Figir’s Argument

On January 10, 2003, a special session was held at Palikir. On the second day, one of the senators Mr. Isaac V. Figir, made a speech that concerned the negotiation made between the F.S.M and the United States regarding the second Compact of Free Association. It is sure an interesting speech he composed. In his speech, he expressed his deep feelings and concerns over the matter, which is the compact. He wrote, Mr. Speaker and Esteemed Colleagues: I rise on a point of personal privilege to express my deep concerns over the status of our negotiations with the Unite States regarding the second compact of Fee Association.” It resulted that he simply but strongly disagrees with it. As it stated in the beginning, he says,” Senator Isaac V, Figir is not happy with the negotiations of the compact”.

His main point of view is actually about the financial affairs. The trust fund is saved in the bank but first it was divided for present use and for later. For example, a ten million was put into account, the government takes seven million, and the three million stays there for the next twenty years. So F.S.M takes that money and build the roads, the hospital, Schools, and other buildings and industries. While the F.S.M is a developing country, it surely needs the U.S help. The U.S gave advices to the F.S.M government on A how to use the money. This is what senator Figir opposes. He said, “The United States has publicly criticized our handling of our internal financial affairs”. He believes that the U.S, rather than giving them advices on how the money should be spent, regulates in full authority over the money and the government itself. He isn’t satisfied with what the United States has done for the FSM for the previous period of compact. Who knows, maybe his income isn’t enough or maybe there are some other unnoticed activities and industries that should have been produced but didn’t.

Figir mentioned in his speech that all the wrongs made by the government were just mistaken failures and they have learned their lessons. He wants the U.S to give a little advice but not to tell them what and how to do things. “We are not kids. We are matured intelligent members of the congress and nobody should tell us what to do because we can manage ourselves.” This is, maybe, what he is trying to say. In his speech, he made a resemblance of what he think is happening between this government and the U.S. He declared, “ A friend should offer assistance when he sees a friend in trouble. But a friend who sees a problem in a neighbor’s house shouldn’t take over the running of his house. A friend should offer help and advice, but he should respect his neighbor’s right to run his own household”. Senator Figir unfortunately thinks the assistance offered by the United States violates this principle. The U.N is to supervise the FSM’s operations for the next compact and Figir is troubled that they might run the government. Figir clearly pleads, as. his right, that the owners of the “house” must have its way to run it alone. The FSM should govern its own government without any interference of other countries. He remarked, “ We should be forced to abandon the most basic of all sovereign rights”.

Senator Figir said that he is concerned also with the future generation ahead, which they sometimes display, “the future pillars of the FSM”. For their sake, they must not have to get known of this weakness. They must get educated. The question is from whom. From who and where should our children learn all the requirements in order to become qualified as professionals? U.S, of course, is my answer. It’s one of the strongest, industrialized, high standard, and high tech countries in the world. The answer that the small countries are looking for is lying out there in America and it’s people. Where else we could find such wonderful knowledge? I wonder boring it would have been without U.S technology? What I’m trying to say is that it’s for a benefit that local students should travel abroad to study and learn. This, I believe, will help the future generations. On the other hand, Figir opposes technology. He explained in his speech that all that the U.S has offered the FS M is the televisions that undermined our culture, cars that clog and choke our roads, and imported goods that poison us. So it’s stated,” I hope that you and the members of this congress will join me in rejecting the United States’ proposal. No matter what the cost, dignity and honor require, the one today must turn and walk away”.

As for myself, I’d say senator Figir is wrong. We should not turn and walk away. We shouldn’t criticize the good things the U.S government has done to us. If they just look at themselves and all the people of FSM, they should see how everybody is enjoying this new life. We are able to see and hear far away through radios and TVs. We are able to know what is happening around us. We can learn from the television educational lessons and discoveries and many things. Watching movies have helped me with my English. The commercials are advertising new and improved medicines. Not all imported

goods poison us. If we only know how to protect ourselves, there wouldn’t be any problems. Imports have made it possible for the FSM to build roads and industries. So I say we should~alk away. The United States of America is huge country with huge power compared to the FSM, a very tiny bit of a dot in the map, should take their advice. The US has experience and we don’t.

A big intelligent career man with a big heart sees a poor small child without a parent and calls to him, “ Come, and let me guide you”. The child needs food, clothing, shelter, a finger to hold on to, and an education. The small child wouldn’t say no, unless he is mentally ill. I say this because I am poor. I wonder what I would say if I were rich.

Some members of the Congress also expressed agreement with the statement Senator Isaac V. Figir gave and requested that a leadership meeting e called by the president of the FSM to review the status of the FSM proposal for the negotiations and set direction for the JCN. It is a decision to be made for a lifetime. I just hope our leaders make the right decisions.

l. judas