YAP FIRST!

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To listen to special thank yous from Governor-elect Charles Chieng (Yapese & English) and

Lt. Governor-elect Francis Itimai (vernacular) for all who participated in the 2022 election, click on the above.

Fellow Yapese, Soro ma Mogethin!

First and foremost, we would like to thank the great Lord above for giving us this opportunity to reach out to you fellow Yapese to inform you of our joint candidacy declaration for Governor and Lt. Governor for our State of Yap in the up-coming general election, November 8, 2022.

Secondly, we would like to express our utmost respect first to the traditional leaders of our State in both Council of Pilung and Council of Tamol as well as the traditional leaders of the municipalities, villages, and islands in the neighboring islands.  Similarly, we express our sincere appreciation to the great people of our State from the grassroot and community levels, private sector and public sector for allowing us the opportunity, if you choose to elect us, not only to serve you but to navigate our journey in the next four years. Your tireless efforts, contributions and undivided support during the next four years will be immensely appreciated as we are all together on this journey toward self-sufficiency.

We are acutely humbled by the awareness of the awesomeness of the responsibility to serve you and take the lead in charting our path forward. We realize that the mantle for effective governance cannot be carried by one or two persons alone but to converge our leaders at all branches to a common cause in fulfilling our people’s hope.  We vouch, that even if there are disagreements amongst us members of the State Leadership, we will try our very best to join hands with colleagues in the State Leadership at the end of the day for the benefit of all Yapese people.

The great patriot people of our State, as we work together in navigating the charted course of our journey, we must also be mindful that OUR MINDS MUST BE FOCUSED ON ONE THING: THAT CHANGE IS NOT WHAT OUR STATE “WANTS” BUT WHAT IT “NEEDS” as detailed in our Governatorial Platform below.

AS WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS, WE WILL WHOLEHEARTEDLY LEAD OUR STEADFAST FUTURE RESPECTING AND PRESERVING OUR YAPESE TRADITION AND UNIQUE WAY OF LIFE.

We all know the fact that the globalized and interdependent economy has reached our shore along with its many challenges making it difficult for our State to meet her needs today compared to the olden days. Money has become indispensable.  Our State Government needs money to function to provide healthcare, education, build and maintain key infrastructures, ensure a system of law and order and provide other basic services to the people of our great State. 

Similarly, our families need money to secure the necessities of our daily lives to pay medical bills, the costs of transportation to and from schools for our children in the main island and sea transportation for the neighboring islands, electricity, running water, food supplies and the fuel for cars and cooking.  This shows that as money has become a pervasive necessity in our daily public and individual lives, the stark reality is that we are reliant on others for financial assistance such as our bilateral and donor partners, most especially our ally, the United States of America, through what is known as the Overseas Development Assistance (ODA/COFA).

As the dawn of each day takes us closer and closer to 2023 where the Financial Provisions of our Amended Compact Treaty with the United States comes to an end, although the final negotiations are underway now with the United States by our FSM Chief Negotiator and his team on potential extension, we must remind ourselves of one basic truth that Foreign Assistance is NOT going to be a perpetual phenomenon, nor do we want ourselves as a people to be of perpetual ward to others.  We must move forward to a point where we are less reliant on others for our own internal developments for the benefit of all concerned.

We thank you for voting “Chieng and Itimai” to represent you on Nov. 8, 2022, in the General Election.

ABOUT THE CANDIDATES

CHARLES CHIENG for GOVERNOR

CHARLES S. CHIENG began formally preparing for a career in government in 1974 when he entered the University of Guam to study Political Science, transferred to the University of Incarnate Word in Texas where he earned his B.A. in Political Science and a B.A. in Secondary Education, moved to D.C. for his MD in Urban and Regional Planning at DCU, and appeared in the Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities, 1981, Vol. 47.

Chieng served as President of UOG’s Yapese Student Organization, Head Resident Assistant and President of UIW’s International Student Organization, served a two-year internship for the DC Government, spent six years as Supervisor for Raven Systems and Research Inc., and another six years as Manager of Computer Microfilm International Corporation in Arlington, VA

“One morning, while preparing for work,” Chieng says, “I looked in the mirror and saw two gray hairs above my forehead. That’s when the thought of returning home struck me like an epiphany. I had been away for more than 20 years”.

His next job took Chieng back to the FSM where he became an Administrator of Automatic Data Processing for the FSM Finance Department in 1994.

In 2003, he was elected to the Yap State Legislature to represent his fellow citizens. During his 12-year tenure, he served as a Member and Chair of the Resource, Education and Development Committee and Speaker of the 7th Yap State Legislature.

Giving credit to the many people who worked with him during this time, Chieng notes the following accomplishments, among many others, that they achieved together:

• Inaugurated the first-ever regular live coverage system of Public Hearings and Legislative Sessions to ensure greater transparency in governmental operations, notably the Yap State Legislature,
• Established the Yap State Trust Fund to benefit future generations,
• Paved the southern road (Phase VIII), of Yap’s main road system,
• Resurfaced the northern road from Yap State Hospital to Tagreng Bridge,
• Supported the establishment of Bank of Guam and Community Ayuw Services Credit Union branches in Yap,
• Initiated the Keep Yap Clean recycling prprogram,
• Launched a Pacific Islands University branch on Yap that together enabled Yap State to have a complete educational system of institutions: Parents, Head Start, Elementary School, High School, College and University, and
• Assisted the Asian Development Bank providing funding for a $9.4 million Renewable Energy Project, to name a few.

