testing needs to be setup.” Apparently, the Allwebco template hasn’t actually been finished by the designer of the website so no contact can yet be made by the website without sending an email by other means. I clicked the link that said This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it under the heading “email us” and the email address that popped up in my Outlook Express page showed the address This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Two days after writing to that email address there still has not been a response, which, I suppose is not too surprising given that there currently is little to no Internet access in the new Pohnpei State Government Complex. Indeed, the spreadsheet formatted page that represents the Executive Directory lists the names of some of the people working at the top levels of government but contained absolutely no information as to how to contact them. Though the spread sheet implies that there should be, there are no recorded fax numbers, no home, cell or office phone numbers and, not a single email address. News is currently scant on the new website. At press time one could find out which four bills were signed by Governor Ehsa last month but you can’t read the bills. Some websites carry disclaimers and the new Pohnpei State website is no exception, “Any person who intends to use the information is hereby advised to confirm its accuracy with Pohnpei State Office of the Governor or the party to which the information is related, before acting on that information.” I suppose that this means that whoever the webmaster is has carte blanche to post whatever he or she wants to post without having to worry too terribly much as to whether it’s accurate. It’s probably not what they meant but that was my immediate knee jerk interpretation. Under the heading “Pohnpei Met” are the following words: “Our objective is to provide a better life for our people, to live in a healthy environment and to live a long prosperous lives in Pohnpei.” There is a box devoted to “What's New in Pohnpei,” that takes up a good portion of the left side of the computer screen. The box below it says, “Click on the resources links in this website to find out more about opportunities, programs, projects and much more here in Pohnpei State.” Why not leave those boxes out and save the screen space? Having said all of these things, the Governor’s office is to be congratulated for making the effort to have a new website. It seems like a natural thing to do since so many Pohnpeians rely on the Internet to get news about goings on their homeland. With the arrival of high speed communications in the FSM more and more Pohnpeians who still live here are connecting to the Internet for information. I applaud the Governor’s office for making this effort and look forward to great improvements in the site in days to come. The website is miles better than the non-existent one that was available a few days ago. It’s been a long time since the Pohnpei Governor’s Office has had a website. Former Governor Johnny David had one that can still be found online at www.fm/PohnpeiGov. The date of the last press release on that site was 2006. The Pohnpei Legislature has a website (www.fm/PohnpeiLeg) as well but until today I had no idea that its use had been diverted for use by the now adjourned Second Pohnpei Constitutional Convention that began in 2009. Before that time the last update of the Pohnpei Legislature website had been in 2005 as far as I could see. The Kosrae Legislature has a website (http://www.kosraelegislature.org/) but I didn’t see any updates on that site more recent than 2008. I did see a notice on the site saying that due to staff shortages the Kosrae legislature was behind in its updates of bills and other information. “We expect to have everything back to normal shortly,” the webpage says. Apparently that function is the responsibility of John McKenzie, who as the Attorney for Kosrae’s Legislature must be up to his neck in paperwork and has very little if any support staff. I couldn’t find a website for the Kosrae Governor’s office. I also could find no governmental websites for Chuuk State. By far, the most up to date and best produced State website I found for the FSM was the Yap State Government page (www.yapstategov.org.) It takes a while to load up on a dial up line but the information in it is practically up to the minute. Every link in it works. I was able to sign up for a daily news update from Yap State Government. Immediately after signing up I checked my email and there was a welcome message for the service for which I’d just signed up. Larry Raigetal, who is in charge of Yap’s Department of Youth and Civic Affairs said that the website was started two years ago, using Compact Capacity Building Sector Grant money for the startup. Garrett Johnson serves as the webmaster for the site. Though the Yap webpage has a disclaimer similar to the one on Pohnpei’s website I was able to find out how to apply for a foreign investment permit something that isn’t on the Pohnpei State website. The only mention of Foreign Investment on Pohnpei’s site is an incomplete sentence. It would be petty to overly criticize a startup website because of typos or grammatical errors so I won’t do it. I did, however, find the description of Pohnpei’s economy to be quite informative even if I didn’t really quite understand what was being said despite having lived here for nearly 10 years. “Pohnpei has a typical mixed economy consisting mostly of government, households and businesses. The economy can best be described as a blend of subsistence and economic dependency.” Perhaps in time, the Pohnpei Governor’s site will be just as good as Yap’s. They might have waited to release the site until it was fully functional but they didn’t choose to do so. But then, there is a website and that’s a very good start.

 
Climate Change
Letter to the Editor PDF Print E-mail
Written by Hendon Blaylock, Ph.D.   
Friday, 21 August 2009
I see in the current edition of The Kaselehlie Press that some things have not changed in Pohnpei in the 26 years since I lived there. The article regarding plans for a “premier hotel/resort complex” with “an exclusive casino gambling license” on the island being promoted by the Governor brought back vivid memories of many similar grandiose plans. As someone who worked with economic development projects throughout the FSM in the early 1980s, and subsequently as an Advisor to the FSMDB during the 1990s, I observed scheme after scheme boosting incongruous projects. The common denominator among all these boondoggles, of course, was the promise of financial rewards accruing to the local facilitators (usually politicians) upon the development of the projects. I do not know whether the subject hotel/casino plans will turn out to be viable or not, and I am not accusing current political leaders of pursuing anything other than the best interests of the State, but the pattern does seem very familiar.

