President Mori Nominates Mr. Ihlen Joseph to serve on JEMCO

Press Release #1109-33
Palikir, Pohnpei – FSM Information Services
November 30, 2009

President Mori is submitting another nomination for Congress to act upon in the upcoming Second Special Session set to begin on Monday, November 30th, 2009.  The latest nomination is for Mr. Ihlen Joseph to serve on the U.S.-FSM Compact of Free Association’s Joint Economic Management Committee (JEMCO).  Under Public Law 15-70, the President is required to select two FSM representatives to sit on JEMCO.  The law gives the President the ability to select one representative from a position within the FSM National Government and requires that the other representative must be selected from a list of four nominees, one nominee per state. 

During the 6th Regular Session of the 15th FSM Congress, Hon. Lorin Robert, Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs, was confirmed as the representative from the FSM National Government.  At that time, President Mori was awaiting the recommended names from the Governors.  When the names were finally received from the states, Kosrae State nominated Mr. Semeon Phillip, Floor Leader of the Kosrae State Legislature, Chuuk State nominated Mr. Jack Fritz, Pohnpei State nominated Hon. John Ehsa and Yap State nominated Hon. Sebastian Anefal.  This created a problem for President Mori in that it was difficult to pick one governor over another for the second FSM representative to JEMCO.  This impasse went on until Governor Ehsa recently decided to withdraw his name in favor of Mr. Ihlen Joseph whom he recommended to the President.

Mr. Joseph has an extensive employment history within the national and state governments.  He has served as Chief of the Division of Administrative Services in the Office of Budget for the FSM National Government (1981-1983), as Compact Public Information Coordinator in Washington D.C. (1983-1984), as Administrator of the Office of Planning, Budget and Statistics of Pohnpei State (1983-85), as Acting Director of the Department of Treasury for Pohnpei State (1985-86), as Director of the Department of Treasury of Pohnpei State (1986-87), as Assistant Secretary of Finance for the FSM National Government (1988-1998) and as Assistant Secretary for Budget of the FSM National Government (1998-2006).  He currently serves as the Chief of Staff/Special Assistant to the Governor of Pohnpei State.

Also worthy of note is that Mr. Joseph is the Director and Chairman of the Board of the Bank of the FSM (1993-present) and is Director and Chairman of the Board of the FSM Development Bank (1988-present).  He also holds the high traditional title of Iso Nahnken of U and is a Wahnparon (minister) of the United Church of Christ in Pohnpei.

President Mori believes that with Mr. Joseph’s extensive years of experience in dealing with finance and management issues, his background makes him well suited to be a member of JEMCO.  His nomination was sent up on November 24, 2009 and President Mori hopes that Congress will take positive action on it during the upcoming Special Session.