Floor Statement in the 33rd Session Day of the 4th Regular Session of the 8th Legislature of the State of Yap, December 30, 2014 Thank you, Mr. Acting Speaker Mr. Acting Speaker, honorable colleagues, this is perhaps our last session of the Eighth Legislature and I rise on a point of privilege and ask for your indulgence for me to make a statement on the floor for the last time in this chamber in formal session as a Senator and Chairman of your Committee on Government, Health and Welfare. Mr. Acting Speaker, colleagues we are at an important juncture. The election has been finished and the results certified. The people have spoken and changes will be made. Some of us will be leaving the Legislature and some new members will be installed but there is a saying that perhaps we can be taken out of the Legislative process but the legislature cannot be taken out of us. So physically we will leave but our thoughts will always be here with the people and their aspirations. Change is whats taking place and is welcomed for change is the way of nature and the way of the future and to remember only that status quo is when men get stuck in the mud even when it is not raining. Mr. Acting Speaker, as I prepare to exist the Legislative branch after eight years of service and experience, I must express my heartfelt gratitude to you and to all of our colleagues for what we have been able to do in legislating to improve our laws, advance the general welfare of our people and stood together on issues of great importance to our people. Other men may have their opinion and they are certainly entitled to their opinion on what we have done in these eight years, but I will say that under the circumstances in which we found ourselves, we did a commendable job fitting representatives of a determined and dignified people. Mr. Acting Speaker, just a statement reflecting on what I would advocate had I remain and I leave them to you and our reelected members to continue the effort to increase student performance by serious consideration to effect increase allocation of funding from within the departments budget and technical resources and supply to support class-room teaching and learning. The other is to have the department of education undergo a structural reform in order to reflect the fact that the State of Yap has one education system not two and to make use of the trained manpower and continue to train the manpower to improve the schools and render quality education to children; there is continued need for legislative support for the efforts to reduce non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and to support relevant public education programs on the causes of these diseases; The other is because of the vital role of independent media is for the possible establishment of V6AI as Yap State Information Agency to operate as a semi-public corporation that can also raise funds to support its programs to promote Yap and its symbols to our people and to promote Yap to the world; Another one is the need to amend the YFA statute to take the management and conservation duties to Marine Resource* and allow YFA to function as a Commercial Fishing Entity; Another is on the possible establishment of a Yap State Marine Resource Authority to function in the same manner as MMA or NORMA over the management and conservation of both living and non-living resources within the 15-mile state zone and with coordinated efforts with the FSM, perhaps, on the management and conservation of submerged traditionally own reefs as well ; Mr. Acting Speaker it is my hope that the work we have started be further look into for a Yap State Retirement Program for the public sector employees, with mechanism to allow private sector participation. And lastly, I hope that you will find merit in the establishment of an entity to undertake the effective coordination of the production and sale of local Yap State products. These are what I had hope to bring forth and hope that you and the new members may find merit in a number of them for consideration. Mr. Acting Speaker, honorable Colleagues, I leave with gladness in my heart that we have performed and have given it our best shot during our time and hope that the impact of all we have done will be positive in your efforts to meet the challenges of the time and on State building efforts. Mr. Acting Speaker, our recent action has proven that we are and are mindful of the fact that we do things not by the whim of men but by the dictate of the laws and our Constitution. That is the foundation of a forward looking democratic society that also values its traditions, the basis for societal successes. To our staff, I am without adequate words to express fully my gratitude for their work that has impacted positively our work over these years and mostly my own work because I do not think that there is any other senator that spent more time with the staff than I and I am very glad for that and I have learned a lot because of my interaction with the staff. I will miss you guys but nothing can really prevent me, a citizen, from coming to the Hall of the People any day. Mr. Acting Speaker, allow me to thank the people of my Election District of Ultihi, Fais, Ngulu and Sorol for their participation in the recent election. They have spoken clearly on who is to represent us in the 9th Legislature. I congratulate Senator-Elect Lazarus Ulith and thank the people for the privilege and honor to have represent our District in the 7th and 8th Legislatures. Thank you Mr. Acting Speaker and let me thank Floor Leader Sabino Sauchomal for his services as I join him, Speaker Falan and Chairman Chieng in exiting the Legislature for other pastures. I would like to congratulate you Mr. Acting Speaker and our colleagues Senator Giliko, Senator Fagolimul, Senator Masiwemai, Senator Mooteb and Chairman Mulalap for your successful reelection to the 9th Legislature by our people. Congratulations with warm and best wish to all of you for success. I end my last statement in formal session, Mr. Acting Speaker by repeating what President Kennedy said in 1961 in his inaugural Address. When he said, “With history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking for His blessings and His help, but knowing that here on earth Gods work must truly be our own. Thank you. God bless and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Posted on: Wed, 31 Dec 2014 00:49:13 +0000
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