I am also struck by the irony of Pohnpei politicians avidly pursuing a development of this sort while doing everything within their considerable power to drive the owners and managers of the island’s only internationally recognized resort hotel out of business.
Why is this the case?
The good citizens of Pohnpei might well ask themselves that question. 

Hendon Blaylock, Ph.D.
Linwood, New Jersey, USA
Last Updated ( Tuesday, 10 November 2009 )
 
Pohnpei special election pending availability of funds PDF Print E-mail
Written by FSM Congress Public Information Office   
Friday, 21 August 2009
PALIKIR, POHNPEI. July 23, 2009 – The Speaker of the 16th Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia, Isaac V. Figir, has met with President Emanuel ‘Manny’ Mori to discuss the process and timing of a Special Election in Pohnpei.

Their discussion concluded that a special election would not be possible during the current fiscal year due to insufficient funding.

A letter dated July 9, 2009, from President Mori to Speaker Figir noted that the government does not have sufficient funds to reprogram and therefore “does not have the funds necessary to hold a special election in Pohnpei.”

The letter further stated that “we cannot assist in calling for a special session of Congress to deal with this matter or pay for a special election in Pohnpei…”

It was therefore suggested that the issue of Special Election then be addressed during the next Regular Session of the 16th FSM Congress in September.

The special election is to fill the seat for the at-large or four-year representative of the State of Pohnpei to the 16th FSM Congress recently vacated by the untimely passing of its former occupant, the Honorable Resio S. Moses.
Last Updated ( Saturday, 03 October 2009 )
 
FSM Government Creates Program to Bridge the Kosrae Revenue Gap PDF Print E-mail
Written by FSM Information Servives   
Friday, 21 August 2009

FSM Government Creates Program to Bridge the Kosrae State Government Revenue Gap

In both the 2009 and 2010 Kosrae State budgets, only the first three quarters were shown as being funded by the state’s General Fund budget.  In both cases, this was due to an insufficient revenue base.    Because of the high cost of government operations relative to the total unrestricted revenues available to the State, a structural shortfall of funds to cover core operations exists in the in final quarter of FY 2009 and FY 2010.   In order to respond to these budget issues, the Office of SBOC has worked with the Kosrae State Government to identify additional revenue options that would assure balanced budgets in both 2009 and 2010.

Beginning with FY 2007, Kosrae State successfully implemented a number of expenditure-cutting and revenue-generating measures through its State Government Adjustment (Reform) Program.  Despite these efforts, it still faces a general fund annual shortfall of approximately $400,000 for the remainder of FY 2009 and approximately $500,000 for FY 2010.  Because of its obligation to ensure that essential public services are provided to the citizens of Kosrae, as well as support to sector grant programs and projects, Kosrae State is committed to a number of substantive initiatives to immediately address the revenue shortfall.

For FY 2009, the State’s proposed plan identifies two sources of funding to balance the deficit of approximately $400,000.  The first is a savings of approximately $60,000 realized from the first nine months of FY 2009.  The second source is to collect on funds owed by FSM Petroleum Corporation to the former Micronesian Petroleum Company, and therefore the Kosrae State Government, for the purchase of its then existing fuel inventory.  This is approximately $340,000.  To ensure that these two revenue sources will be enough for the remainder of the year, a General Fund spending freeze was initiated on June 15, 2009 by all State government branches.

For FY 2010, the plan identifies five sources of funding to balance a deficit of approximately $500,000.  This begins with implementing an expenditure limitation of 90% in 2010, which should realize an estimated $150,000.  There is also a newly negotiated lease arrangement with FSM Petroleum Corporation that will generate an additional $100,000 to the State government in FY 2010, in addition to $30,000 from the Corporation’s fuel inventory payment referenced above.  

There will also be new revenues generated from accelerated infrastructure projects in 2010.  There are four projects in the pipeline for Kosrae State: Tafunsak School (estimated cost of $2.5 million), the Kosrae Hospital ($8.0 million), the new jailhouse ($1.2 million), and the Lelu Water System Improvement Project ($6.7 million).  The anticipated revenue contributions for FY 2010 is about $48,000.  

Kosrae State will also seek to raise taxes on alcohol, tobacco products, fuel, and hotel accommodations.  All of these areas have relatively low taxes compared to similar locations in the region.  It is estimated that the State’s share of the revenue generated by these minor tax increases could total $44,500.

Finally, there is a proposal for Kosrae State to have an exchange mechanism of exchanging Compact funds for unrestricted local revenue funds from the FSM National Government.  Under this proposal, the state will exchange approximately $109,000 of its Compact Sector Grants for the same amount of unrestricted local revenues from the National Government, allowing the use of the exchanged unrestricted funds to go towards funding general government operations.

