Enginkehlap 5-21
Governor’s monthly cabinet meeting highlights On Monday, February 1, 2021, Governor Oliver and Lt. Governor Perman convened their monthly cabinet meeting in the Governor’s Conference Room at Peilaplap, Kolonia. Governor Oliver and Lt. Governor Perman hold cabinet meetings on the first Monday of each month. In addition to cabinet members, heads or proxies of Pohnpei Utilities Corporation (PUC), Pohnpei Port Authority (PPA), and Small Business Guarantee Finance Corporation (SBGFC) are invited to attend. Cabinet meetings are held on the first Monday of each month. Highlights from a few Departments/Offices/Agencies: Department of Education(DOE), Director Stanley Etse The Pilot Program, Neo Tero (in cooperation with PREL), is currently running at Saladak Elementary School The program involves 10 local elders teaching students from 4th – 8th-grade local customs and traditions like the sakau ceremony, canoe building, songs, and dance, etc Student Takeover Day, February 23, 2021 This program will allow high school seniors to take over the Government for one day from the Governor’s Office, Legislature, and even State-Owned Enterprises like Vital-PetroCorps. 29 invitation letters were sent out during the same week to office heads for government departments/agencies, NGO’s, and government component units. So far, only 15 officials responded and expressed interest in partaking in the project, still awaiting responses from 14 offices. Student Takeover Taskforce will start visiting Office heads during the week of February 1 to start orientation on the activities for that day Department of Resources and Development, Director Hubert Yamada Expansion of tourism mitigation fund from FSM National Government Total payments to date to Pohnpei = 1.8 million An additional 15 million has been included. Five year Strategic Development plan is underway – gathering input from Departments/Agencies, etc Business Registry – A total of 1,360 businesses are registered in Pohnpei Top 10 business types: Retail – Retail store (502) 38%, House rental (122) 9%, Sakau Bottled and Market (80)5%, construction/contractor (67) 5%, Food Cater & Takeouts (65) 5%, Fuel Sales (Gasoline/Kerosene) (45) 3%, Wholesale (31) 2%, Local Produce markets (25) 2%, Quick Cash (24) 2%, Car Rental (23) 2% Department of Public Safety, Director Patrick Carl Security patrols for MS Chief Mailo continue An oil spill was reported close to MS Chief Mailo, coming from Micronesia 103 on Saturday, January 30, 2021 – Director Carl reported that the oil spill is dissipating and moving out of Pohnpei’s lagoon into the open sea Search for a missing person, 21-year old Sidney Bartolome Paul from Kitti, continues after two months, over 17 locations have been searched across Sokehs, Kitti, and Nett. Please call DPS at 911 for any information on the whereabouts of Sidney Bartolome Paul SALE BAN on Groupers is in effect from January to May 2021 The time period is the spawning period Maximum 10 per boat for consumption Pohnpei Housing Authority, Executive Director Onlino Lawrence The proposed budget for FY22 has been submitted to the Governor’s Budget Review Committee, standing by for Legislative Hearing Lending: Booked 8 loans totaling $180,724.87 in the first quarter Collection: Collected $200,106.11 in the first quarter Pohnpei Public Broadcasting Corporation, Commissioner Peterson Sam V6AH radio can also be heard on 89.7 FM Environmental Protection Agency – Acting Executive Officer, Francisco Celestine Currently conducting a waste audit of homes and businesses with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) 12 illegal dumping sites have been identified across Pohnpei Sanitation Survey of 27 schools, 14 churches, and one dispensary was reported as completed COM-FSM President discusses proposed Teaching Clinic with Governor Oliver On Monday, February 1, 2021, Governor Oliver met with COM-FSM President Karen Simion and COM-FSM Facilities Manager, Mr. Francisco Mendiola at the Governor’s cabinet conference room. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss a proposed teaching clinic at the COM-FSM National Campus in Palikir. The proposed teaching clinic will not only house the College’s Nursing and Public Health program, but also a Dispensary/Community Health Center. The plans, designs, location, and geo-studies of this proposed teaching clinic/Dispensary have already been completed and the estimated cost will be approximately $4 million dollars. COM-FSM will contribute $1.5 million and requests assistance from the Pohnpei State Government in the amount of $2.5 million from compact infrastructure funds. Madame President Simion noted that this teaching clinic/dispensary benefits both students and the community. The current teaching location for nursing students limits the number of students to enter the program. This new facility will allow more students to enroll in these two very important programs: Nursing and Public Health. Governor Oliver thanked Madame President and Mr. Mendiola for their visit and acknowledged the benefits of a teaching clinic/dispensary at COM-FSM for students and residents of Sokehs as well. He requested the Director of Treasury and Administration, Ms. Christina Elnei, and Budget Officer, Mr. Leon Panuelo, Jr. to confirm the availability of these funds to complete this project and advised Madame President Simion and Mr. Mendiola that they would be advised via official communications on the availability of funds. 3. Governor Oliver meets with Pohnpei Transportation Authority (PTA) Commissioner On February 2, 2021, Governor Oliver met with PTA Commissioner, Mr. Welson Panuel, to discuss PTA updates including the renovation of PTA Kolonia as a temporary location for the Office of the Governor, equipment needs, and plans to corporatize or privatize PTA. Commissioner Panuel informed Governor Oliver that PTA Kolonia headquarters will be ready by next month as the temporary location for the Office of the Governor and Department of Treasury and Administration. Only the PTA accounting office and Administrative Officer will remain in Kolonia, while the bulk of PTA services including the Commissioner’s Office will be located at PTA’s Palikir compound. An urgent need for a compactor/roller was also shared with Governor Oliver for the PTA’s continuing operations. The compactor/roller is used to compact soil, gravel, concrete, or asphalt in the construction of roads and foundations. An invitation to bid has been announced to the public through the Department of Treasury