Another casualty from Guam
Friday, 21 August 2009
by Therese Hart | Variety News Staff
FIRST Sgt. Joe San Nicolas Crisostomo, formerly of Inarajan, was killed Aug. 18—11 days before his 59th birthday—while deployed in Afghanistan.
FIRST Sgt. Joe San Nicolas Crisostomo. Photo courtesy by chamorro roots
Of the familian “Sinbad,” Crisostomo’s death added to the growing list of servicemen and women killed in the war-ravaged nation as U.S. military officials get set to mark August as the deadliest month for American forces since the war began.
Crisostomo, who has been living on the U.S. mainland in recent years, left his native home after joining the Army in 1969 and served in the U.S. Army for 40 years. He was in the war-torn country since June 2008.
Crisostomo was the president of a Chamorro club in Washington. He is survived by his wife, Patricia Leon Guerrero Crisostomo.
No details have been released from the Department of Defense yet on the circumstances leading to the dedicated soldier’s death, but violence in Afghanistan is at an all-time high as the resurgent Taliban fighters have ramped up attacks as the country prepared for its second presidential vote since ousting the Islamic extremist group from power eight years ago.
Mass will start tonight night at the San Miguel Church in Talofofo at 7 p.m. for the next nine days or Aug. 29, which would have been Crisostomo’s 59th birthday.
Showing posts with label Diaspora. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Diaspora. Show all posts
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Guam Medical Community Talks About Bringing Talent Back Home
Guam's medical community talks about bringing talent back home
By Janjeera Hail
Published Jul 23, 2009
KUAM News
Local doctors and island leaders are concerned over about the state of healthcare in the territory and are coming together to find solutions. This morning, local doctors and medical professionals hosted a very special meeting - a discussion with medical professionals from Guam on how the island can stop the brain drain and bring local talent home.
Joining the conference via telephone were off-island physicians and medical students who discussed their perspective on why doctors from Guam choose to stay in the States after receiving training. Local physician Dr. Patrick Santos said, "The cost of medical education is astronomical - it's just too much and you owe money because you have student loan, and of course, there's bureaucracy on Guam. He added, "if you sub-specialize, Guam may not have that clientele patients, or Guam may not have that facility. So there's a lot of factors involved."
With the impending military buildup, Guam will require a greater number of medical professionals to serve a growing population. And that also means a greater number of opportunities. Now, more than ever, medical students from Guam have the opportunity to return home to a strong economic environment even while the rest of the nation struggles.
Medical student Christian Eusebio told KUAM News, "There's first-year residents in the States I've talked to; they want to come back so if we can continue to have this communication and improve the healthcare on Guam, that'd be great," he said.
In the meantime, Senator Eddie Calvo says that there are steps that policymakers and the local community can take towards enticing medical professionals to share their talents on Guam. "They mentioned certain laws that were enacted in the past that need to be worked on, so that's where we can move on there are also some of these areas in the administrative level and administration of certain things such as the Pro-Tech Scholarship, those things don't need to be worked on legislatively, but we have to look at the process and try to improve on it," he said.
Although the island will continue to face hurdles in drawing home medical professionals, today's forum illustrates the island's commitment to bringing our doctors home.
By Janjeera Hail
Published Jul 23, 2009
KUAM News
Local doctors and island leaders are concerned over about the state of healthcare in the territory and are coming together to find solutions. This morning, local doctors and medical professionals hosted a very special meeting - a discussion with medical professionals from Guam on how the island can stop the brain drain and bring local talent home.
Joining the conference via telephone were off-island physicians and medical students who discussed their perspective on why doctors from Guam choose to stay in the States after receiving training. Local physician Dr. Patrick Santos said, "The cost of medical education is astronomical - it's just too much and you owe money because you have student loan, and of course, there's bureaucracy on Guam. He added, "if you sub-specialize, Guam may not have that clientele patients, or Guam may not have that facility. So there's a lot of factors involved."