 FRANCIS ITIMAI for LT. GOVERNOR

FRANCIS ITIMAI is currently employed by the Yap State Government as the Chief of Staff to the Governor and was previously employed by the Yap State Government as the Director of the Office of Planning and Budget before transferring to his current position.  From 2016 to 2018, he was the Director of the Department of Youth and Civic Affairs. He also served as the Public Education Team Chairman during the last Constitutional Convention and currently is the Chairman of both the Yap State Infrastructure Planning and Implementation Committee (IPIC) and the Yap Budget Review Committee (EBRC).  He also serves as the Yap Energy representative on the National Energy Committee.

Prior to his current employment with the Yap State Government, Mr. Itimai served at the National Government as the Secretary of the Department of Transportation, Communications & Infrastructure (DOTC&I) from 2007 to 2014. He has also served as the National Training Coordinator with the Department of Finance, Division of Personnel and, in the prior Yap State administration, as a member of the Cabinet in his capacity as the Director of the Office of Planning and Budget and the State Disaster Coordinating Officer. 

Prior to his appointment to his Cabinet Post in Yap in 2003, Mr. Itimai was employed by the FSM National Government as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Department of Economic Affairs and Head of the Fisheries Unit overseeing the Fisheries Affairs.  His employment experiences with the National Government include his previous positions as the FSM Revenue and Tax Agent and Special Auditor for the Department of Finance and the Fisheries Development Officer for the Department of Resources & Development.

Mr. Itimai graduated from Lamotrek Elementary School in 1980 and, after a year at the Outer Islands High School in Falalop Ulithi, completed his high school diploma at Xavier High School in Chuuk in 1985.  He attended the College of Micronesia in Pohnpei for a year and transferred to Park University in Parkville, Missouri where he earned his Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree in Business Administration with emphasis in management, graduating with honors.  While attending Park University, he was awarded the outstanding awards as Sons and Daughters of America and the Who’s Who Award.  His minor was in military science where he got a number of awards including the most prestigious awards and ribbons for being the best Reserve Officer Training Corp (ROTC) cadet for the Missouri Griffon Guards Battalion.  While in college, he undertook his ROTC basic Training in Fort Knox, Kentucky and advanced training in Fort Riley, Kansas where he was eligible to be commissioned as a 2^nd Lieutenant in the US Army Reserve with an MOS in military police.  

Mr. Itimai was accepted to the Kansas City Regional Police Academy in 1990 after graduating from college and, after 3 months of intensive training, he graduated from the Academy with distinguished honor and awards including the Sharp Shooter ribbon. He was commissioned as a full-time police officer for the Kansas City Police Department before he returned home and accepted his first job offer with the National Government.

Mr. Itimai has served on several Boards and Committees throughout his career, which include the Compact Management Board for the FSM, the National Oceanic Resource Management Authority Board as the former Chairman, the Land Lease Committee for the State of Yap, the Small Business Development Committee for the State of Yap and other ad-hoc committees.  He was a voting member on the FSM National Infrastructure, Planning and Implementation Committee (IPIC) and served the second time as the Chairman of the Board of the Micronesian Shipping Commission for the FSM, RMI and ROP.  He had represented the FSM and Yap State in many regional, sub-regional and international meetings and conferences. 

He also had been awarded certificates after completing many trainings and short courses in many fields related to his current and past occupations. While serving as Secretary of FSMDOTC&I, he oversaw the Project Management Unit which was charged with implementing the multi-million dollars’ worth of infrastructure projects under the Amended Compact with the U.S., and also oversaw the multi-million dollars’ worth of Airport Improvement Projects under the FSM/USFAA Program.  He served as Chairman of the FSM Palau MicroPal Committee as established by the President of the FSM and Palau to spearhead the fiber optic and broadband connectivity to both countries most especially, Yap/Palau and Chuuk and Kosrae.  He was designated by FSM President Mori to chair the FSM Airline Task Force and the FSM Submarine Fiber Optic Cable Committee.

Mr. Itimai is married to Mrs. Anna L. Itimai and they have five children – Wendy, Brittney, Shawn, Fabian and Trinity – a grandson and two granddaughters.  Mr. Itimai’s hobbies include fishing, reading novels and walking.

YAP STATE 2022 GUBERNATORIAL PLATFORM

As we all know, things are easier said than done. Plus, as one man who lived around 400 years before Jesus Christ was born said, “The mouth is the origin of disaster.” (Socrates) Nevertheless, it is only logical to set up some preliminary goals to, with humility, TRY aiming for their successful accomplishment. If and when the people of Yap work together toward the same goals, we can move mountains. As President Kennedy stated eloquently in his 1961 inaugural speech, “United, there’s little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures, divided there’s little we can do.”

I.     Maintain sound, cooperative, and productive intra-relationships among governmental  branches and departments, as applicable, during term in office.

II.    Continue, and/or create greater transparency and community engagement in governmental decisions and positions.

III.   Review, develop and adapt a regional and urban development plan for the State of Yap while refurbishing her horizontal/vertical infrastructures as her quest for economic development efforts continue; review State salary scale; and facilitate growth in the private sector.

IV.    Facilitate Yap GDP growth by at least 1% and review Yap State marine/land issues in coordination with the FSM National Government.

V.      Preserve and protect Yap State interests in the FSM and international dealings.

VI.     Support the Yap State Constitution, governmental reform, capacity growth, and encourage governmental work ethic via accountability and targeted programs.