June 2022

KISIN LIKOUN KAPING SANG POHNPEI COVID-19 TASK FORCE / PRRC ONG Senior Vice President/Chief Operation Officer en Bank en FSM MR. JAMES WILSON Jr. June 14, 2022 Mr. James Wilson Jr. Senior Vice President/Chief Operation Officer Bank of the Federated States of Micronesia Kaselehlie Mr. Wilson, Mwohn meh koaros, kaping ong Samatail Koht pwehki kisakis en mour oh pwehki kisakis en kapai me e ketkihieng emen emen sapwelme aramas. Pohnpei ketin kasamwoh komwi ong soanomwi Pehi Sarawi wet. Pohnpei COVID-19 Emergency Taskforce / PRRC men patohwen kaping ong komwi pwehki kupwur mwahu oh kupwuren tohnmetei me komw patohwen kasalehda ni June 11, 2022. Ninduen omwi patohwan, repatriation me ahpwte wiawio mie mwesen COVID-19 kedierekda nan MMA oh ninduen koasoandihn epwel perehre kan, MMA wia wasa keper sangehr ansou me kosou kan wiawio leledohr ni June 11, 2022. Pwehki met, tohn doadoahk kan sohte kak tungoalenki ansou mwahu ren patohwen winiehda, kamwakelehda oh kaunopada mwahu MMA ong peidi sapahl en sompihr me koasoandier en wiawi ni June 11, 2022. Sang ni kahrepe wet, Pohnpei State Acting Governor Honorable Christina Elnei patohwen pekihda rehn FSM government en kapwandahla peidihn repatraition en ni June 11, 2022 ong ni June 15, 2022, oh ma FSM government patohwen pilada en sohte alehda pekpek wet, ah en sansal me aramas 38 te me kak ketlong/patohlong nan EMU. E sansal me irail kaun en FSM government kan sohte pohnese pekpen kapwandala wet oh irail meh 71 me ketdo/patohdo, oh e pil sansal me emen kaun en FSM government patohla ni ah tungoal ihmw pwehn home quarantine ah luhwe kan koaros ketla/patohla EMU de China Star pwe ren quarantine. Sang ni souitar en kaunopada kan, komw iang pein patohwen kasawih epwel souitar oh soh kesikpe kan. Ninduen eh sansal, komwi emen me koasoandier en iang ketdo de patohdo nan peidihn sompihr wet oh ket de pato nan EMU de China Star. Ahpw sang ni omwi patohwan me mie me likeilap oh mie peneinei kei me sapwelmanki de tungoalenki seri soakoahiek nan sahi wet, komw pein patohwen sapankihda pere me koasoandieng komwihier o ong me likeilap de peneinei kan me sapwelmanki de tungoalenki seri. Sang ni kupwur mwahu oh kupwuren sapan wet, Pohnpei COVID-19 Emergency Taskforce /PRRC men patohwen pohnese oh patohwen wia aht tungoal kaping lap pahn kupwuromwi. Kalahngan en kupwuromwi maing Mr. James Wilson Jr. oh ni wahu. *********************************************************************** LETTER OF APPRECIATION FROM THE POHNPEI COVID-19 TASK FORCE / PRRC TO Senior Vice President/Chief Operation Officer OF THE BANK OF FSM MR. JAMES WILSON Jr. June 14, 2022 Mr. James Wilson Jr. Senior Vice President/Chief Operation Officer Bank of the Federated States of Micronesia Kaselehlie Mr. Wilson, At the outset, sincere thanks and gratitude to our Heavenly Father for the gift of life and for all that HE has blessed upon each and every one of us. Welcome back to your home island of Pohnpei! The Pohnpei Covid-19 Emergency Taskforce / PRRC wishes to extend its appreciation to you for your act of kindness and selflessness during the arrival of the June 11, 2022 repatriation flight. As you may be aware, the repatriation flight prior to June 11, 2022, had one positive active COVID-19 that was set to be cleared on the day of the June 11th repatriation causing one of the quarantine facilities (MMA) to be on the red zone. This meant that MMA won’t be available as it needs to undergo disinfection and cleaning before it receives the next set of people for quarantine. As such, the Pohnpei State Acting Governor Honorable Christina Elnei requested that the FSM Government delayed the June 11, 2022 repatriation to June 15, 2022, or if it decided to bring in the flight, Pohnpei State could only accommodate 38 people in the quarantine facility at EMU. However, the FSM Government officials completely ignored the request and brought in 71 repatriates (one FSM government official was home quarantined). Consequently, the handling of the June 11, 2022 repatriation flight was the way it was as you personally witnessed it as one of the arriving passengers. You were one of the passengers that were assigned to the quarantine facility that was already prepared for the flight. Knowing that there were some elderly and some families with children that might not have a room for the night, you offered your room (should there be one reserved in your name) to be given to others. It is with this kind gesture that the Pohnpei COVID-19 Emergency Taskforce wishes to acknowledge and recognize. Again, thank you so much, Mr. James Wilson Jr.

