Public Hearing Raises More Questions than Answers

On November 25, 2014, two members of the Chuuk Political Status Commission (CPSC) traveled to Hilo, Hawaii to lead a public hearing with over 60 members of the Chuukese community on Hawaii Island.  Led by Sabino Asor, the Chuuk State Attorney General and Chairman of the CPSC and CPSC Member Winiplat Bisalen who represents the Northwest region and who currently serves as Special Assistant to the Governor on financial matters. The 3-hour public hearing was hosted by the Chuukese Student Association (CSA) from University of Hawaii at Hilo and Hawaii Community College. It was facilitated by Chuukese leader, Sam Nathan, who started by encouraging the participants to be ask questions respectfully honoring our Chuukese culture.

General Commentary:

1. I think the commissioners did a decent job of presenting the pros of Chuuk independence based on the CPSC’s stance.They did a terrible job of presenting any  disadvantages of independence.
2. All I can say is that I am even more fearful for Chuuk. This whole thing is based on some major faulty assumptions, not facts.  The two members of the commission came unprepared with nothing in writing, not even the basic outline of the timeline, and definitely no attempt to educate people on both sides of the issue…the pros and cons of independence. They made assurances of external sources of financial support for an independent Chuuk yet did not produce one single proof or document that back up their claim.
3. My biggest fear now is that the average Chuukese citizen living in cash-poor Chuuk will vote for independence based on the commission’s focus on money as the real reason for seceding from the FSM to seek independence; their major assumption that the US will want a similar Compact like the FSM’s, Palau, and Marshall Islands and an equally disturbing assumption that China will pump money into Chuuk. Of course, when Chuukese politicians talk up money flowing to the hands of Chuukese people, we become blind to the facts and history of fiscal abuse and mismanagement and vote them back into office.

Commentary on Specific Issues:

The following are reactions to specific points raised by the Commissioners during their opening statements. It is in the order in which they spoke about them during the course of the hearing.  Please view the video to hear the actual words. In bold are my thoughts.

1. Economic Provision of the Compact will end in 2023: Chuuk wishes to seek its own government to seek its own nation. The CPSC meet and have determined that it’s quicker “Epwe chok mwitir” if Chuuk secedes from FSM and stand on it own.
   Thoughts: What is expedient is not necessarily the right course of action. We cannot afford to do the quickest route to what we hope will end in prosperity of our people. It would be like sending someone learning to navigate out on the open sea without them mastering the placement of the stars, understanding of the currents, and experience in courageous and humble management of companions on a journey (pilo). A pwo (master navigator) does not become one through the quickest way possible; drug dealers on the other hand get rich through the quickest way possible to peddle their goods and ruining lives along the way. 
2. December 2014 end of public hearing; ballot will be on the ballot March 2015. If Chuuk vote Yes, then a Constitutional Convention will be convened to write a new Chuuk Nation constitution and choose the form of government.
   Thoughts: Where will the money come from to finance this major undertaking? There is no money in the Compact allocations earmarked for this so it would have to be from local revenue. What existing services will be sacrificed so Chuuk can fund the election of the Constitutional Convention, their salaries, transportation, meals, the inevitable pompous celebrations, etc.
3. Chuuk Nation will negotiate its own alliances with nations around the world just like the FSM.
   Thoughts: The assumption of the CPSC is that countries including the United States will want to ally with Chuuk Nation. Given our track record with mismanaging Compact funding, why would the US or its allies want to align themselves with Chuuk? If China is the only country that wants to ally with Chuuk Nation and they want certain lands or islands in return, will Chuuk Nation agree out of desperation for money? I’m afraid so.
4. Commission believes this is the best for Chuuk people beyond 2023. It’s been years since we’ve been in the federation. We’ve seen all the pros and cons of the federation…we believe we can do it. We have Chuukese who have been presidents, ambassadors, accountants, secretary of finance, etc…all the positions that will help us stand on our own.
   Thoughts: Yes, Chuuk State has been part of the federation. Yet, Chuuk’s political leaders have squandered all the knowledge, goodwill, and funding allocated to build up Chuuk. Chuuk State received the most money from the federation and Compact funding, yet it is the worst in the federation in terms of progress.
5. The current structure of the FSM does not help Chuuk.
   Thoughts: That’s right, the federation was formed to support all four states, not one state over the expense of the other states. We are a nation of 4 states. The “structure” of the nation that the commissioners talked about had to do with money that can come to one state…Chuuk. They failed to point out the positive elements of the union, the need for all four states to remain together, to swim or sink together, to unite our voices as one and work together for a more unified and strong voice globally, to support each other when one state needs it (e.g. Chuuk’s deficit getting help by FSM). It was tiring to hear the one-sided view of secession…like the problem child wanting more money.
   
