Government of the Federated States of Micronesia

President continues FSM visit in Northwestern Chuuk

PALIKIR, Pohnpei (FSM Information Service): June 28, 2002 - On June 24 2002, President Leo A. Falcam and members of his Cabinet set sail for the Northwestern islands of Chuuk State for the continuation of his State visit to the islands in the Federated States of Micronesia.

The President and his Cabinet, along with officials from Chuuk State, sailed on the FSS Caroline Voyager and FSS Micronesia. The visit is part of President Falcam's Administration's effort to meet with the citizens of the nation. This Administrative effort sets precedence as the first Presidential Visits' that included most of the outer islands of the FSM.

President Falcam had invited the other two Branches of the National Government to join his delegation and stressed the need and importance of meeting with the FSM citizens, "especially for the citizens unable to visit the nations capital, we must take their government to see them and discuss issues of immediate relevance with them."

The whole of FSM is an expanse of more than one million square miles of Pacific Ocean which connects its 600 plus islands categorized under each of the four States. With the exception Kosrae, each State is centered on one or more main high islands with numerous outer atolls some of which are accessible only by boat.

Chuuk State's outer islands are categorized into three compositions: the Mortlocks, the Halls, and the Western Island groups. These are small, low-lying coral atolls reachable by field trip ships and small plane by some.

The President had earlier on completed his visits to Yap State and most of its outer atolls, the State of Kosrae, and had visited most of Chuuk State's outer atolls. The trip to the Northwestern region wraps up the Chuuk State visit.

The following are the proposed stops and meetings:

  1. Murilo atoll - residents of Murilo atoll and Ruo atoll;
  2. Fananu atoll - residents of Fananu atoll and Nomwin atoll;
  3. Piherarh atoll - residents of Piherarh atoll, Unaduof atoll, Onou atoll and Makur atoll;
  4. Onoun atoll - residents of Onoun atoll;
  5. Pollap atoll - residents of Pollap atoll and Tamatam atoll;
  6. Polowat atoll - residents of Polowat atoll;
  7. Houk (Pulusuk) atoll - residents of Houk (Pulusuk) atoll;

President Falcam and his delegation are expected back in Palikir on Monday, July 1.