The total amount of additional revenue collections through these measures would find about $481,500.  Along with some other proposed measures that depend upon Executive and Legislative action of the FSM National Government that have yet to occur, these proposed measures are expected to cover the shortfall of FY 2010.
Last Updated ( Saturday, 03 October 2009 )
 
Kosrae Group Trains on Island Foods and their CHEEF Benefits PDF Print E-mail
Written by Dr. Lois Englberger   
Friday, 21 August 2009

nutritionkosraeworkshop.jpgAn enthusiastic group of 11 Kosrae men, women and facilitators met at the Pacific Treelodge Restaurant, July 17, 2009, for a training on island food promotion. 

Nena Tolenoa, Coordinator of the Kosrae Comprehensive Cancer Control Partnership, invited Dr. Lois Englberger of the Island Food Community of Pohnpei (IFCP) to facilitate this training.  Mr. Tolenoa had read an article in the Kaselehlie Press about IFCP’s program in Pohnpei, training high school students in the Let’s Go Local Club about the benefits of local food and how they then gave classes to elementary students on this topic (see KP January 7, 2009).  This led him to become interested in this approach.
In addition to Mr. Tolenoa’s staff, others involved in island food promotion in Kosrae also attended, including representatives of the Island Food Community of Kosrae, College of Micronesia-FSM Cooperative Extension Services, and Kosrae State Department of Health. 

Participants of the Kosrae Island Food Promotion Workshop held 17 July, 2009, hold  bananas and banana poster:  Sepe Curley, Robina Waguk, Julie Timothy, Sepe Elley, Cecila Sigrah, Matchuko Talley (sitting); Lolyn Tilfas, Elmet A. Jackson, Dr. Lois Englberger, Nena Tolenoa, and Clinton Sears (standing).

The group learned about the recent findings of the analyses of Kosrae local banana, taro, breadfruit and pandanus varieties, and that the yellow-fleshed varieties are rich in provitamin A carotenoids with health benefits, also helping protect against certain cancers.  They learned the Let’s Go Local Song and CHEEF Benefits of Local Food Song.  All learned about the CHEEF benefits:  Culture, Health, Environment, Economy and Food security.  The group broke into two smaller groups and prepared for presenting their songs as a small competition.  A restaurant staff member served as the judge.

Group 2 (Matchuko Talley, Cecila Sigrah, Sepe Curley, Julie Timothy) were proclaimed the winners.  They sang the song well and performed catchy motions, including waving dollar notes in the air, with the mention of local food’s economic benefits.  

Group 1 (Nena Tolenoa, Sepe Elley, Elmet Jackson, Robina Waguk, and Lolyn Tilfas) however were proclaimed the best singers as they harmonized as they sang.

Clinton Sears, Emory University, based in the United States (US), also joined the session.  Clinton came from US for the summer period for carrying out a study focused on food security and nutrition, and is hosted by the Island Food Community of Kosrae.  He collaborated with the Kosrae cancer program, which provided its outreach workers to assist as interviewers.  The findings of this study are expected to greatly help in planning further work that may help improve health and nutrition in Kosrae.

Thanks are extended to Sight and Life, Kosrae Comprehensive Cancer Control Partnership, and the Kosrae Department of Resources and Economic Affairs for their funding support.
Last Updated ( Saturday, 03 October 2009 )
 
Papier mache’ figurine kicks off an international collaboration PDF Print E-mail
Written by Bill Jaynes   
Friday, 21 August 2009
papiermachearticle.jpgThe German newspaper Westdeutsche Zeitung which has a readership of approximately 400,000 people ran a large story about a cooperative effort between German citizen Bernd Riebe and The Kaselehlie Press.  In the story they praised the effort that brings the Federated States of Micronesia to the Internet and talked about the geography and people of the FSM.

Two and a half years ago when German artist, Xenia Marita Riebe asked for a hard copy of The Kaselehlie Press, neither Xenia nor The Kaselehlie Press realized that it would be the beginning of a long term friendship and collaboration.

Xenia, at that time was near completion of a project she had been working on for quite some time.  Using newspapers from each member nation of the United Nations she created papier mache’ figures, one for each member country of the UN including Micronesia.  She called the project, “The Global Citizen Project.”  Notables from around the world viewed her project including former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev.

After she received a copy of The Kaselehlie Press she was able to complete her Oceania collection and a friendship began to develop.

Xenia’s husband, Bernd Riebe when he came to realize that The Kaselehlie Press had no Internet presence offered to host content from the newspaper on his own computer servers in Germany.  Later the Riebe’s offered to cover the expense for a separate domain name for the newspaper.

For well over of a year, the editor of The Kaselehlie Press posted content to the website.  The process usually filled an entire day’s work because of the FSM’s slow dialup connection to the Internet.  When Riebe realized that the paper had fallen behind in posting he offered to post the stories himself and has been doing so for several months now.

Riebe says that the collaborative effort that crosses international boundaries is one positive aspect of globalization and it all started because of a 12 inch tall papier mache’ figurine.
Last Updated ( Tuesday, 10 November 2009 )
 
More...
[ Back ]
© 2010 Kaselehlie Press -  Bernd Riebe - bild-art.de
Joomla! is Free Software released under the GNU/GPL License.