PALIKIR, 13 MAY 2019 (FSMIS) – The 21st Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) has elected H.E David W. Panuelo as its ninth President, during its First Regular Session on 11 May. Prior to his election, President Panuelo was elected Senator At-Large for Pohnpei State. Also elected was the new Vice President, the […] </s> Federated States of Micronesia President Peter Christian, whose administration was rocked by a bribery scandal involving his family, is likley to lose the presidential seat to David W. Panuelo, chairman of the FSM Congress standing committee.

The FSM National Elections on Monday certified the results of the March 5 elections, which showed Christian’s receiving 6,716 votes against Panuelo’s 6,775 votes.

Christian’s election defeat came on the heels of the FBI’s investigation into the bribery case involving Hawaiian businessman Frank James Lyon, in which the FSM president’s son-in-law Master Halbert was implicated and charged with money-laundering.

The Hawaiian Free Press last week reported that Christian’s son Christopher Ivan Christian was also offered a “retainer fee” of $5,000.

The case involved the U.S.-funded FSM engineering contracts worth $7.8 million, which were awarded under-the-table to Lyon.

David Panuelo

(Correction: In an earlier version of this story we mistakenly identified David Panuelo as the Speaker of FSM Congress. Our apologies)

Christian was the 8th president of FSM. He was elected in 2015 succeeding Manny Mori. Under the FSM Constitution, the president and vice president, who each serves a four-year term, are first elected to the FSM Congress to the at-large seats, or four-year term.

He will remain president until Congress official selects the president and vice president in May.

There are four at large seats, one seat given to each of the four FSM states – Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae. The presidency/vice presidency is only elected among the four occupants of the at-large seats by a majority vote of all members of Congress. The remaining 10 senators of Congress serve two-year terms, and the seats are apportioned by population. The two-year term Congressmen cannot be elected to the Presidency.

The 2019 election results data to follow is certified from the FSM National Election Office, presented to the FSM Office of the President on March 8.

Kosrae State has two senators in the Congress. For the four-year at-large seat, vice president and the Yosiwo P. George received 1,824 votes while challenger Aren B. Palik received 1,814 votes.

For the two-year seat, the incumbent Paliknoa K. Welly received 2,130 votes while challenger Johnson A. Asher received 1,491 votes.

For Pohnpei Election District One, representing Kolonia, Sokehs, Sapwuahfik, Nukuoro, and Kapingamarangi, the incumbent and Honorable Ferny Perman received 2,396 votes while challenger Dr. Merlynn Abello-Alfonso received 2,136 votes.

For Pohnpei Election District Two, representing Madolenihmw and Kitti—which had four candidates—the incumbent and Dion G. Neth received 2,054 votes, while challengers Berney Martin, Herman Semes Jr., and Quincy Lawrence received 1,082 votes, 984 votes, and 942 votes respectively.

For Pohnpei Election District Three, representing Nett, U, Mwoakilloa, and Pingelap, the incumbent Esmond B. Moses received 2,543 votes while challenger Marstella Jack received 1,155 votes.

Chuuk has six senators in the Congress. For the four-year at-large seat, the incumbent Wesley W. Simina received 15,941 votes while challenger Eriano E. Eram received 3,356 votes.

For Chuuk Election District One, representing the Mortlock Islands, the incumbent Florencio S. Harper ran unopposed; he received 2,727 votes.

For Chuuk Election District Two, representing Weno, the incumbent Victor Gouland ran unopposed; he received 1,787 votes.

For Chuuk Election District Three, representing Tonoas, Uman, Fefan, Parem, and Tsis, the incumbent and Honorable Derensio S. Konman received 4,599 votes while challenger Eflove F. Mailos received 2,256 votes.

For Chuuk Election District Four, representing Tol, Fanapanges, Eot, Patta, Polle Romalum, Udot, and Wonei, the incumbent Tiwiter Aritos received 4,938 votes while challengers Smith K. Paulus and Manuel Rawit received 245 and 555 votes respectively.

For Chuuk Election District Five, representing the Halls & Western Islands, and Namonuito—which had five candidates running—the incumbent Robson U. Romolow received 1,083 votes, while challengers Arisao Aichem, Joseph Konnor Jr., Dr. Vidalino J. Raatior, and Zander Refilong received 353, 182, 684, and 461 votes respectively.

Yap State has two senators in the FSM Congress. For the At-Large seat, the incumbent Joseph. J Urusemal ran unopposed; he received 2,371 votes. For the two-year seat, the incumbent and Honorable Isaac V. Figir received 2,225 votes while challenger Fidelis Thiyer-Fanoway received 244 votes.

