While the US military pays close attention to Yap, the FSM national government treats the state like the nation’s stepsister
“Yap Governor Urges Immediate Action on Delayed Priority Infrastructure Projects in Yap State,” announced the Yap State Government’s Facebook post on Dec. 18.
Gov. Charles Chieng’s petition to President Wesley Simina via a letter dated Nov. 6 is the latest in a long string of pleas over the years by Yap’s governors for the national government to recognize Yap as a member of the Federated States of Micronesia.
On Nov. 27, Chieng sent a follow-up letter expressing his “deep dissatisfaction and disappointment” with Simina’s lack of response to his Nov. 6 letter.
“The Yap State Government is raising concerns about the delays in important priority infrastructure projects,” Chieng wrote, citing Ganir Bridge and the northern roads in Tamil and Gagil municipalities, which were scheduled for groundbreaking last December.
Ganir Bridge and the primary roads in Tamil and Gagil are subprojects funded by the Asian Development Bank’s Sustainable and Resilient Road Improvement Project.
“It has now been 105 days since the bidding for these projects closed, leaving residents frustrated and businesses struggling to stay afloat because of the bad road conditions and the closed bridge,” Chieng wrote.
Closed to traffic in 2020, the bridge is the only direct link between the centrally located —and only— town of Colonia and the main residential area of approximately 1,300 people on the other side of Chamorro Bay in Rull Municipality. It provides residents access to the police station, state administrative center, multiple businesses and, most importantly, the main hospital and fire station.
Residents and emergency vehicles must drive around Chamorro Bay to travel between the town center and the residential area and other villages to the south.
“Still to date without any communication or collaboration from the FSM government, specifically (the Department of Transportation, Communications & Infrastructure) and other relevant national offices,” Chieng wrote.
This is not the first time Yap has been ignored by Palikir, the seat of the national government.
Situated more than 1,300 miles from Pohnpei, and with just 7,000 residents on the main island, Yap has often been last on the list to receive attention despite its importance as the forward position on the far western edge of the nation. Due to its strategic location in the potential war between China and the U.S., Yap has been identified as an important site for the U.S. military’s backup defense, reprising its role during the final year of World War II.
But while the U.S. military is addressing the need for an extended runway, among other infrastructure projects, Palikir is still treating Yap like the nation’s stepsister. Out of sight, out of mind.
Another example of the willful snubbing of Yap was perceptible during former Gov. Henry Falan’s tenure. The aging Chinese-built ship used to transport goods and people to the remote outer islands needed replacement. It broke down repeatedly with parts replacement taking months since they were only available in China. Rather than accepting another vessel from the Chinese government, Falan requested that a Japanese ship be sought. His repeated pleas to be included in the initiative to replace the deteriorating vessel or, at the very least, be included in its design, were met with silence. A Chinese-designed and built ship was again sent to Yap with no input from state officials familiar with the islands’ needs. The ship is now experiencing the same breakdowns and delays that its predecessor faced.
Stressing the projects’ importance “for the economy, environment and the well-being of the people and community,” Chieng pleaded with Simina to be “open and communicate quickly about the progress and facilitation of these important priority infrastructure projects.”
He said the state government “wants to work together with the FSM national government to make sure these important priority projects move forward as planned.”
In September 2023, Simina arrived in Yap amid great fanfare to conduct a state leadership meeting with the Yap State Legislature. While on island, he and his delegation, which included Speaker Esmond Moses, Vice Speaker Robson Romolow, Floor Leader Quincy Lawrence and Sen. Peter Christian, were taken on a tour that included the sites of the infrastructure projects funded by ADB.
During the meeting, Simina stressed his administration's commitment to "unity" as the cornerstone of his administration’s work and the importance of unity in serving all the people in the FSM.
Empty words combined with deaf ears do not allegiance make. It’s no wonder many Yapese want to secede from the FSM.
Joyce McClure is a former senior marketing executive and former Peace Corps volunteer in Yap. Transitioning to freelance writing, she moved to Guam in 2021 and recently relocated back to the mainland. Send feedback to joycemcc62@gmail.com
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