After attending the 67th Session of the United
Nations General Assembly in New York, President Mori began his visits to FSM
citizens by stopping first in Missouri where three separate meetings were held
in Neosho, Kansas City and Liberty where three nuns from the FSM minister as
part of the operation of the Queen of Angels Monastery. Around sixteen students
from Kosrae and Pohnpei attending Parks University in Missouri had the
opportunity to share dinner with the President and exchanged views on various
interests.
Other FSM residents of the states of Kansas, Oklahoma and
Arkansas turned up at the meetings in Neosho and Kansas City.
In Washington, the President held meetings with two
faith-based groups from Chuuk and Kosrae, both of which were also attended by a
few others with no affiliation to the churches.
Moving to Oregon, where most of the 24,000* FSM citizens in
US mainland reside, President Mori addressed the Portland City Council upon his
arrival and met with the Mayor and other officials who were very appreciative
of the visit. Meetings were held on the 4th and 5th
in Portland and Aurora following previous meetings arrangements.
The final meeting took place in Pasadena, California with other
enthusiasts driving in for hours from San Diego and the other states of Utah
and Arizona, adding variety to a group featured other Asia-Pacific
islanders and Americans who part took in the fiesta and lively meeting.
Common to most of the meetings was the citizens’ call for the
FSM to consider establishing presence in parts of the U.S. other than
Washington D.C. to service the growing numbers of citizens in need of
assistance with passport matters, employment-related documents, Compact-related
privileges, educational financing issues and a number of other issues that
require government intervention or management.
Furthermore, it was also asserted that given the findings
of the survey of citizens commissioned by the FSM Government,
opening of polling places in parts of the mainland USA is in order to allow the
many citizens the chance to securely exercise their right to vote and participate in home affairs.
President Mori assured the citizens that their inputs and
recommendations would be seriously considered as part of the purposes for which
the recently conducted survey was commissioned. The citizens were also encouraged
to utilize possible ways of communicating with leaders back home, especially
their FSM Congress delegations who also hold strong stake in bringing forth
their requests and suggestions.
Joining the President at his meetings were Secretary of
Foreign Affairs Mr. Lorin Robert; Assistant Secretary Tony Babauta of the U.S.
Department of Interior; Ambassador Asterio Takesy from FSM Embassy in D.C.;
Senator Tiwiter Aritos, Senator Roger S. Mori and Senator Bonsiano “Fasi”
Nethon of the FSM Congress; Assistant Secretary Rose Naganaka, FSM Department
of Finance and Administration; Mr. Patrick McKenzie, Director of NORMA; Mr.
James Naich and Mr. Dominic Maluchmai from the FSM Embassy in D.C.; Mr. Alfred
Ansin, FSM Congress staff member; and Mr. Marcellus J. Akapito from the FSM
Public Information Office.
Senator Wesley W. Simina joined in at the Pasadena meeting.
*This number was reported during briefings by
Ambassador Takesy regarding the FSM-commissioned household survey of FSM
citizens in the United States and territories concluded about a month ago. The
published report has not been released, pending official endorsement by the FSM
Government.
For more information, write to Mr. Akapito at markapito@gmail.com or fsmpio@mail.fm.
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