With the impending military buildup, Guam will require a greater number of medical professionals to serve a growing population. And that also means a greater number of opportunities. Now, more than ever, medical students from Guam have the opportunity to return home to a strong economic environment even while the rest of the nation struggles.
Medical student Christian Eusebio told KUAM News, "There's first-year residents in the States I've talked to; they want to come back so if we can continue to have this communication and improve the healthcare on Guam, that'd be great," he said.
In the meantime, Senator Eddie Calvo says that there are steps that policymakers and the local community can take towards enticing medical professionals to share their talents on Guam. "They mentioned certain laws that were enacted in the past that need to be worked on, so that's where we can move on there are also some of these areas in the administrative level and administration of certain things such as the Pro-Tech Scholarship, those things don't need to be worked on legislatively, but we have to look at the process and try to improve on it," he said.
Although the island will continue to face hurdles in drawing home medical professionals, today's forum illustrates the island's commitment to bringing our doctors home.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Hawai'i Senator Criticizes Feds
Hawaii senator criticizes feds for treaty failure on migration
Monday March 31, 2008
By Giff Johnson
For Variety
MAJURO — American states are footing a bill for hundreds of millions of dollars for services to migrants from U.S.-affiliated islands in the Pacific — a tab that the federal government is supposed to pick up, but has failed to, a Hawaii state senator told Marshall Islands and U.S. officials in Majuro at the weekend.
Nearly one-third of the 70,000 Marshall Islanders and about 25 percent of the 107,000 Micronesians now live in America, escaping stagnant economies, dismal public schools and limited health care by using visa-free entry privileges under a Compact of Free Association to move to locations as diverse as Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii to rural northwest Arkansas. The increasing out-migration to America — though the actual numbers remain small on a global scale — have sparked increasing debate in the U.S. about how to pay for services provided to newly arrived islanders.
“The federal government has not honored the Compact of Free Association,” said Hawaii state Sen. Kalani English at an oversight hearing in Majuro held by U.S. House Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Asia, Pacific and Global Environment Chairman Eni Faleomavaega, D-American Samoa. “Even though they are supposed to be treated as U.S. citizens, federal law says ‘Oh no,’ so states are forced to pick up the burden. Our estimate is it costs $91 million a year to provide services to all freely associated states, or FAS, citizens in Hawaii and we only get back $10 million from the federal government.”
Marshall Islands Foreign Minister Tony deBrum complained that different states in the U.S. have different interpretations of islanders’ status, causing hardships to accessing jobs and health care. In some states, islanders have full access to federal services, including job training, food stamps, low cost housing and others. “In other states, it is restricted,” deBrum said. “There is discrimination against Marshallese, especially where there are large populations such as Arkansas.” In some places, “We’re treated worse than aliens,” he added.
“Given the no-growth scenario projected (in the Federated States of Micronesia), it is reasonable to assume that large numbers of Micronesians will continue to emigrate in search of jobs, and perhaps also to afford their families a standard of health care and education that they will not easily find at home because of the increased financial pressure on government services,” said Fr. Francis Hezel, S.J., director of the Micronesian Seminar research institute in Pohnpei, in a recently published paper.
The U.S. Congress capped at $30 million what it calls “Compact Impact” aid provided to just three islands, Guam, Hawaii and the Northern Marianas.
But English believes that other states will soon begin demanding reimbursement from this limited fund.
“The Guam Legislature has just passed a resolution asking the U.S. government to reimburse it for $400 million (for services to FAS citizens),” English said. “Hawaii’s congressional delegation is proposing to lift the $30 million cap and reinstate eligibility for federal programs. It will be very helpful for the states for the federal government to fully implement the treaty. Hawaii is a willing partner but we ask the U.S. federal government to pay its share of the costs.”
U.S. Ambassador to the Marshall Islands Clyde Bishop told the hearing that no other countries in the world have the same visa-free access to the U.S. as these U.S.-affiliated islands that were formerly governed as a United Nations Trust Territory by the U.S. from World War II.