In a letter dated June 14, 2022, to the FSM Secretary of Justice, Hon. Joses Gallen Sr. Esq., Acting Governor, Hon. Christina Elnei officially responded to the FSM National Government, particularly the President of the FSM’s June 12, 2022, Decree “directing that high traditional leaders are permitted to home quarantine upon repatriation into Pohnpei and other FSM states”.   In her letter, Acting Governor Elnei expressed her regret that the Decree assigns fault to Pohnpei for not preparing the Pohnpei quarantine units prior to the recent repatriation of June 12, 2022.  Her letter references consultations between Pohnpei State Government and the FSM National Government to delay repatriation, and that only 38 rooms were ready to receive repatriates when over 70 passengers arrived. The result was what Acting Governor Elnei called “chaos upon arrival”.   Acting Governor Elnei’s letter summarizes the legal action that FSM National Government has taken against the Pohnpei State Government regarding the use of the certificate of qualified entry (CQE) form. She said while the court agreed with the FSM National Government that only FSM has the power to admit people into the FSM, the court went further:   “…….although once admitted, the state has full police powers including those over health and public safety, and can require arrival to quarantine for whatever length of time is medically necessary.”   Acting Governor Elnei asked the National Government to allow Pohnpei State the liberty to carry out its constitutional responsibilities and continue to handle incoming passengers to Pohnpei in constant collaboration with the National Government.  In closing, Acting Governor Elnei requested “As Pohnpeians, let us work together amicably in serving our people.”   The letter in full is posted below:  

ROHNG SANG POHNPEI PANDEMIC READINESS AND RESPONSE COMMISSION (PRRC) DE POHNPEI COVID-19 EMERGENCY TASK FORCE ONG PEKPEK ME PIDADA KAPWANDALAHN REPATRIATION DE PEIDIHN IRAIL AKAN SANG NAN PREQUARANTINE NAN WEIN GUAM. Peilapalap, Kolonia. Nan mehn kapehse me pekeder ni June 11 pahr 2022 ong Vice President en FSM Honorable Yosiwo George oh Attorney General Honorable Joses Gallen, me patohwen pwukoahki apwalih pwukoahn Ohpis en President ong lepin ansou, Acting Governor Honorable Christina Elnei patohwen peki peidihn irail akan me ketket de patpato nan prequarantine nan wein Guam en kapwandala sang ni June 11 pahr 2022 ong ni June 15 pahr 2022. Nan ah tungoal kisin likou, Acting Governor patohwen sakarkihda repoht de mehn kapehse riau sang irail toahkte kan nan PRRC de Pohnpei Task Force oh Quarantine Manager Mrs. Marcy Lorrin. Nan repoht me sang irail toahkte kan patohwen kaweid kapwandala wet sang ni eh miehte me patpato nan MMA ni June 11 pahr 2022 oh saik sansal me ira clear ehr de kakehr patohieisang nan MMA, oh en mie ansou mwahu irail tohn doadoahk kan en kaunopada mwahu MMA ni arail pahn kamwakelehda oh winiehda mwahu pere kan koaros oh lopworada tehi, kidipen uluhl ape oh kaunopolong dipwisou me anahn kan nan pere kan koaros. Nan repoht me sang Mrs. Lorrin patohwen kalipwe anahnepen ansou mwahu pwe wasahn quarantine kan en epwelda mwahu. PRRC de Pohnpei Task Force kin ansou koaros patohwen alkaweid sang irail semen kan, mehlel toahkte kan, oh irail akan me kin apwahpwalih nan wasahn quarantine kan pwehn sowese doare oh pere tohn wein Pohnpei unsek sang mwesen kepinsalehd COVID-19. ********************************************* FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DELAY QUARANTINE REQUEST IN POHNPEI Peilapalap, Kolonia, June 11, 2022 – In an official communication to the Vice President of the FSM, Hon. Yosiwo George, and the FSM Attorney General, Hon. Joses Gallen, who has also been designated to be in charge of routine and administrative matters of the Executive branch in the absence of President Panuelo, Acting Governor, Hon. Christina Elnei requested to delay or postpone the June 11, 2022 repatriation to June 15, 2022. Acting Governor Elnei cited two reports from the Pohnpei Pandemic Readiness and Response Commission’s (PRRC) /Pohnpei COVID-19 Emergency Task Force Medical Advisory Committee (MAC) and Quarantine Manager, Mrs. Marcy