5 i Ponape Unnapsy With Faichuk ivicve During its July special session in Truk, the Tecderated States of Micronesia Congress passed a Sill which would set in motio:: the formation and admissicn of the State of FaiThe ciwk aS a separate state of the Fo¥. Faichuk area of~Truk lagoon comprises eight island municipalites with a conbined popu- sation of more than 8,000 people. The move by the “SH Congress brought a negative response froma number of high rau.xing cf£ficials from Ponape attending the firse leadership conference there. Accor- on the Paichuk bill pritor to approval by ¢ Congress. The FSM is currently comprised of four utates: Kusrac, Ponape, Truk and Yap. Ex- plaining the background to the Faichuk sepz ration movement, Senator Bailey Olter from Ponape, noted that it began in 1960. move, according to Olter, The stems from dis- satisfaction of the Faichik people regardir wedical treatment and needed capital improv ment projects in the area. Jing to one report, while most cf the leadcrs did not take a firm position, “most of the sui cinents offered to some extent seem to favor secession from the infant federation." The Ponape conference, with key electe and traditional leaders from all parts of the state, established a committee to stud: possible advantages and disadvantages of The Director of the Ponape Resources and Development Department, Herman Semes, Faichuk becoming a separate state. Legislature Speaker Edwel Santossaid. races in the T.T. financial impact of the separation of the cherged that the fragmentation of the distoriginated in the cor gress, and the “FSM Congress seems to be meving in the same direction," adding that ~arther meves by the congress to fragment tla FSM will jeopordize the unity people speak or. Semes also said that because of the Leportance of this matter, public hearings throughout the FSH should have been held “we will review the economic, political anc Faichuk area from Truk." Ponape Governor Leo Falcamnoted that “che decision we make may change our rela- tionship with the Federated States of Micr. nesia." Adapted from an article in the National Union (Ponape) 8-15. SEAGAN CUTS WORRY OUTER ISLANDS Federated States of Micronesia President Yosiwo Nakayama led a ‘arge group of FSM and Truk state officials on a six day tour of the “Nertlock Islands, an outer island chain in Truk. A report on thair trip noted that the sentimen: of many outer islands’ people was summed up by leaders on Oneop who declared: “Lead us into self-sufficiency, deliver us from canned mackeral." During the fact finding field trip, the people of Kuttu, the first of the flat low jving lagoon islands in the Mortlocks, expressed anxiety over the announcement by the Recean administration that it will terminate on October 1 the U.S. Department of Agriculture family fecding program. Municipal Council Chairman Masao Mark asked the government visitors to urge .iington to continue the USDA surplus comodities program, because the island was still unable to feed its population since a L976 typhoon flooded the island with sea water about four feet deep. Typhoon Pamela had damaged all of the istunds visited, but Kuttu was hit hardest. An inspection revealed most of the breadfrv trees were yellowing and barren and the tar patch which provides the main staple of the island was filled with stunted plants becat the soil is still contaminated with salt Pant dey nd ins me.