6. FSM Constitution was written in 1975, mostly by members of the Palauan delegation, but in the end they left us to form their own nation. Thy specifically put into the FSM Constitution that the President should be chosen by the Congress, not by the people because of fear of the more populated Chuuk will always win the election.
   Thoughts: This is an uncalled attack on the Chuukese leaders who helped formed the FSM. They assume our Chuukese leaders failed to speak up on what was good for the unity of the federation. Those leaders valued unity; our Chuukese leaders now want separation to control more money. Greed?
7. If Chuuk were a nation, we’d have 8 Chuukese presidents rather than the 2 we have had since we became FSM in 1979 to 2014.
   Thoughts: Why focus on Chuukese presidents when there’s been Chuukese governors all these years. Except for the late Governor Aten and the earlier congressmen, why haven’t we improved things in Chuuk with all the billions of $ given to Chuuk? We want more money, but we have not shown a good history of using that money. Now we want more money to squander?
8. FSM Congress Voting Process – 1st vote all 14 congressmen, 2nd vote by the at-large senators. It would have benefited Chuuk if we were voting by ourselves.
   Thoughts: Hello, welcome to democracy. It will be the same structure if we become a nation and the municipalities now become States like in Palau. The more populated regions or municipalities in Chuuk will always have more voting power. 
9. Tax Reform – Chuuk wanted the tax reform, but other States voted it down. Chuuk would have benefited greatly from the Tax Reform, but they were prevented from benefiting because the other states did not vote for it.
   Thoughts: Tax Reform and most (if not all) of the financial reform efforts by President Mori have been opposed by the all powerful Chuuk delegation in the FSM Congress. How can the other states be blamed for the failure of the Chuuk delegation to support the President’s attempt to do what is good for the entire nation? Greed?
10. Chuuk laws established the Chuuk Political Status Commission in 2012 It’s not an initiative that was thought up overnight project, but the result of many meetings and consultations.
    Thoughts: If the commission was established in 2012, then why weren’t there public hearings since 2012. Why are these public hearings now just happening 3-4 months before the March election when the commission has independently elected to put it on the ballot? Is this another case of lack of leadership or unethical leadership practice?
11. 5 Gifts from China ($5 million each) were for Chuuk, but FSM divided them up among the FSM states.
    Thoughts: The commissioners did not specify what were these 5 monetary gifts from the Chinese government specifically for Chuuk State that the FSM national government supposedly divided up among the four States. Or were these five gifts to the FSM that Chuuk State wished it were for Chuuk State only?
12. Original framers of FSM Constitution created FSM as bridge between FSM and USA. Now the FSM President “a nemeni” (rule) the State governors. Before the governors decided, helped by “atawei”  the FSM President. Today it is no longer the case.
    Thoughts: It would have been helpful to know specific examples of how President Mori or all the other previous presidents have ruled the State governors. It would have been better for the Chuukese audience to be reminded that the FSM President Mori helped Chuuk State by wiping away its debt through funding from the national government? Who will come to our aid when we sink ourselves into more debt?
13. Currently Chuuk State operational budget totals $27 Million. $20 million comes from Compact, $7 from local revenue. According to Bisalen,  “Mi wenenen watte moni epwe tongeni feito ngeni Chuuk ika si independent” (there’s plenty of money that will come to Chuuk if we become independent). He used the examples of the fishing rights in Chuuk economic zone. Currently, $40 million goes to FSM from fishing companies to fish in the FSM waters; $0 of that money goes to States according to Bisalen. “Ai chok nuku ika sipwene pwisin uuta, pwata esopw ne pwisin no ngeni kich” (If we are  independent, why wouldn’t the money from fishing rights come to us Chuuk directly?) If $40 million is divided up equally among the 4 states that’s $10 million each including Kosrae State which is the smallest of the four states.
    Thoughts: How can the commissioner make such ridiculous assurances of external funding from foreign investment when there is no actual proof, research, facts, data backing up this claim that money will pour into an independent Chuuk Nation? It would have been better for the audience if the commission has actual figures based on actual studies and not on dreams. Dreams cannot pay for government services.
14. According to Bisalen, $7 million from local revenue can be much more except that tax laws were made by FSM which requires that half of taxes collected in the States go to FSM. If Chuuk becomes independent, all taxes…”about $10 million” will go directly to Chuuk.
    Thoughts: The math does not add up. Maybe this is part of our financial woes in Chuuk…we fail in our simple addition. $20 million comes from Compact funding plus $7 million from local revenue (half of it goes to FSM). Provided Chuuk actually will manage to collect all taxes that will be $14 million local revenue.  $27 -$14 = $13. Where will the $13 million come from if we can only generate a total of $14 million in local revenue?
15. “Mei pwan chommong, chommong…me nukun monien US” (There’s also lots of money besides the US funds available to us).
    Thoughts: Is the CPSC being promised some economic package deal from nations besides the US? Why aren’t the commissioners upfront about where these money will come from? Or are they simply bluffing the United States to get more money out of the US lest the Chinese government takes over Chuuk? I think it’s wrong for the commissioners to make these empty promises of external sources of funds for an independent Chuuk Nation without actually identifying these sources.
16. Palau is rich today, but we were the same in the TTPI. They don’t have the same government like the FSM…they keep all their money…they deal with other countries directly…keeping all money…not give to a national government like FSM.
    Thoughts: Palau is exactly like the FSM today; they have a national government in Koror that deal with the world and govern like the FSM. And they have States like in the FSM. All villages and some islands are states…just like like the FSM. Of course the national government of the Republic keep funds to operate their government. If Chuuk State becomes Chuuk Nation, of course, there needs to be a national government.
    
