FSM Congress elects Senator Simina and Senator Palik to head up the FSM Executive Branch

By Bill Jaynes The Kaselehlie Press

May 11, 2023

FSM—A standingroom-only crowd at the FSM Congress chambers witnessed the seating in and swearing of the 23rd Congress and the subsequent election of the FSM’s new leadership to succeed outgoing President David W. Panuelo and other leadership positions.

Congress elected Senator Robson Romolow of Chuuk as the Vice Speaker of the 23rd Congress. It elected freshman Senator Quincy Lawrence of Pohnpei as the Floor Leader. Senator Esmond B. Moses, also of Pohnpei, was elected to be the new Congress Speaker.

In yet another break with the gentleman’s agreement that has long been rumored to exist in Congress that would rotate the highest offices of the FSM Government among the states, Congress again chose former Vice President Aren B. Palik of Kosrae to return to his position as FSM Vice President. Kosrae has never had a full-term presidency in the history of the FSM. Kosrae’s representatives have only ever been selected to have taken the office of Vice President, which they have done numerous times. A Kosraean did once serve as President of the FSM, but

only after then FSM President Bailey Olter of Pohnpei died while in office.

Congress lastly chose former Speaker Wesley W. Simina of Chuuk to be the new FSM President.

During the opening day session, Congress also appointed its own leadership of standing committees. The new Chair of the Committee on Ways and Means is Senator Isaac V. Figir of Yap. The new Chair of the Committee on Judiciary & Government Operations (J&GO) is Senator Tiwiter Aritos of Chuuk. The new Chair of the Committee on Resources & Development is Senator Peter M. Christian of Pohnpei. The new Chair of the Committee on Health & Social Affairs is Senator Dr. Perpetua S. Konman if Chuuk. The new Chair of the Committee on Education is Senator Joseph J. Urusemal of Yap. The new Chair of the Committee on External Affairs is Senator Paliknoa K. Welly of Kosrae. The new Chair of the Committee on Transportation & Communication is Senator Victor Gouland of Chuuk. The Chair for the Special Committee on Climate Change is freshman Senator Dr. Merlynn Alfonso-Abello of Pohnpei.

As he has done many times before, Senator Isaac V. Figir served as the Temporary Speaker presiding over Congress until after the 23rd Congress was seated and had taken their oath of office. Most Reverend Julio Angkel, DD, Bishop of the Diocese of the Caroline Islands, gave the invocation. FSM Supreme Court Associate Justice Dennis L. Belcourt administered the oath of office for the Senators. Acting FSM Supreme Court Chief Justice Beauleen Carl-Worswick Administered the oath of office for the new FSM President and Vice President.

The FSM Congress credentials committee included in its report accepting the credentials of each of the 14 Senators, outcomes from FSM Supreme Court cases regarding the qualifications of Esmond Moses and a court decision regarding an appeal of the election procedures for the seat occupied by Senator Dr. Perpetua S. Konman. The outcomes of both of those court decisions led to the credentials committee accepting the credentials of each Senator in the chambers.