Third FSM Constitutional Convention, November 29, 2001

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Third FSM Constitutional Convention, Day 18

POHNPEI, Palikir (FSM Information Service): November 29, 2001 –
Two Committee Proposals have cleared the Committee of the
Whole, (COW), today, with recommendation to go to Second Reading, but in the
end none completely cleared the Second Reading process. C.P. No. 01-4, to
lower the percentage of votes needed in each State to adopt amendments to
the Constitution from the current three-fourths of the voters in
three-fourths of the States, to two-thirds of the votes in three-fourths of
the States, was recommended for passage by the COW but was deferred to an
unspecified time during Second Reading. C.P. No. 01-3, to amend Article XIV
of the FSM Constitution to extend the time-frame for submitting to FSM
voters the question of whether to have a constitutional convention or not,
from the current 10 years to 15 years was deferred to tomorrow’s calendar.
Two other Committee Proposals passed First Reading today; C.P. No. 01-5,
to amend Section 6(b) of Article XI of the FSM Constitution by deleting the
words “including the trial division of the Supreme Court” and insert an
exception to the relevant Article that will prohibit or strip the national
Courts of any jurisdiction whatsoever in cases where interests in land are
at issue regardless of the diversity of citizenship, and C.P. No. 01-6, to
amend Section 2 or Article V of the FSM Constitution to read: “(T)he
traditions of the people of the FSM may be protected by statue. If
challenged as violation of Article IV, protection of State tradition shall
be considered a compelling social purpose warranting such governmental
action.”

Resolution No. 01-5, introduced yesterday by Chuuk Delegate Wesley Simina,
received approval by the Convention, for the Convention to go into recess
from December 2, through December 9, 2001, and for the Convention session to
be extended through the maximum of 45 calendar days allowed under the law.
Three other resolutions were introduced today; D.R. No. 01-6 and D.R.
No.01-7 expressing gratitude and appreciation to Governor Vincent Figir and
Speaker Robert Ruecho of Yap State, to Governor Rensley A. Sigrah and
Speaker Hiteo Shrew of the Kosrae State, respectively, for making some of
their staff available for use by the Third Constitutional Convention of the
FSM, and D.R. No. 01-8, expressing gratitude and appreciation to President
Susan J. Moses and the College of Micronesia-FSM Board of Regents for
generously allowing Delegate John R. Haglelgam to be on administrative leave
while participating in the Convention.

Convention went into recessed at 2:55 p.m. and will reconvene tomorrow
morning at 9:00.