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New leadership for the State of Chuuk

Palikir, POHNPEI (FSM Information Services): May 9, 2005 - The State of Chuuk, following a gubernatorial run-off and a congressional seat re-vote in April, has declared its State's Leadership and representatives to the National Congress.

On April 19, Governor Wesley Simina and Lieutenant Governor Johnson Elimo were sworn into Administration as the Sixth Government of the State of Chuuk. The composition of Governor Simina's Administration is currently being organized.

The Legislative Branch followed suit with the re-organization of both its Houses and inducted the following leadership:

The presiding offices for the House of Senate are:

President: Detor Santos
Vice President: Ichiro Choram
Floor Leader: Alanso Cholymay

For the House of Representatives, its presiding officers are:

Speaker: Sinkoro Harper
Vice Speaker: Krispino Rafael
Floor Leader: Innocente Oneisom

At the national level, the Office of the National Elections Director declared on April 22, Peter S. Sitan as the winner of the Congressional seat for Chuuk's Election District One (D1) to the Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia.

The declaration followed the April 20 re-vote of the Weno Polling Box for absentee voters of D1or the Upper Mortlocks, which had registered some voting discrepancies during the National Elections in March. Vying for the D1 Seat were Sitan, Henry C. Asugar (incumbent) and Lander Simor.

Results of the re-vote placed Sitan 79 votes ahead of Asugar's 2,277 and Simor trailed them with 426.

Sitan's certification therefore completes Chuuk's representatives to the upcoming Fourteenth Congress of the FSM. Members of the Chuuk Delegation will be:

District 1 - Peter S. Sitan;
District 2 - Roosevelt Kansou;
District 3 - Simiram Sipenuk;
District 4 - Tiwiter Aritos; and
District 5 - Moses Nelson.

Induction for the Fourteenth Congress of the FSM is scheduled for May 11, 2005.