Government of the Federated States of Micronesia

FEMA regional head visits Palikir

PALIKIR, Pohnpei (FSM Information Service): May 23, 2003 - The Regional Director of the United States' Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region IX - Mr. Jeff Griffin, paid a courtesy call to President Joseph J. Urusemal on May 20, 2003.

The visit marked the first for a FEMA regional director to visit the FSM. The informal meeting was held in the President's Cabinet meeting room where Griffin shared with President Urusemal his views on the expiring FEMA assistance. He encouraged FSM's lobbying efforts to continue with the US Congress.

President Urusemal thanked the Regional Director for the numerous assistances FEMA had directed toward the FSM. He also thanked the Director for the Pacific Division, Woodrow Goins, Jr., who accompanied the Regional Director, for being very responsive to FSM's needs, especially during the recent plague of storms that swept across the FSM.

The visit concluded with President Urusemal and Regional Director Griffin signing the document authorizing eligibility of the fours Federated States to apply for assistance under the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant program.

FEMA Region IX serves the states of Arizona, California, Hawaii and Nevada, as well as the territories of American Samoa and Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia. Region IX serves a culturally diverse population in excess of 36 million people and covers 386,000 square miles with a breadth of more than 8,000 miles.

President Urusemal was joined in the Cabinet meeting room by Vice President Redley Killion; Foreign Affairs Assistance Secretary David W. Panuelo; Foreign Affairs Deputy Assistant Secretary Jane Chigiyal; Assistant Coordinator for Disaster Oleen Poll; FSM Assistant Attorney General.

Ambassador Larry M. Dinger from the US Embassy joined Regional Director Griffin and Division Director Goins along with US Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Tom Hushek and FEMA Public Assistant Officer for the Pacific Region Marina Tinitali.