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FSM Summit to pave road of economic growth and self-reliance

PALIKIR, Pohnpei (FSM Information Service): April 5, 2004 - The Third Economic Summit of the Federated States of Micronesia opened on Monday under a laden theme of, "The Next 20 Years: Achieving Economic Growth and Self-Reliance."

The gymnasium at the COM-FSM campus in Palikir hosted the huge assemblage of citizens from a broad cross-section of the nation's society gathered to play their role in defining FSM's economic future.

Governor Johnny P. David of Pohnpei State welcomed the assembly to his state and proceeded to address the importance and need for the Summit in the wake of the amended Compact realities.

Along the same lines, President Joseph J. Urusemal's opening remarks called for reflection on the progress of the nation in order to better focus on strategic issues of achieving economic growth at the outset of a new journey under the new realities of the amended Compact.

He impressed upon the participants that, "the efforts we expend this week will-when we all look back upon it after many years-be seen as a turning point in our young nation's history.

"By coming together to consider our options and agree upon new directions we are investing in consensus and nation-wide coherence. We are investing in a common understanding of the new realities. And we are investing in sensible preparations for the long journey ahead," the President added.

He urged the participants to "offer your suggestions on how we can best develop our strategic directions and then, most importantly, how we can improve implementation and improve the monitoring of our achievements."

The President emphasized to the assembly, "This is our Summit. It is, first and foremost, an internal exercise and the planning documents that emerge from our efforts are ours alone [...] I firmly believe that your participation in this Summit, and the hosting of leadership meetings at the state level before today and perhaps following this Summit, will be worth the investment."

President Urusemal called for the creation of a Select Committee to work on issues of major strategic directions that may not be addressed by the sector working groups. The Committee would comprise of the co-chairs of the Summit, heads of delegations and a few others.

The Committee would, "add to the coherence and to the level of commitment to implementing the outcomes of this Summit, we will ensure that we make 2004 a positive turning point for the FSM."