“If people from the freely associated states enter the U.S. under the Compact and are placed in a situation of uncomfortable challenges, it behooves both governments to look at it,” Bishop said. “The U.S. government can be more active with the states, and the Marshall Islands can invest in screening and ensuring that Marshallese are fully aware of their options. By working together we can improve the situation.”
U.S. states are particularly complaining about the high costs of treating contagious diseases such as tuberculosis, sexually transmitted infections and Hansen’s disease (leprosy). Recently, Arkansas Deputy State Health Officer Dr. Joe Bates testified to the state legislature that between 2000 and 2005, Northwest Arkansas had nine cases of congenital syphilis, six of which involved Marshall Islanders; 38 people with infectious syphilis, 21 of whom were Marshall Islanders; and eight cases of leprosy, all among Marshall Islanders.
“Hawaii had a budget surplus the last few years, but now it’s disappeared,” English said. “The cost to deliver medical services for TB, sexually transmitted infections, and Hansen’s disease might be cheaper (by sending) medical teams to the Marshall Islands to do screening (instead of treating people in Hawaii).”
DeBrum, who was involved in negotiation of the first Compact of Free Association in the early 1980s that established the visa-free immigration status, said the original intent of the provision acknowledged the economies of the freely associated states could not provide jobs to their growing populations and that educational opportunities and access to full health care were extremely limited. “U.S. access was provided to make up for that shortfall,” deBrum said, calling the visa-free status a “safety valve” for the islands. “But we’re now faced with rules that stand in the way of enjoyment of these full privileges.”
Congressman Faleomavaega said it was clear that there was no appreciation of this on the U.S. side. He recommended that the immigration status of freely associated state citizens be changed to that of islanders from American Samoa.
“American Samoa is the only insular area where the people are not U.S. citizens,” Faleomavaega said. “They are classified as OU.S. nationals’ and receive all the benefits of U.S. citizens. Would classification of U.S. national help (the problems faced by freely associated state citizens in the U.S.)?” he asked.
While deBrum said the idea of Marshall Islanders being U.S. nationals “flies in the face of free association” and raised sovereignty issues, English said it was essential to get the U.S. government to define the status of migrating islanders from U.S.-affiliated islands.
“What (Congressman) Eni said is important,” English said. “We don’t have a definition of what a freely associated state citizen is entitled to.”
Monday March 31, 2008
By Giff Johnson
For Variety
MAJURO — American states are footing a bill for hundreds of millions of dollars for services to migrants from U.S.-affiliated islands in the Pacific — a tab that the federal government is supposed to pick up, but has failed to, a Hawaii state senator told Marshall Islands and U.S. officials in Majuro at the weekend.
Nearly one-third of the 70,000 Marshall Islanders and about 25 percent of the 107,000 Micronesians now live in America, escaping stagnant economies, dismal public schools and limited health care by using visa-free entry privileges under a Compact of Free Association to move to locations as diverse as Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii to rural northwest Arkansas. The increasing out-migration to America — though the actual numbers remain small on a global scale — have sparked increasing debate in the U.S. about how to pay for services provided to newly arrived islanders.
“The federal government has not honored the Compact of Free Association,” said Hawaii state Sen. Kalani English at an oversight hearing in Majuro held by U.S. House Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Asia, Pacific and Global Environment Chairman Eni Faleomavaega, D-American Samoa. “Even though they are supposed to be treated as U.S. citizens, federal law says ‘Oh no,’ so states are forced to pick up the burden. Our estimate is it costs $91 million a year to provide services to all freely associated states, or FAS, citizens in Hawaii and we only get back $10 million from the federal government.”
Marshall Islands Foreign Minister Tony deBrum complained that different states in the U.S. have different interpretations of islanders’ status, causing hardships to accessing jobs and health care. In some states, islanders have full access to federal services, including job training, food stamps, low cost housing and others. “In other states, it is restricted,” deBrum said. “There is discrimination against Marshallese, especially where there are large populations such as Arkansas.” In some places, “We’re treated worse than aliens,” he added.