Pohnpei voters cast their votes in Kitti March. Photo by Richard Clark/FSMIS

In addition to the voting of the nation’s elected representatives, all voters were asked to voice their opinion on whether or not the FSM should hold a Constitutional Convention. Per FSM law, every 10 years this referendum reappears and 75 percent of the population in 75 percent of the FSM states must consent for such a convention to occur.

In Kosrae State, 1,476 voters said yes to a Constitutional Convention and 480 voters said no; in Pohnpei State 5,948 voters said yes to a Constitutional Convention and 2,790 voters said no; in Chuuk State 1,283 voters said yes to a Constitutional Convention and 1,656 voters said no; and in Yap State, 1,064 voters said yes to a Constitutional Convention and 1,262 voters said no. </s> Vanuatu elected a pastor as its new president Thursday as the tiny pacific nation eyes continued “moral leadership” following the sudden death of its former head of state last month, local media said.

Tallis Obed Moses, a Presbyterian and clergyman most of his life, was sworn in after winning 39 votes against former prime minister Maxim Carlos Korman’s 17 votes, the Vanuatu Daily Post told AFP.

He replaces Baldwin Lonsdale, an Anglican priest who was elected to the presidency in 2014 but died of a heart attack in mid-June in the capital Port Vila.

“It came right down to the last vote,” the Post’s Dan McGarry said of the nail-biting finish, which followed three rounds of voting and involved 16 candidates.

Religion plays an important role in Vanuatu, whose 270,000 population is largely Christian, with the majority Protestants and about 12 percent Catholic.

McGarry said support for Moses stemmed from a desire for “moral leadership”.

“He is well-regarded within his community and within the church. He is somebody to whom the nation will be looking for a degree of moral leadership.

“Our constitution says that the office of the president symbolises the unity of the people… and there are occasions when that becomes a very important issue.”

The electoral college consists of 52 members of parliament and six provincial presidents. Voting in the fourth and final round included one absentee and one invalid ballot.

Although the president’s role is considered largely ceremonial, Lonsdale became a symbol of hope for Vanuatu when Cyclone Pam caused severe damage in early 2015.

Six months later he steered the country through a political crisis when half the government of prime minister Sato Kilman was convicted of corruption, making them ineligible for office. </s> Pastor wins race to be Vanuatu’s new president

Vanuatu elected a pastor as its new president Thursday as the tiny pacific nation eyes continued “moral leadership” following the sudden death of its former head of state last month, local media said.

Tallis Obed Moses, a Presbyterian and clergyman most of his life, was sworn in after winning 39 votes against former prime minister Maxim Carlos Korman’s 17 votes, the Vanuatu Daily Post told AFP.

He replaces Baldwin Lonsdale, an Anglican priest who was elected to the presidency in 2014 but died of a heart attack in mid-June in the capital Port Vila.

“It came right down to the last vote,” the Post’s Dan McGarry said of the nail-biting finish, which followed three rounds of voting and involved 16 candidates.

Religion plays an important role in Vanuatu, whose 270,000 population is largely Christian, with the majority Protestants and about 12 percent Catholic.

McGarry said support for Moses stemmed from a desire for “moral leadership”.

“He is well-regarded within his community and within the church. He is somebody to whom the nation will be looking for a degree of moral leadership.

“Our constitution says that the office of the president symbolises the unity of the people… and there are occasions when that becomes a very important issue.”

The electoral college consists of 52 members of parliament and six provincial presidents. Voting in the fourth and final round included one absentee and one invalid ballot.

Although the president’s role is considered largely ceremonial, Lonsdale became a symbol of hope for Vanuatu when Cyclone Pam caused severe damage in early 2015.

Six months later he steered the country through a political crisis when half the government of prime minister Sato Kilman was convicted of corruption, making them ineligible for office.

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Also, Like us on facebook </s> Photo: AFP

Edouard Fritch has been re-elected as French Polynesia's president for a five-year term.

In the territorial assembly, Mr Fritch of the Tapura Huiraatira received the backing of 39 of the 57 members.

He defeated the challenges of Geffry Salmon of the Tahoeraa Huiraatira Party and of the five-time president Oscar Temaru of the pro-independence Tavini Huiraatira Party.

In a surprise development, an as yet unidentified Tahoeraa member also voted for Mr Fritch.

