The
February 1 - 14, 2023
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Kaselehlie Press
The
February 1, 2023
Free bi-weekly publication
KASELEHLIE PRESS PO Box 2222 Kolonia, Pohnpei, FM 96941
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Vol. 23 Issue No. 05
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President Panuelo visits the White House, brokers top-line deal FSM planning to receive $2.8 Billion over 20 years and other benefits FSM Information Services PALIKIR, Pohnpei—In late January 2023, His Excellency David W. Panuelo—President of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM)—visited Washington, D.C., and high-level officials at the U.S. White House, so as to strengthen diplomatic ties and conclude discussions and make decisions on the Nation’s top-level figures for economic assistance for the next iteration or extension of the Title II provisions of the Compact of Free Association. Over several meetings with senior White House officials, including Dr. Kurt Campbell, National Security Council Coordinator for the Indo-Pacific, Ambassador Joseph Y. Yun, Special
Presidential Envoy for Compact Negotiations, and Ambassador Carmen G. Cantor, Assistant Secretary for Insular & International Affairs, President Panuelo presented the FSM’s position for the extension and modification of economic assistance under the Compact, advocated the FSM’s rationale for its position, and confirmed with the White House team their broad agreement on top-line figures for annual sector grant assistance, injections into the Compact Trust Fund, continuation of U.S. Federal Programs & Services, and a provision in an agreement regarding the continuation of direct economic assistance beyond Fiscal Year 2044 on similar favorable terms. President Panuelo’s objective during his trip to Washington, D.C., was to secure top-line figures for economic assistance to the FSM so that the U.S. Executive Branch can include the FSM’s figures in its submission of its annual budget to the U.S. Congress. This is not a trivial matter; the U.S. President’s budget is submitted
Dr. Kurt Campbell & H.E. David W. Panuelo pose for a photo
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Jano and Weilbacher convicted on two counts acquitted on others in fraudulent Vessel Flagging scheme By Bill Jaynes The Kaselehlie Press
conspiracy to commit money laundering. The Court also ruled that FSM Secretary of the Department of Transportation, Communications, and Infrastructure, Lukner Weilbacher had January 30, 2023 committed the crime of Conflict of Interest. Both crimes carry FSM—On January 17, 2023, the FSM the potential of jail terms and/or fines. Supreme Court convicted two local men on charges related to an illegal FSM The Court acquitted Weilbacher on the charge of Exertion vessel flagging operation. The Court of Special Interest in the scheme. It also acquitted the men also acquitted the men on a charge of of the charge of Conspiracy to Commit Theft of National Theft of National Government property. Government Property. The FSM National Government filed the charges on April 17, 2020. Associate Justice Larry Wentworth issued the decision on the charges from the bench and memorialized the ruling in writing on January 26.
The initial filing of criminal charges with the court spanned 265 pages. Suniel K. Sharma was named in the majority of the charges. Sharma has been absent from the FSM’s jurisdiction for crimes related to a scheme that he allegedly conceived of and operated to issue false FSM marine vessel flags for pay. Sharma set up a company known as Micronesia International Ship Registry (MISR) and allegedly sold flags The Court ruled that FSM prosecutors to vessels around the world that were not qualified to operate had presented enough evidence to with the FSM flag under FSM law, which specifically bans convict local Attorney Martin Jano of issuance of the flags to non-domestic operators. $600,000 was
fraudulently collected under the scheme. Additionally, the scheme damaged the FSM’s international reputation, which took some time to rebuild. Initially, Sharma, Jano, and Weilbacher were the defendants in Criminal Case 2020-501 but were severed from the case to be independently prosecuted due to his continued absence from the FSM’s jurisdiction. Weilbacher and Jano were both charged with conspiring with Sharma to commit theft through the collection of fees for registration of foreign vessels under the FSM flag in an open ship registry (MISR) that Sharma, or one of his companies operated in the FSM’s name. Click here for continuation