Third FSM Constitutional Convention, November 27, 2001

Government of the Federated States of Micronesia

Third FSM Constitutional Convention, Day 16

POHNPEI, Palikir (FSM Information Service): November 27, 2001 - The first proposal reported and approved on First Reading by the Convention was Delegate Proposal No. 01-23, requiring that at least four justices be on the bench of the Supreme Court at all times. The proposal was assigned and reported out of the Committee on Government Structure and Functions as Standing Committee Report No. 01-1. The other proposals approved on First Reading today were D.P. Nos. 01-17 and 01-34, both of which provide that a citizen of the FSM may not be prohibited from becoming a citizen of another nation, in addition to his FSM citizenship. The two proposals were assigned to the Committee on Civil Liberties and Traditions where they combined the two into one. The proposals were reported out as Standing Committee Report No. 01-2.

Two more Delegate Proposals were introduced today; D.P. No. 01-56, to amend Section 3(a) of Article X of the FSM Constitution by adding that the President of the FSM is the primary and sole executor of the roles and functions of Head of State of the FSM, and D.P. No. 01-57, to amend Section 1 of Article X of the FSM Constitution to provide that the President of the FSM is elected by the people of the FSM. Both were assigned to the Committee on Government Structure and Functions.

For public hearings and meetings, Committees continue to meet even as a State/National Leadership Conference is being held at the Nationąs Capital, to meet the Conventionąs deadline of 45 days of session under the law. For tomorrow, 11/28, the Committee on Civil Liberties and Traditions will be holding a hearing on Delegate Proposal No. 01-28, to amend Section I of Article VI of the FSM Constitution to provide that a citizen 18 years of age may vote in national elections, irrespective of where he may be residing at the time of election; and Delegate Proposal No. 01-39, to amend Section 9 of Article IV of the FSM Constitution to provide that capital punishment is prohibited, except to punish certain heinous crimes and acts of terrorism. Convention took to recess at 12:56 p.m. and will reconvene tomorrow at 9:30 a.m.