Yeh begins campaigning for the May 31 political status referendum

YAP (Pacific Islands Times) – The Federated States of Micronesia’s (FSM) Yap Island Election Commission will begin counting votes on Friday for the May 31 referendum on the island nation’s political status.

Yap voters were asked to answer the question: “Should Yap begin reviewing its political status?”

Officials said ballot boxes from off-island have arrived at the Yap State Election Office.

As he awaits the results of the vote, Yap Deputy Governor Francis Itimai said he did not want to speculate on the decision of Yap voters.

“People go out and get a public education. I hope that public educators have educated them well in this referendum, and it’s a simple yes or no answer,” Itimai said.

“If they agree, that means we have to consider amending the constitution.

Then there will be another election. But if they say no, then we maintain the status quo. We leave the decision to the people,” he added.

Yap Island is one of the four states of the Federated States of Micronesia, with a population of 11,577 and a total land area of ​​39 square miles.

“We have to be clear that the referendum is not about whether they will secede, but about their future political aspirations,” Federated States of Micronesia President Wesley Simina said in an interview. Pacific Islands Times In April.

“Its purpose is not to decide whether to (call for) secession or independence.”

Likewise, Wesley warned that any secessionary move could have an impact on the Federated States of Micronesia’s Compact of Free Association with the United States.

Under COFA, the United States has exclusive defense rights in the Federated States of Micronesia. The Pentagon sees Yap Island as a potential transfer airport and military exercise site.

Yap is receiving a massive investment from the US government. The $400 million runway expansion is the largest project Washington has funded on Yap to date.

The political status vote was originally scheduled for January 31, but Yap Governor Charles S. Chieng issued a directive to change the date to May 31 to address logistical obstacles and provide sufficient time for Yap residents to understand the content of the referendum.

Last year, the referendum task force reported several challenges, including the inability of state vessels to travel to neighboring islands and the lack of resources for international travel, which hampered logistical planning.

In his executive order, Tsien stressed the importance of providing the task force with adequate time and resources “to effectively conduct public education activities… PACNEWS

related