17. “Palau has 5 planes; why do we only have 1 plane?” Thoughts: What? Palau owns 5 airlines? And FSM owns 1 airline? Now Chuuk Nation wants to chase Palau and own 6 airlines? I don’t even know where and why the commissioners get their ideas from that Palau owns 5 airline companies.
18. When we were students, we (Sabino and Winiplat) were not beaten (academically) by the Palauan students. But why is Palau well off now than Chuuk when they are people, we are people. Thoughts: Could it be because they have strong leaders who care about the people of Palau? Or could it be because they’re united as a nation and not corrupt or greedy as Chuukese politicians are in the FSM Congress and now this Chuuk Nation?
19. Money that is coming to Chuuk is plentiful (“mei watte, fokkun watte”). Thoughts: Prove to us by producing an independently verifiable report and documents of assurances from countries that have committed to support Chuuk Nation financially. Don’t just give us empty promises and hopes without backing them up with facts. Dreams cannot pay for government services.

Last Words…

I don’t think you’ll find any Chuukese citizen who does not support a stronger and more prosperous Chuuk…whether it is an independent nation or a state within the FSM. Chuukese people are some of the most intelligent, wise, caring, strong willed, fiercely loyal people in the world. We want the best for ourselves and our island communities. We want what will benefit our children, families, clans, islands. Of course deep down we want a Chuuk that can stand on its own as we have always done before colonizers arrived uninvited on our shores. We want to reclaim our dignity as a people without the coercion of foreign money, the empty promises of a better tomorrow in another foreign country, and the domination of another culture over our own Chuukese culture and identity. We want peace and justice for the wars that were fought over the islands and ocean that we never relegated to others except by fears of losing our lives. We want to be free to be ourselves as a united Chuukese people. And we want to be part of the formation of a better Chuuk.

Sadly, this commission is asking us Chuukese citizens to rush into choosing YES over NO without doing adequate research and education on the pros and cons of the decision. Instead they are doing what Chuukese politicians are best at doing…promising good things to come (specifically money) IF people elect them into office. The politicians on the Chuuk Political Status Commission and all the Chuuk State Legislators who blindly support this effort are banking on Chuukese citizens to once again blindly trust their judgement, dreams, hopes, and desires even when these have no basis on facts or reality. The average Chuukese citizen who thinks of politicians as sources of cash handouts may well see this move as that…more money for politicians means more money for them. For others who are beyond trusting politicians with more money, this is more than money. It is about trust and there is a real lack of trust in the integrity of the politicians right now in our history.

For me (and yes only my own), this move to secede from the FSM and become an independent nation is devoid of reality. It is based on a few politicians who think money will solve our deep rooted social, political, educational, cultural problems in Chuuk. They think that somehow if we get more money we will change overnight and become ethical stewards of other nation’s money that is entrusted to us to do the right thing for ALL Chuukese, not the few who are benefiting right now. So, Chuuk, please think twice about following your politicians to the edge of Suicide Cliff. Think thrice about drinking from the cooler of empty promises of a better and peaceful paradise of Guyana proportion. And definitely don’t blindly get one anyone’s canoe to sail beyond the reef if that someone has not even mastered the coral outcrops inside the reef.

Dr. Vid Raatior

Dr. Vid Raatior is a proud Chuukese parent, educator, citizen blogger, and social entrepreneur living in the US.

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