Lorrin in her official request. In the MAC report, the recommendation for the delay was to give the quarantine staff ample time to prepare facilities given the two (2) active cases still in the Medical Monitoring Area (MMA) as of June 11, 2022, and allow the proper process of disinfection (infection, prevention, and control measures). The report from Mrs. Lorrin also echoed the MAC report’s recommendation to allow enough time to properly disinfect the quarantine units. The PRRC /Task Force continues to rely on the expert advice of the Medical Advisory Committee and the well-grounded guidance of the frontline workers to ensure Pohnpei is kept safe and protected from the COVID-19 virus Acting Governor Elnei request to delay repatriation  

Acting Governor Elnei attends 8th graduation of Ohmine Elementary School Acting Governor Elnei pato ni kesepwil en Ohmine Elementary School On June 3, 2022, Acting Governor, Hon. Christina Elnei, attended the Ohmine Elementary School graduation at the Kolonia-China Friendship gym.  In her brief remarks as the Keynote speaker, Acting Governor Elnei acknowledged the solid foundation that education provides to the youth.  She also shared three virtues, that have been shared many times before by Governor Oliver, of respect, responsibility and honesty.  She spoke of respecting yourself and others, being responsible for what you have been entrusted with, however big or small, and always being honest in all you do.  She reminded the Ohmine class that they are the future of Pohnpei and congratulated all of them on reaching a milestone in their young lives.   Ni June 3, 2022, Weliepen Kepina Ong Lepin Ansou de Acting Governor, Hon. Christina Elnei, patohwen iang towehda kesepwil en irail pwihn kewaluh kan en Ohmine Elementary School me wiawi nan Kolonia-China Friendship Gymnasium.  Nan eh tungoal sakarada en rahno, Acting Governor Hon. Christina Elnei patohwen kapingehng Kempahn Kasukuhl oh kaweidki irail serih kan me kesepwil rahno, irail en kin poahsonehkin irail wahu, pwukoah oh mehlel.  Hon. Christina Elnei pil patohwen kaweidki ong irail pwihn kewaluh kan rahno, ren kin wauneki pein irail oh iangahki mehtei kan.  Irial en pil kin kesempwaliki sohng koaros me re pahn kin wia oh mehlel ieng.  Hon. Christina Elnei patohwen wia eh tungaol congratulations ong irail serih kan me kesepwil rahno oh katamankin irail me iei irail me pahn uhd apwalih Pohnpei ehu rahn. Acting Governor attends welcoming ceremony of the FSS Tosiwo Nakayama Acting Governor patehng koasoamwpen sohp FSS Tosiwo Nakayama On June 4, 2022, Acting Governor, Hon. Christina Elnei, attended the welcoming home ceremony for the FSS Tosiwo Nakayama.  The Nakayama is a Guardian class patrol boat that has been generously donated by the Australian Government under Australia’s Maritime Security Program.  The Nakayama is the first of two Guardian class patrol boats that will replace the FSS Palikir, FSS Independence and FSS Micronesia.  Also attending the event was Wasalapalap Isipahu, Nahnmwarki of Madolenihmw and Likend Kelekel who cut the ribbon at the gangplank of the FSS Tosiwo Nakayama officially welcoming her home and operational.  Accompanying Acting Governor Elnei was Pohnpei Port Authority board member Ms. MaryAnn Eperiam, Ms. Meryda Inos from PDOE and First Lady of Chuuk, Mrs. Lynn Narruhn.  Ni June 4, 2022, Weliepen Kepina Ong Lepin Ansou, Hon. Christina Elnei, patohwen iang towehda kasarawi ehu ong koasoamwpen sohp FSS Tosiwo Nakayama me wiawi Dekehtik weihn Nett.  Sohp en patrol wet donated sang Kapworment en Australia Maritime Security Program.  Iei kerioapwoat en sohp  wet me pahn patohwen welianda FSS Palikir, FSS Independence oh FSS Micronesia.  Me ketdi ong ni kasarawi en rahno iei, Wasa Lapalap Isipahu, Nahnmwarki en Madolenihmw, oh Likend Kelekel me ketin wia ribbon cutting de lopuk mwein likou ong langadahn mweimweilongodo en sohp FSS Tosiwo Nakayama.  Ah me iang, patehng Hon. Christina Elnei, iei PPA Board member MaryAnn Eperiam, Ms. Meryda Inos sang PDOE oh First Lady en weihn Chuuk, Mrs. Lynn Narruhn.  