$2.4 Million CIP Funds Released to Chuuk: Good or Bad?
January 22, 2010 by admin
Filed under Accountability, News, Vid Raatior
President Manny Mori
Yesterday, the FSM Public Information Office announced (Presidential Order to release CIP Funds to Chuuk Municipalities) the signing of a Presidential Order releasing $2.4 million worth of Capital Improvement Project (CIP) funds to the Chuuk municipalities. These Compact funds, according to the press release, were given to “the rightful owners” to help alleviate the “current economic hardships” in Chuuk. This decision by President Mori came after years of failed negotiations with our inept Chuuk State government to establish proper accountability procedures in Compact spending. So, is this welcomed news or should every Chuukese citizen be worried?
I think we Chuukese should be outraged that these funds are about to get into the hands of politicians without any signed agreement on proper spending of it. Have we forgotten that CIP is synonymous with corrupt and selfish politicians? Have we forgotten that the CIP funds were practically spent in the “pichani me kiachini” (pitching it and catching it) attitude? Have we forgotten how Chuuk struggled through those early years of so-called capital improvement projects when the only capital that was improved was the politicians’ pockets, votes, and businesses?
I should quit my job, move to Chuuk, and start a business venture with the Chuuk State governor, mayors, legislators, and anyone who can get their dirty hands on this $2.4 million handout. I can see it now….business name: Chuuk Import Products (CIP), check! Inventory…fiberglass boats, check! Yamaha outboard engines, check! Cal Rose 60 lbs rice sacks, check! Turkey tails, check! CIP funds, check! Unchecked POs, check!
What does the President’s action communicate to us the Chuukese people? Has he given up on helping the Chuuk State government to improve its services and practices? Sure, our people are suffering from a non-existent economy. Surely, we welcome any infusion of cash economy into our struggling municipalities. But without a signed agreement in place on how the municipalities and state government should properly manage these funds, this economic stimulus fund can ruin us more than help. There is a reason why the State government did not want to sign the MOU, i.e. the politicians do NOT want to be accountable to the people. They want to spend money as they please without any oversight. Plain and simple. The national government tried to force our politicians in Chuuk to clean up their acts before entrusting them with money for improving our State.
In my humble opinion, this Presidential Order communicates failure rather than success, a step backward rather than progress for Chuuk. The Simina Administration failed to rally the municipalities to agree to the MOU. The Mori Administration failed to exercise effective leadership in his own state to get them to agree to the terms laid out by his predecessors to safeguard national interest. The municipal leaders failed to see the bigger picture and followed the governor. Ultimately, our politicians continue to fail the people of Chuuk by not demanding more accountability for themselves. In the end, this $2.4 million dollar handout will be spent in the same old fashioned Chuukese way…niffangom ei nge ka kan chemeni kich fan Mas. It’s not an economic stimulus fund, but a big fat check to buy favors and votes for politicians. When the funds have dried up, we will have inherited an insatiable appetite for faster boats and fatter turkey tailed politicians.
This is the opinion of Vid Raatior and not anyone else associated with the Chuuk Reform Movement.
Founded by Chuukese
I am MENANDRO T BALBOA from Manila, Philippines hired as STATE PUBLIC AUDITOR OF CHUUK sometimes in January, 2007 and was confirmed by the Senate sometimes in September, 2007.
It was an unfortunate experience having worked for only three (3) months without even given the chance to exercise and implement proper accountability procedures in Compact spending. During my short period of stay, I had in mind the MOU for approval for all official concerned and already establish a proper rules and procedures for implementation for a clean records of Accountability.
In the process, when I was about to start my function as State Public Auditor, despite the approved Budget for the Office of the Chuuk State Public auditor, CFCC blocked and disapproved the Budget for my Office. To my dismay, CFCC took advantage and pursue their plan not to continue establishing the office of the Public Auditor, when I was in Manila, Philippines to renew my expired passport and recruit qualified auditors. Despite having a return ticket, the officials at Chuuk State Government did not even bother to exert efforts for my return.
If only given the chance by the Funding Commission, I am willing to help re organize the Chuuk’s State Government and alleviate the sufferings of their nationals.
