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Disqualifying State ERP from FSM Public Service Re-employment

PALIKIR, Pohnpei (FSM Information Service): March 20, 1998 - FSM President is submitting a measure to Congress Speaker, disqualifying the State Participants of the early retirement from appointment in the early FSM Public Service System.

Nena, in a March 17^th Communication addressed to the four State Governors, the President said that he is submitting to Congress for its favorable action, a proposed amendment to Section 136 of FSM Code title 52, Public Service System.

The proposed amendment, is in response to concerns raised by many officials regarding the National Government employing State Government early retiree. If become law, will disqualify the FSM National Government to employ State participants in ERP.

The duration of the disqualification would be for the same period as if the early retiree had been a National Government retiree.

This would be in keeping with the purpose of our nation-wide Public Service Reform Program, Nena stated.

The exact language of the amendment states: "(3) Participation in a State Government's Early Retirement Program, which program is part of the nationwide Public Service Reform Program funded through a loan from the Asian Development Ban, shall be a basis for disqualification from appointments in the public service. Such disqualification shall be effective for so long as the candidate would have been disqualified from such appointment if the candidate had participated in the National Government Early Retirement Program."

President Nena urges each governor's legal staff to prepare similar proposed legislation for enactment by the states legislatures which would disqualify the FSM Early Retirement Program participant from employment in the State's Public Service System.

This prohibition does not affect the elected officials, politically appointed officials, who by nature of their appointments are exempted from the Public Services System Act.