U.S. Navy Seabees and FSM National Government employees in quarantine at the Island Palms Hotel U.S. Navy Seabees oh tohn doadoahk en FSM patohwen quarantine nan Island Palms Hotel On June 4, 2022, 13 U.S. Navy Seabees and two FSM National Government Employees landed in Pohnpei and entered quarantine at the Island Palms Hotel.  The 15 individuals have all tested negative and received their COVID-19 immunizations and boosters before landing in Pohnpei.  They will undergo quarantine at Island Palms along with Island Palms staff for five days.  The entire operation has been paid for by the U.S. Government including overtime for Pohnpei State employees.  The Island Palms was fully assessed by both the Pohnpei and FSM National Task Forces and met the requirements to safely house and staff quarantine operations.  The use of Island Palms to accommodate the U.S. Navy Seabees, who will contribute greatly to our local public infrastructure, allows scheduled repatriation movements to continue without interruption or delay.   Ni June 4, 2022, U.S. Navy Seabees ehk silimen (13) oh tohn doadaohk en FSM government 2 patohwen peidi ong weihn Pohnpei oh patohlong quarantine nan Island Palms Hotel.  Irail meh 15 pwukat patohwen test ehr oh sohte mwesen COVID-19 rehrail oh re pil patohwen kanekelahr arail tungoal dok en silasil en COVID-19 mwohn arail peidi ong weihn Pohnpei.   Irail pwukat pahn patopatohki nan quarantine, Island Palms Hotel, rahn 5 kapatahieng irail tohn doadoahk kan en hotel wet.  Kapworment en weihn US me sawaski epwelpen quarantine wet, iangahki overtime ong tohn doadoahk en Pohnpei state government kan.  Pohnpei oh FSM Task Force me patohwen tehk anahn akan iangahki tohn doadoahk mwohn irail pwukat eh patohlong nan quarantine, Island Palms Hotel.  Wasa wet doadoahk ong irail pwukat pwehn dehr kalohmwat de kapwanda sapwelimen Pohnpei kosondi en repatriation de ketkihlongodo irail akan me tengalahr weihn liki kan nin duwen me miehier. Irail akan me quarantine Island Palms Hotel kapidohi sangehr nan wasahn quarantine ni June 9, 2022 mwurin keriau en test ah keimwiseklahr oh koaros negative. On June 9, 2022 after testing negative twice (day 2 and day 5) the 13 U.S. Navy Seabees and 2 FSMNG employees were released from quarantine.   Ni June 9, 2022, U.S. Navy Seabees 13 oh tohn doahdoahk en FSM government 2 patowen kapidohi ehr sang nan quarantine me patpato Island Palms hotel.  Iraihl Seabees oh tohn doadoak en FSM government patowen test ehr pak riau nan quarantine oh sansal me sohte mwesen COVID-19 rehrail.     President Panuelo leaves during quarantine President Panuelo patohdahsang Pohnpei nan eh tungoal ansoun quarantine On Sunday, June 5, 2022, the Chairman of the Pohnpei Readiness and Response Commission (PRRC) Norleen Deorio received an official communication from the Acting Secretary of Health, Moses Pretrick, that FSM President, H.E. David W. Panuelo, who was undergoing home quarantine at the time would be leaving for Fiji on the same day for an important

Acting Governor, Hon. Christina Elnei, attended the Ohmine Elementary School graduation on Friday, June 3, 2022, at the Kolonia-China Friendship Gym. Acting Governor Elnei also delivered the keynote address. In her brief remarks, she spoke of education as a solid foundation and shared three virtues to help the graduates as they continue their journey in education and in life. These three virtues, shared with the youth of Pohnpei many times by Governor Oliver, are Respect, Responsibility, and Honesty. Congratulations to the Ohmine Elementary School graduating class of 2022! ——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————- Acting Governor, Hon. Christina Elnei attended the commissioning ceremony for the FSS Tosiwo Nakayama at the FSM Police Maritime Wing dock, Dekehtik on Saturday, June 4, 2022. The FSS Tosiwo Nakayama is the first of two Guardian class vessels generously donated by the Government of Australia to the Federated States of Micronesia to replace the Pacific Patrol Boats, also donated by Australia. Joining Acting Governor Elnei were Pohnpei Port Authority Board member MaryAnn Eperiam, Ms. Meryda Inos from PDOE, and First Lady of Chuuk, Mrs. Lynn Narruhn.     For more photos, please visit the Office of the Governor’s official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/PohnpeiStateGov