Executive Branch Requests Supplementary Budget during Special Session of Congress

Press Release #1109-30
Palikir, Pohnpei – FSM Information Services
November 26, 2009

The Executive Branch has sent up a supplementary budget request to Speaker Figir to be considered during the Second Special Session of the 16th FSM Congress set to begin on November 30th, 2009.  In the request, President Mori explains that a total of $1,853,549 is being requested for the operations of certain departments, offices, and agencies of the Executive Branch, to be funded from local revenues.  This figure is much smaller than the $5,934,778 initially requested by various departments, offices and agencies when the President called for supplementary budget requests to be submitted for review.

After a Presidential revision that brought the total down to $3,348,080 and a Cabinet Review of the proposed submission, the Executive Budget Review Committee met on November 17, 2009 and trimmed the supplemental request further to $1,853,549.  This amount reflects requests from different agencies of the Executive Branch, with the following breakdown:

1. $90,000 is being requested by the Office of Statistics, Budget, Overseas Development Assistance and Compact Management (SBOC) for the 5-year Compact Review Committee to supplement the already authorized funding ($30,000) from the FY2010 Budget.  Currently the committee is jointly working with FSM and US officials to continue with its preparation for future proceedings and meetings to seek positive amendments to the economic assistance under the Amended Compact.
   
   
2. $36,518 is being requested for the Infrastructure Maintenance Matching Fund by the Department of Transportation, Communication & Infrastructure (DTC&I).  This amount is to supplement the already authorized funding ($85,000) from the original request of $121,518 in the FY2010 Budget.  This remaining amount is to fulfill the FSM National Government required matching for FY2010 Infrastructure Maintenance Fund.
   
   
3. $50,000 is being requested by DTC&I for Capitol Complex Rehabilitation.  This funding is requested to rehabilitate the facilities at the Capitol Complex that are in dire need of repairs and renovation.  The actual cost of rehabilitating the Capital Complex is more than the requested amount but due to limited funding, only the amount needed for urgent and immediate repairs and renovation is being submitted.
   
   
4. $270,000 is being requested by DTC&I to repair the ramp and bow doors of the Caroline Voyager.  This is the only field trip ship in operation and there is a risk of an accident and ship failure in running the ship without repairing the bow doors and ramp.
   
   
5. $250,000 is being requested by the Department of Education for the National Scholarship fund to be fully funded from local revenue.  There are a number of FSM students that are in school now that may not complete their college education because of the lack of financial assistance available to them.
   
   
6. $100,000 is being requested by the Department of Finance & Administration for partial annual loan payment to Micronesia Longline Fishing Company (MLFC) that is due in January 2010.
   
   
7. $70,560 is being requested for the reclassification of the Immigration and Labor Officers as the scope of work was expanded with added level of difficulties in discharging or performing the assigned tasks without additional compensation.
   
   
8. $34,555 is being requested for nominal funding to establish a field office for the Department of Justice in the State of Chuuk.  Inclusive of this amount is the contractual cost for 3 employees (1 clerk and 2 specialized support staff) to perform criminal litigation and investigation functions.
   
   
9. $250,000 is being requested for the needed life extension of the FSS Independence to maintain its capability to patrol the FSM EEZ and to apprehend fishing violators.
   
   
10. $29,975 is being requested to clear up the outstanding billings from the March 2009 Congressional Election in Chuuk.
    
    
11. $88,444 is being requested by the National Oceanic Resource Management Authority (NORMA) to testify on FSM’s submission to the UN Commission to delineate the outer limits of its Continental Shelf.
    
    
12. $500,000 has already been submitted to Congress for the National Plebiscite (constitution amendments) in 2011.
    
    
13. $27,000 is being requested by the Post Master General to defray the costs of travel, contractual services, and fixed assets.
    
    
14. $56,150 is being requested by the Department of Foreign Affairs for additional funding for the purchase of a vehicle ($20,000) for the FSM Embassy in Tokyo and for office space rental ($36,150) for Honolulu Consulate Office to take care of the additional space and conference room for the decentralization of passport processing, to be located at the Honolulu Office.

President Mori assured Speaker Figir that the staff of the Executive Branch will be prepared to work with the Congressional standing committees to further explain these requests or to provide any information that they may need.