• FSMSSA Holds
  Public Forums
• Social Security
  Week
• 2nd Regular
  Board Meeting
• The New
  Regulations
• CY 2003: First
  Quarter Summary
  Report

Ever since the FSM Social Security Board of Trustees adopted the resolution made by the FSMSSA to create a “Social Security Week”, the FSM Social Security Administration has been busy setting up all that was necessary for the week.
The Social Security Week was to take place from June 30th to July 4, 2003. The “Social Security Week” has already taken place and the FSMSS Administrator’s (Alexander Narruhn) speech at the closing ceremony indicated that the week was a success. In his speech at the closing ceremony, Alexander Narruhn congratulated the staff of the FSM Social Security Administration

for a job well done and encouraged the staff to continue with the efforts, “in our journey to perfect the program for our working citizens and beneficiaries.”
On June 28, 2003 the FSM Social Security staff from the other three states began to arrive for the social security week.
The Social Security Week was adopted to commemorate the beginning of the social security system in Micronesia, which was on July 1, 1968.

FSMSSA Celebrates 35th Anniversary

Therefore, on July 1, 2003, the FSMSSA arranged a series of events that took place in the PICS track and field to commemorate the day the social security system was founded in Micronesia.
The FSMSSA invited all the social security beneficiaries and any interested individuals to partake in the celebration.
The event started at 8:30 a.m. with the Master of Ceremony, Petson Albert, Field Technician from the Pohnpei Branch Office, greeting the crowd that had assembled.
The FSMSS Administrator, Alexander Narruhn, gave the opening remarks at the event and his speech greatly echoed the theme of the social security week, which was “Educating and Ensuring Future Security For All Working Citizens”.
He reflected back on the history of the social security system in Micronesia and elaborated on the fact that after 35 years, “The FSM Social Security Program proudly guarantees the social security of over 6,000 citizens of the FSM.”
In conjunction with the accomplishments of the social security system over the past 35 years, Mr. Narruhn welcomed the audience and urged them to join the FSM Social Security Administration in celebrating the milestone that it has reached and to look forward to a secure tomorrow.
The keynote address was superbly delivered by Lt. Governor Jack Yakana who is also the vice chairman of the FSM Social Security Board of Trustees. In a greatly inspiring speech, he stated how social security is an important part of our lives, especially with the burgeoning of the western lifestyle in Micronesia.
Wasa Lapalap Sahngoro, Nahnmwarki en Weisohn U gave the closing remarks for the event. In his speech, the FSMSSA was given an opportunity to see the social security system from the point of view of the beneficiaries.
After the benediction, the FSMSS staff distributed the checks to the assembled beneficiaries. Games were held after this and the beneficiaries were given a chance to enjoy themselves. After lunch, the celebration ended with the departure of the crowd.

FSMSSA Conference

The Social Security Week was also a time for the FSM Social Security Administration to evaluate itself and to find places where improvements are needed.
Therefore, the FSMSSA set up a week to allow the staff from the branch offices to make presentations on the benefits covered by the social security system and to evaluate the way in which the FSM Social Security System handles matters when it comes to benefits.
The purpose of this was to allow the branch offices and headquarters to pinpoint weaknesses, if there are any, and to devise ways of eliminating these flaws.
Before coming to Pohnpei for the Social Security Week, the branch offices from the four states were already given topics on which to make their presentations. The FSMSSA assigned the topics according to the places where they saw that the branch offices needed fine-tuning in.
After the presentations, both the branch offices and the FSMSSA headquarters were able to find ways to tackle their certain weaknesses and to rectify imperfections in their application procedures and operations in general.
On the last day of the social security week, July 4, the FSMSSA had its staff go on a public education campaign where the staff distributed brochures that explained the social security benefits, taxation, and changes in the law whereas social security was concerned.