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

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implement such legislation professionally with extreme efficiency andeffectiveness in order to make a sensible difference. The current legal frameworkfor foreign investment can be further improved to protect our local businesses, ifand when necessary, and allow for their growth with new partners from abroad.This will only occur if all of the four state governments join together with thenational government to create an environment that is conducive to doingbusiness.Reduction in Government WorkforceWith a strengthened business environment, we will then be able to move forwardwith the very real need to reduce government workforce. With more revenuefrom an enhanced business sector, we can even comfortably consider a salaryincrease for the workforce instead. Expanding business capacity and reducing thegovernment workforce must go hand-in-hand. The current recession requires thatwe continue to work towards right-sizing our government. We should becognizant that any workforce reduction effort must be accompanied bygovernment sponsored initiatives that focus on employee retraining and privatesector opportunities.Education and HealthWhile modest improvements have been made in the areas of health andeducation, we have not achieved a record of steady and sustainable progress. Inboth sectors, many of our challenges can be met through the support of improvedfacilities, better and increased numbers of licensed, trained staff and continuouscollaboration with stakeholders and service providers.22
In the area of health, it is crucial that we advance our experience-sharing andpartnership with other hospitals in our region to respond to expanding healththreats. The need for health insurance coverage for the Yapese people isrampant. And in education, I encourage parents to be more personally involvedin the education of their children. Our young people are the primary resource ofour long-term sustainability as a government and the critical survivability role toplay in our island communities as a people. This involvement does not stop at thefamily level, but must include a more proactive and focused approach from allstakeholders - government, traditional and community leaders, civil societies,churches and, of course, the youth themselves.Food SecurityOn the domestic front, we must recognize that going prices of imported foodstuffare no longer affordable to a large segment of our population. I realize that thesehigher food prices are hitting us where it hurts. We must never forget the factthat our ancestors populated and thrived sustainably in these islands, generationsafter generations, without any semblance of dependence on imported food, letalone unhealthy processed foodstuff.We must therefore take whatever actions necessary to reduce these costs, bothin the short and long-term. We must respond to this reality through thestimulation of competition in the market place and in the development of healthyand affordable domestic food products. Let us concentrate on increasing theproduction and consumption of local foods as a step in the right direction towardfood security.23
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Page 3 and 4: Similarly, we extend our gratitude
Page 5 and 6: uilding, a model of self-reliance a
Page 7 and 8: • Introduced performance manageme
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 and 18: uncertainty. Given these uncertaint
Page 19 and 20: Tax ReformFor our broad reforms to
Page 21: Legislature. In the coming months,
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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2011 Inaugural Address By The Honorable Sebastian L. Anefal ...

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