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Third FSM Constitutional Convention, Day 5

POHNPEI, Palikir (FSM Information Service): November 16, 2001 - Today, the on-going session of the Third FSM Constitutional Convention received 7 more proposals and were assigned to Committees for action. The proposals include; D.P. No. 01-21, which would make the second vote-getter in a congressional election to fill the unexpired term of an incumbent who dies in office or resigns or becomes incapacitated before the first anniversary of the last congressional election; D.P. No. 01-22, to add a new provision to Article XIII of the FSM Code concerning "full faith and credit" of the states; D.P. No. 01-23, to require that the number of justices on the bench of the Supreme Court shall not be less than four at all times; D.P. No. 01-24, to change the length of term for at-large members of the Congress from four to eight years; D.P. No. 01-25, to provide public assistance for the construction and maintenance of church facilities in the FSM; D.P. No. 01-26, to add a new section to Article XIII in the Constitution to set out the meaning of "agencies of the National Government" for financial management and audit purposes; and D.P. No. 01-27, to amend Section 2 (d) of Article IX of the FSM Code to provide that a state may impose a surtax on any National tax, duty, or tariff based on imports. All of the proposals were introduced by the Chuuk State Delegation.

With the Standing Committees having been organized, the following are the Committees and their members: Committee on Civil Liberties and Traditions; Delegate Camillo Noket, Chairman, and Delegates James Lukan, Esmond Moses, Naiten O. Phillip, Harry Seymour, Wesley Simina and Sanphy William, members. The Committee on General Provisions has Delegate Beauleen Carl-Worswick as Chairwoman, and Delegates John Haglelgam, Kasio Mida, Aren Palik, Lorin Robert, Casiano Shoniber and Sanphy William, as members. The Committee on Public Finance and Revenue has Delegate Aren Palik as Chairman, and Delegates James Lukan, Esmond Moses, James Naich, Lorin Robert, Casiano Shoniber, and Sanphy William, as members. The Committee on Style and Arrangements has Delegate Wesley Simina as Chairman, and Delegates John Haglelgam, James Naich, Camillo Noket, Naiten O. Phillip, Harry Seymour and Beauleen Carl-Worswick, as members. Finally, the Committee on Government Structure and Functions has the following members: Delegate Kasio Mida as its Chairman and Delegates James Lukan, Esmond Moses, James Naich, Harry Seymour, Casiano Shoniber and Wesley Simina, as members. Convention recessed at 11:45 this morning and will reconvene Monday, November 19, at 10:00 o'clock in the morning.