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President Mori visits Kosrae Landfill and Walung Village

Palikir, Pohnpei (FSM Information Services): November 30, 2010 - On the morning of November 26, the day after having celebrated the 3^rd Annual State National Prayer Day, President Mori visited the Kosrae's Tofol Landfill, and later that afternoon, the village of Walung. He was accompanied by Secretary Vita Skilling, Department of Health and Social Services, Bernis Danis, Department of Education, Pelsesar Petrus, Special Assistant to the President for Administrative Affairs, and Cadalina Donre of the National Department of Justice.

At the Tofol Landfill, the group met with Weston Luckymis, Director of the Kosrae Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, and Yasutoshi Sagami, JICA Project Formulation Adviser. Luckymis exposed to the group the workings of the "Fukuoka" type of treatment method which was installed at the landfill by Kosrae State in 2008.

Luckymis explained the Fukuoka method is a semi-aerobic solid waste treatment system. It involves the creation of a compact landfill base, overlaid with polyethylene sheeting. The sheeting prevents the landfill leachate - the liquid which has dissolved from the waste - to seep back into the environment; instead the leachate is collected by a series of pipes and a filtering system of ponds. In addition, gas venting pipes have been installed in the landfill to accelerate the decomposition of the waste.

President Mori congratulated Luckymis, his department, the Embassy of Japan and the JICA volunteers for bringing about these key improvements to the Tofol Landfill. The project was funded by the Embassy of Japan in Pohnpei, in the amount of $90,900, and the Kosrae State Government, in the amount of $36,100.

The same group, also accompanied by Johnson Taulung, Mayor of Walung, Reverend Eden Skilling and Reverend Kalau, met that afternoon at the Marine Park and went out in three small fishing boats to visit the beautiful beachside village of Taulung. President Mori was welcomed by a group of excited young children holding welcome signs and singing Kosraen songs. The people of Walung prepared a wonderful feast of local food, enjoyed by all prior to the sunset boat ride back to the Marine Park.