YAP/ETG: Speaker Henry Falan and Yap Governor Sebastian Anefal

/

Read a summary of this issue in the form of a debate: "Is the Yap/China Memorandum of Understanding a Good Thing?"

View a petition started by concerned citizens of Yap: "Yap ETG Petition".

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The following letter is from the governor of Yap, Sebastian Anefal, to the Speaker of the House, Henry Falan. The letter is in regards to the ETG investment agreement. The response to this letter is included.

Read More

"Micronesia Connections, Connects" by: Kat Lobendahn.

/

"MICRONESIA CONNECTIONS, CONNECTS"

By: Kat Lobendahn (VP/PR for PISO)

“I have laid a stick that connect people together.  Now it was up to you, your generation and the generations to come, to build upon that stick a bridge that will ensure the free sharing of information and teaching between the two peoples until the day we become united again as a single people, as we were once before; before men separated us with their imaginary political boundaries of today’s Polynesian and Micronesia.”  Grand Master Navigator Dr. Pius Mau Piailug aka “Papa Mau.”

Read More

Basic Health Hawaii: Broken Spirits, Healing Souls. by Keola Diaz

/

Mr. Diaz's Portfolio comes in two parts, a video and a written portion. Please read the written portion to gain a comprehensive understanding of the history leading up to the installment of BHH.

Please click link to access a .pdf of the write-up: "The Compact of Free Association (COFA): A History of Failures." 

Acknowledgements go out to the Center for Pacific Islands Studies at the University of Hawaii at Manoa for giving us access to this Portfolio, and of course Mr. Keola Diaz, for this important research.

FSM Congress Adopts Human Trafficking Act

/

The Seventeenth FSM congress passed the Human Trafficking Act during its third Regular Session on March 5, 2012

Speaker Issac V. Figir of Yap introduced Congressional Bill 17-78 during the First Special Session of the 17th congress, early last August. As reported in a previous TFB article, the FSM was listed as a “source country” for recent incidents of trafficking of

Read More

Limits to FAS entry pushed

/

Limits to FAS entry pushed

* US Senate wants cut in FAS costs

MAJURO – U.S. President Barack Obama was directed last week to convene within 45 days a National Security Council interagency group to reduce what the U.S. Senate says is the escalating cost of in-migration by people from the Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau.

Click here to go to full article...

2011 Pacific Games

/

The 2011 Pacific Games is underway. The event formally started in August 27, and will continue until September 10. 22 countries from the Pacific will be participating in this event. Including Micronesian countries listed to participate: the FSM, Guam, CNMI, Nauru, Palau, Kiribati, and the Marshall Islands.

The host country, New Caledonia, is a heavy favorite to take in most of the medals. They tallied the most medals in the previous Games, taking in nearly 100 medals more than their closest competitor in the previous Pacific Games.

Read More

NEW U.S. IMMIGRATION INITIATIVE ALARMS MICRONESIA

/

excerpt:

(By: Giff Johnson; Pacific Islands Report)

"MAJURO, Marshall Islands (Marianas Variety, July 25, 2011) – United States calls for limiting the number of Micronesians and Marshall Islanders eligible to enter America under a visa-free treaty provision will be a top item on the agenda at the July 28 Micronesian Presidents Summit in Pohnpei."

Follow link to read the article: http://pidp.eastwestcenter.org/pireport/2011/July/07-25-01.htm

All-Mike Women's Volleyball Tournament & Championship Highlights (Honolulu 2011).

/

The All-Mike Women's Volleyball Tournament is brought to you by the same organization that organized the All-Mike Men's Basketball Tournament. The tournament featured over 10 teams from throughout Micronesia. The Championship game was played between the Palau "All-stars" and Chuuk's "Seres me Faan". For detailed information please visit the All-Mike Facebook page. (All-Mike Facebook page).

Volleyball Highlights:

Read More

The Fourth Branch sits with Evelyn Adolph, Project Manager for the FSM Tax Reform Project

/

Evelyn Adolphby: Universe Yamase

The history of the tax reform dates back to 2005 where through "wide-ranging research" by the TRTF (Tax Reform Task Force), proposals for reform were given. The suggestions by the TRTF were approved later that year by the FSM Economic Policy Implementation Council (EPIC), the FSM Congress and the FSM President.

What is a Tax Reform? A modification of the ways taxes are managed or collected.

Why have a tax reform for the FSM? Mainly, to respond to changes in foreign aid funds due to the reduction of monetary assistance in the second compact.

Other features of the Tax Reform are listed in detail as a .pdf (see bottom of article). 

Provided below is a submitted biography of Evelyn Adolph, the manager for the aforementioned project.

Read More

"All Mike" Men's Basketball Tournament [Update]

/
allmikeBasketball.jpg

Click picture to visit websiteMicronesian sponsored basketball tourney in Honolulu Hawaii. Over 20 teams from Palau to the Marshall Islands.

Mission Statement:

"MHAC, through its collaborative leadership & guided by our unique cultural values, advocate for the health and well being of Micronesians to improve their quality of life in seeking justice and equality for the Pacific community."

9759125-8980198-thumbnail.jpg

photo gallery

Update

on 2011-04-14 21:51 by Fourth Branch

Championship Game Highlights.

Are We Prepared For a Tsunami?

/

The historic earthquake and destructive tsunami that crippled the nation of Japan raises concerns about the fragility of our own homes. Although earthquakes are near impossible to predict, they have not directly posed significant danger to our islands yet. Of more concern is the likelihood of a severe tsunami hitting our homes.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) defines tsunami as, "ocean waves produced by earthquakes or underwater landslides." The word tsunami is of Japanese origin and translates to "harbor wave".

Because of our locatin in the middle of the Pacific we are subject to tsunamis generated from earthquakes around the Pacific rim. A dangerous fact about tsunamis is that they can stretch across miles of ocean and affect regions in different timezones. Leaving us exposed from all directions.

Provided are videos from the NOAA that further explain the devastating magnitude and complexities of tsunamis:

Read More