DHS Prepares For National Men’s Health Week COLONIA, Yap (Media Division) — The Department of Health Services (DHS) is beefing up efforts in organizing health activities for the upcoming National Men’s Health Week in Yap from June 16-20, 2014 at all the Wa’ab Community Health Center (WCHC) sites on Yap Proper. During the National Men’s Health Week, health officials at the WCHC sites around the island will be conducting free health screenings for residents of the municipalities of Gagil, Maap, Rumung, Tomil and Rull, and the region of Nimgil and other communities in the central areas. The free health screenings will include: Oral Cavity Check (for oral or mouth cancer), Fecal Occult Blood Test (for colorectal cancer), Random Blood Sugar Testing (for diabetes), Hemoglobin Test (for blood count), Blood Pressure, STI testing, TB/Leprosy screening, Flu shot, DRE and PSA (for prostate cancer) Screening starts on Monday, June 16 to Friday, June 20, 2014, with no appointments—just walk in and request for the free checkup. Schedules for each of the CHC sites during the National Mens Health Week are as follow: · Gagil CHC will open from 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon every day; · Nimgil CHC will be open from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM every day; · Maap/Rumung CHC will open from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM every day; and, · Tomil CHC will open from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM from Monday to Friday. The hospital CHC site will be open from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM every day. The Department of Health Services has indicated that because healthy men are happy men and this is the week that Father’s Day falls on—and to show you we care—we invite you to have your free screening as a gift to yourself. In addition, all men who get one or more screenings will be entered into raffles for a chance to win one of many shopping vouchers ranging from $25 to $50 for the NCD (non-communicable diseases) screenings and $100 to $300 for oral, prostate or colorectal cancer screenings. There are more than $1,000 worth of shopping vouchers to be offered at this year’s special event. For more information, contact either Jenny of the Cancer Program at Tel: (691)350-2174, or Marietta Fathal at WCHC at Tel: (691)350-8351, or Denitha at Public Health at Tel: (691)350 2114. Congress Overrides Presidents Veto On $1 Million Our Airline Service Subsidy PALIKIR, FSM (FSMIS, June 02, 2014) — A supplemental appropriation for Congress included an amount of $1,000,000 earmarked as a subsidy for Our Airline to extend services to the States of Kosrae and Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia. Our Airline is the former Air Nauru, the flag carrier airline for the Republic of Nauru with air service that connects the Marshall Islands to the South Pacific region and Australia. On April 17th, during the 3rd Special Session of the FSM Congress, President Manny Mori first line item vetoed the subsidy request included as part of an amendment bill to Public Law 18-15, the FY14 budget law. Congress took no action in response to this decision to veto at that time. Later, the subsidy request reappeared during the final days of the recently concluded 4th Regular Session in Congressional Act No 18-66 -- an act to appropriate a supplemental budget of $1,294,000. Out of this amount, $1 million was appropriated for the airline service and $294,000 was appropriated for Congressional representation fund. President Mori maintained his decision to veto the $1,000,000 air service subsidy and signed into law the representation fund portion of the Act. President Mori stated his reasons for deciding to veto the subsidy in his May 28th message to Congress: While I agree on the importance of seeking air service alternatives for our nation, I prefer that we wait for the Airline Task Force to conduct and submit a cost-benefit analysis to support the $1,000,000 subsidy, as explained in my transmittal of Public Law No. 18-54. Absent this analysis, I am again compelled to line item veto the $1,000,000 appropriation for the airline subsidy. As a matter of fact, there is no committee report that explains the rationale for the airline subsidy and the strategy employed to recoup it. Also, there is no justification given as to why two states could not be accomodated in the subsidized airline services. These are major considerations that require in-depth analysis before the National Government can knowingly commit its resources. In response, Congress chose to override the Presidents veto, which in effect, has made available the appropriation of $1,000,000 to Our Airline to be taken out of the general funds of the FSM for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2014. A May 30th Congressional Standing Committee Report No. 18-162 states: Your Committee on Ways and Means held a meeting on May 29, 2014, to discuss the grounds for the line item veto. Your Committee notes that the reason stated in the veto message did not say there was a lack of funds available for the airline subsidy. Furthermore, your Committee notes that the veto message did not point to a problem with the drafting or raise a legal/constitutional objection to the airline subsidy. The veto message merely questioned the economic wisdom of the subsidy that your Committee had already determined was in the best interest of the FSM. The Committee report goes on to say, Your Committee assumes therefore that the line item veto is merely the result of some policy decision. Your Committee has revisited the items subjected to veto, has found the vetoed items to be consistent with sound public policy, and therefore disagrees with the decision to veto. Whether in response to the Presidents request for a cost-benefit analysis or for some sort of guidance, Congress has not made available for public understanding of its determination that the $1,000,000 subsidy to Our Airline is in the best interest of the FSM as the Committee report underscores. For further information, call 320-2548 or email [email protected]. Samoa Hosts FSM And Solomon Islands For The First Pacific Peer Review APIA, Samoa (PIFS Press Statement, May 30, 2014) — Samoa is hosting six senior government officials from Ministries of Finance, Planning and Budgeting from the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and Solomon Islands for a two week attachment with its Ministry of Finance. These Pacific South-South attachments are a first of its kind, agreed to by Forum Island Countries, to support ongoing capacity building across the region. While in Samoa, senior government officials from FSM and Solomon Islands have worked with Samoa’s Ministry of Finance officials to share expertise, ideas and systems to support existing efforts to strengthen institutions and