2 thumbs up for Typaka: I’ve seen it already, how our leaders worked their power to get the funds and mishandled them for the inappropriates to some extend. As a concern citizen, I am most outraged by this news. I am worried because ur municipal govts have not shown any clean records of accountability and I’d say this is rini rini a sad story of our beloved Chuuk if these funds are not handled with the proper procedure. ” Ra pwan feioch anokewe mayor a repwene pwan no play poker pwan tot iwe kamo fefin.”
Tirow pwan fairo wommi ekkena sou mirit me nie mirit, Pwan fokkun tirow won nouch kena amafen nin nouwis chon souwak ki( wachi na CHuuk) Ekkis ii chok mefiei won na (CIP) amwoita sipwe fokkun weweiti nounouon ena fund pwe epwe pwano noun nonowun founuwach ina Chuuk. Pii etene pwan chok no ngeni ekkena metochun ikkenai chok nge sise nenenoi nessor ren met mokutochun me nonoumun fonuwach.
Riddle me this, riddle me that. Lets hope that the 2.4 million CIP Fund reach the municipalities in our state that really need capital improvement in their respectful communities. How do we go about issuing the money to the municipalities? That is the question we should ask our leaders from the top to bottom, meaning from the federal level down to state level alike. If we don’t, then we might just go back to our famous Kepach Ketento, business as usual. Corruption is so common that it paralyzes our govrnment to a point where it stop fuctioning…So my fellow citizens, our governments future lies in our hands as citizens and voters. We should all be united as one, and move together as one, to make it happen for the common good for our people and our respectful state. Again, our right to vote is the most powerful tool of changes in a democratic system…
This was the plan from the beginning, the whole reason why mayors pushed him to get elected. I’m a bit surprised people are shocked by this. Ussun chok an Ozeky we keeN “echo dvd a piin fiich”.
Well I almost fell off my chair and could not believe my own two eyes when I saw this article regarding this new wave of corruption (CIP FUNDS) to be released to Chuuk State. I am totally outraged now and I do not even know where to begin. The CIP Funds in the past had contributed to where we are now, state of laughing matter, state under developed and a corrupt government. I called this CIP as PFG – PERSONAL FINANCIAL GAIN for our own leaders.
In my own opinion, I say it is very premature to release such funds to our state now because our government has many loose ends that are not yet addressed or fixed from the last audit. I personally do not see a viable justification for these funds to be released without any sign agreement and on how to spend it appropriately. As a Chuukese citizen, I am very worried and concerned that it may be the last chance for our state to receive such funds if our leaders mishandled for the last time. I am sad to say that I have no trust and faith in our leaders today based on their previous actions, empty promises and lies. Fact is, often people think that government corruption involves certain government employees (or elected officials) breaking the law, taking bribes, extortion, cronyism, nepotism, patronage, graft, embezzlement, or wrongfully issuing special favors to select individuals or cliques to promote their own career. To an extent, this is government corruption, but such activity only scratches the surface. It may represents a small fraction of the real corruption going on. The most egregious corruption originates right in the plain view in the halls of legislature. It happens routinely now, it’s just that most people don’t recognize it. Our government is a state of unrestrained political corruption is known as a Kleptocracy, literally meaning “RULE BY THIEVES”.
We have a constitution with checks, balances, and limitations on all branches of our government. It my seem a novel concept to many, but we citizens have powerful tools at our disposal that can stop statist tyrants dead (in some cases literally) in their tracks. Today, most of us are subjects of corrupt government. Many are involved knee deep in it, but we are not powerless. We, in fact, should not allow this government to act wrongfully against us. Most of us don’t even realize how far off course our government has strayed. I know we can light the torch of Liberty again. But we won’t do it at the polls in March. It won’t be done via legislative actions. It won’t be accomplished by way of executive order/decree. Politicians and bureaucrats do not deliver Liberty, they take it. I know must of us are beginning to understand this. It will probably take less than ten percent of us to stand tall, exercise, demand, and reaffirm our absolute right to judge both fact and law in order to restore liberty and justice. When enough are well educated of this power, the Torch of Liberty will begin to shine bright again. Failure to exercise this fundamental right has brought us where we are today.
To be continued………..
Well folks, in beyond unbelieveable, no matter what they still gonna use the 2.Million to gather thier vote to win the March 2011 election..
IF, governor Simina bribe to tag along with these guys, they will promise him a seat in congress, then he will definitely add to a super power Political corruption…If they use him to tag along for them to win his region..they can decided whether he can keep up with them or impeachment possible..