Mr Salmon received ten votes although his party has 11 members while Mr Temaru got eight votes.

In the policy speeches preceding the assembly vote, Mr Temaru sharply attacked Mr Fritch and outlined his campaign for sovereignty.

Marking five years since the UN reinscribed French Polynesia on its decolonisation list, Mr Temaru placed a UN flag on the podium.

In his speech, Mr Fritch denounced the UN for failing to send aid after last year's floods in Tahiti.

Mr Fritch first became president in 2014 when the Tahoeraa leader Gaston Flosse was forced to resign because of a corruption conviction which carried with it ineligibility to hold office.

In the past term, Mr Fritch was convicted for corruption twice and ordered to repay more than $US80,000 but has been allowed to stay in office.

Both he and Gaston Flosse are still due to stand trial for alleged abuse of public funds over making a local council provide water to Flosse's residence for free.

Yesterday, the assembly elected Gaston Tong Sang as assembly president for five years, just two months after he was given a one-year suspended jail sentence and a fine of $US20,000 for abusing public funds. </s> WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's FEMA announced that federal disaster aid has been made available to the government of the Federated States of Micronesia under the Compact of Free Association between the government of the United States of America and the government of the Federated States of Micronesia, as amended, due to Typhoon Wutip, from Feb. 19 to Feb. 23, 2019.

The President's action makes federal funding available for U.S. Government emergency relief and reconstruction assistance to the Federated States of Micronesia in accordance with Public Law 108-188, as amended, including Article X of the Federal Programs and Services Agreement to the Compact of Free Association. Federated States of Micronesia President Peter M. Christian requested a disaster declaration on April 17, 2019.

The United States Agency for International Development’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance will coordinate U.S. Government disaster assistance efforts in conjunction with FEMA and the government of the Federated States of Micronesia.

FEMA's mission is to help people before, during and after disasters.

Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.twitter.com/FEMAespanol, https://www.facebook.com/FEMA, www.facebook.com/FEMAespanol and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Acting Administrator Pete Gaynor's activities @FEMA_Pete.

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications. </s> SYDNEY--Papua New Guinea has elected influential lawmaker James Marape to succeed Peter O'Neill as prime minister.

Mr. O'Neill, who led the resource-rich but tumultuous Pacific nation for seven years, said Sunday that he was stepping down following weeks of political turmoil and government defections over his handling of various budget and health crises.

Mr. Marape was among those who defected to political opponents over a contentious multibillion-dollar gas project signed in April with France's Total and America's Exxon Mobil. He returned to the ruling coalition after Mr. O'Neill's resignation. </s> James Marape sworn in as Papua New Guinea's prime minister

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (AP) — Former Papua New Guinea Finance Minister James Marape has been sworn in as the country's new prime minister, following the resignation of Peter O'Neill last week.

Local media reported that the PNG parliament voted overwhelmingly for Marape on Thursday.

Marape told reporters that he doesn't have all the answers for the country, but would do his best to mobilize the talents of members of government, the opposition, and "more importantly, talents from the greater Papua New Guineans out there."

O'Neill resigned last Sunday after seven years on the job. His announcement followed weeks of high-profile defections from his government to the opposition. </s> Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s annual State of the Nation Address was delayed for over an hour Monday by a leadership row in Congress.

A tug-of-war for the speaker position erupted in the House of Representatives by incumbent speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and Pampanga province representative and former Philippine president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Arroyo, in a surprise move before Duterte’s arrival at the headquarters of the House of Representatives, took her oath as Alvarez’s successor while the latter was waiting to welcome the president in another part of the halls of Congress.

Congress’ morning session was abruptly adjourned by Alvarez’ allies to preempt the ouster move allegedly led by presidential daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio.

Due to the unexpected early adjournment, the lower House failed to ratify the Bangsamoro Organic Law, which Duterte had been expected to sign into law before delivering his speech. In contrast, the Senate earlier ratified it.

"Give me 48 hours to sign it and ratify the law,” said Duterte in his speech, stressing that the Bangsamoro law is his solemn commitment to Muslim Filipinos.

The signing of the law would have been Duterte’s surprise on the day of his speech, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque earlier said but clarified that it is only going through a temporary setback due to the internal leadership issues in Congress.

Hours after Duterte delivered his speech, Arroyo was formally elected by 184 affirmative votes as the new House speaker Monday evening with Alvarez seated behind her.
David W. Panuelo is sworn in as President of the Federated States of Micronesia, succeeding Peter M. Christian, after being elected by the Congress.