capacities for national prioritization, resource allocation and delivering effective services and programs in their respective countries. These attachments are also part of recommendations from the 2012 and 2013 Peer Review reports of FSM and Solomon Islands. “We are very grateful to the Government of Samoa for its leadership in supporting regional solutions to Pacific development needs,” said Tuiloma Neroni Slade, Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. “Samoa has contributed significantly to the Pacific Peer Review process by releasing four of their senior officials from their Ministry of Finance to serve on seven peer reviews across the Pacific. They continue to support this process by being the first in the region to host neighboring countries on these Pacific south-south attachments. I also commend the governments of FSM and Solomon Islands for following through with the recommendations of their own peer review processes. These attachments are a very practical expression of regionalism and cooperation in the Pacific.” The officials from FSM and Solomon Islands are particularly interested in linkages between Samoa’s national and sector development plans and their budgets, Samoa’s engagement with its development partners and how Samoa’s Official Development Aid (ODA) is reflected on their national budget. The FSM and Solomon Islands officials, who are in Samoa from 19 - 30 May, will conclude their attachment with exit reports to the Government of Samoa and their respective governments on their return. Papua New Guinea and Republic of the Marshall Islands will be the next Forum Island Countries to be hosted in Samoa in October. About the Peer Review Process The Peer Review is coordinated by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. The provisions of the Compact call for action on the ways that Forum Island Countries, with support of development partners, use their own funding and overseas aid to ensure a better life for their people. The Compact helps Forum Island Countries to make progress towards achieving their national priorities and the Millennium Development Goals. US Congressional Delegation Visits Guam HAGÅTÑA, Guam (Pacific Daily News/PIR, June 03, 2014) — A delegation of representatives from the U.S. Congress visited Guam yesterday to learn more about Guam during a trip through the Asia-Pacific region. The 20-member group was able to meet with the islands elected leaders, which included a dinner with the governor after they arrived Sunday evening and a 30-minute meeting with lawmakers yesterday morning. The group left sometime yesterday afternoon. Gov. Eddie Calvo said this delegation was the largest group of representatives to visit Guam, and its the first time two chairmen of congressional committees joined a delegation. Calvo said multiple delegations have visited Guam since his term as governor began. I see that theres been a lot of interest by members of the Congress in Guam, theyre listening and watching everything we say and do, Calvo said. There has been active, active interest in what the viewpoint of the people of Guam have been. Rep. John Kline, R-Minn., chairman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, led the delegation and addressed questions from the islands senators. Kline said the primary reason for the trip was to learn about issues regarding kindergarten through 12th grade education, higher education and the islands workforce. But the delegates said they were interested in talking about any issues the senators wished to bring up during the half-hour meeting. Charter school law Speaker Judith Won Pat, D-Inarajan, told the group shes very interested in the Success and Opportunity through Quality Charter Schools Act, which Kline sponsored, and how the federal law might apply to the islands school system. Kline said across the nation, public charter schools offer parents in many districts an alternative where traditional public schools havent been able to meet the needs of children. But Kline said he didnt know how the law is applicable to Guam. In some cases its almost critical and in some cases its not, he said. Im not sure what the situation is here on Guam, and Im interested to hear about that. Won Pat told the delegation they can help us help ourselves by considering how certain laws, such as the Jones Act, can restrict Guams economy. It requires the use of U.S. carriers between U.S. destinations. Guam officials for decades have argued the resulting lack of competition has increased the cost of shipping goods here. Were not asking for full repeal of those laws, were just saying that there should be a waiver for us here on Guam, she said. It makes it very hard for our local economy to grow, she said. Throughout the meeting, activists held handmade signs that read Unjust Taking! Return Our Lands, and Guam is Not a Dumping Ground For Trash Or Firing Range. Kline told lawmakers he wanted to learn more about the issues they brought up, but he wasnt able to provide more information to lawmakers. With limited time to meet with the delegation, Won Pat said she wished she could have asked the group whether there are any alternatives available to drive the economy other than the military. The governor said he was able to have dinner with the delegation Sunday night, and spoke to members for about two hours. Calvo said the senators were invited to the dinner, and only Sen. Aline Yamashita, R-Tamuning, was able to join. Calvo said much of the conversation revolved around the relationship between the United States and the Asia-Pacific powers. Guam is a part of that equation, Calvo said. Everything focuses back on the military realignment. Calvo told the delegates the majority of Guamanians support the realignment of military forces to Guam. The governor said Kline told him during dinner there are those in Washington who dont want the realignment to occur in Guam. Theyll use whatever they can, whether its statements made by the leadership of the Legislature, or some other action taken, those could be used in an effort to blockade this realignment, which I believe is good for Guam and good for the nation, Calvo said. I caution those that are in elected leadership to be very careful with what they say because it will have an impact, Calvo said. He told the delegates that the members of the Legislature that appear to oppose the military buildup dont speak for the majority of people in Guam. Won Pat said for Guamanians needs to be addressed on the national level, there needs to be extensive lobbying in Congress, because currently there isnt the time or resources available to ensure the voices of Guams people are heard. Calvo said he hopes the delegates realize the strategic location of the island in proximity to Asia.
Posted on: Tue, 03 Jun 2014 09:19:04 +0000
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