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

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