2011 Inaugural Address By The Honorable Sebastian L. Anefal ...

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the best approach towards a successful reform. For the Executive Branch, webelieve that success must begin with 'good governance', a government systemthat is fair, accountable, efficient, transparent and well planned as I mentioned inmy first inaugural address fours ago. To achieve this goal, we must establishappropriate criteria and measurements of our overall performance. Whileachieving good governance will be difficult, I believe that it is our government’sonly course for success.<strong>The</strong>re is no doubt that this is going to be a challenging four years and it willrequire modern tools and innovative solutions to meet our problems and seizethe opportunities that will serve the best interest of Yap. I'm going to be asking alot of you. I want you to think outside the proverbial box. I want you to give methe best advice you can. I want you to understand there is nothing that Iwelcome more than a good constructive debate and the kind of dialogue that willmake us better. I do not think anyone would eagerly welcome gossiping, fingerpointing and backstabbing.We cannot be our best if we don't demand that from ourselves and from eachother. Lt. Governor Tony Tareg and I will give you our very best efforts. We willdo all that we can, working with Yap State Leadership, to make sure that wedeliver on the goals that are at the very core this new Administration. So we needto collaborate, and we need to have a sense of openness and candor in this nextfour-year period. And I invite that from everyone.Now, not everybody's ideas will make it into policy, but we will be better becausewe have heard from each other.18
Tax ReformFor our broad reforms to bear long-term impacts we must finalize our proposedtax reform and improve collections and distribution at both the state and nationallevels. This reform should equalize our tax burdens. This should result in tiltingrevenue streams in favor of the state governments and result in long-termbeneficial impacts for our people.Having said that, I intend to submit to the Legislature a much needed modern taxlaw that is necessary to strengthen our private sector, our government and ourpeople. We recognize that passing comprehensive tax laws is very challenging.But a modern tax law is critical if we are to have a strong and vibrant privatesector. We must recognize this necessity for our future. As I have said before, wemust create revenue sources that pay for our own infrastructure needs and thatreplace grant revenues from the United States that currently finance a veryconsiderable portion of our health and education. We must also improve thecapacity of our people to provide essential services, both in the public and privatesectors that will permit the economy to grow and to ensure that benefits flow tothe people. As I see it, we have but limited options of either to increase the taxrevenue by widening the tax base, or reduce public services to an affordable level.<strong>The</strong> remaining option is the combination of doing a little bit of both options toease the pain.I am committing this Administration to work closely with the state leadership andthe private sector, as well as with FSM National Government leadership, to havethe necessary enabling legislation passed by the end of the year, at the latest. It is19
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Page 3 and 4: Similarly, we extend our gratitude
Page 5 and 6: uilding, a model of self-reliance a
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Page 9 and 10: Despite these many external forces
Page 11 and 12: during this period, from $1,934 per
Page 13 and 14: Early Childhood Education Building
Page 15 and 16: For the longer term, we are very co
Page 17: uncertainty. Given these uncertaint
Page 21 and 22: Legislature. In the coming months,
Page 23 and 24: In the area of health, it is crucia
Page 25 and 26: e promoting a holistic and coherent
Page 27 and 28: In order to respond to the many nee
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