“Given the no-growth scenario projected (in the Federated States of Micronesia), it is reasonable to assume that large numbers of Micronesians will continue to emigrate in search of jobs, and perhaps also to afford their families a standard of health care and education that they will not easily find at home because of the increased financial pressure on government services,” said Fr. Francis Hezel, S.J., director of the Micronesian Seminar research institute in Pohnpei, in a recently published paper.
The U.S. Congress capped at $30 million what it calls “Compact Impact” aid provided to just three islands, Guam, Hawaii and the Northern Marianas.
But English believes that other states will soon begin demanding reimbursement from this limited fund.
“The Guam Legislature has just passed a resolution asking the U.S. government to reimburse it for $400 million (for services to FAS citizens),” English said. “Hawaii’s congressional delegation is proposing to lift the $30 million cap and reinstate eligibility for federal programs. It will be very helpful for the states for the federal government to fully implement the treaty. Hawaii is a willing partner but we ask the U.S. federal government to pay its share of the costs.”
U.S. Ambassador to the Marshall Islands Clyde Bishop told the hearing that no other countries in the world have the same visa-free access to the U.S. as these U.S.-affiliated islands that were formerly governed as a United Nations Trust Territory by the U.S. from World War II.
“If people from the freely associated states enter the U.S. under the Compact and are placed in a situation of uncomfortable challenges, it behooves both governments to look at it,” Bishop said. “The U.S. government can be more active with the states, and the Marshall Islands can invest in screening and ensuring that Marshallese are fully aware of their options. By working together we can improve the situation.”
U.S. states are particularly complaining about the high costs of treating contagious diseases such as tuberculosis, sexually transmitted infections and Hansen’s disease (leprosy). Recently, Arkansas Deputy State Health Officer Dr. Joe Bates testified to the state legislature that between 2000 and 2005, Northwest Arkansas had nine cases of congenital syphilis, six of which involved Marshall Islanders; 38 people with infectious syphilis, 21 of whom were Marshall Islanders; and eight cases of leprosy, all among Marshall Islanders.
“Hawaii had a budget surplus the last few years, but now it’s disappeared,” English said. “The cost to deliver medical services for TB, sexually transmitted infections, and Hansen’s disease might be cheaper (by sending) medical teams to the Marshall Islands to do screening (instead of treating people in Hawaii).”
DeBrum, who was involved in negotiation of the first Compact of Free Association in the early 1980s that established the visa-free immigration status, said the original intent of the provision acknowledged the economies of the freely associated states could not provide jobs to their growing populations and that educational opportunities and access to full health care were extremely limited. “U.S. access was provided to make up for that shortfall,” deBrum said, calling the visa-free status a “safety valve” for the islands. “But we’re now faced with rules that stand in the way of enjoyment of these full privileges.”
Congressman Faleomavaega said it was clear that there was no appreciation of this on the U.S. side. He recommended that the immigration status of freely associated state citizens be changed to that of islanders from American Samoa.
“American Samoa is the only insular area where the people are not U.S. citizens,” Faleomavaega said. “They are classified as OU.S. nationals’ and receive all the benefits of U.S. citizens. Would classification of U.S. national help (the problems faced by freely associated state citizens in the U.S.)?” he asked.
While deBrum said the idea of Marshall Islanders being U.S. nationals “flies in the face of free association” and raised sovereignty issues, English said it was essential to get the U.S. government to define the status of migrating islanders from U.S.-affiliated islands.
“What (Congressman) Eni said is important,” English said. “We don’t have a definition of what a freely associated state citizen is entitled to.”
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Announcement: Guma'Famoksaiyan
Guma’Famoksaiyan
Gathering Strength for our Journey Ahead
May 23-25, 2008
San Diego, California
Famoksaiyan is a group comprised of dedicated and passionate people who work on issues of decolonization, cultural and language revitalization and the dissemination of information regarding the proposed military build up of Guam. The organization’s first conference was held in San Diego, California, on April 14-15, 2006, and was titled “Famoksaiyan: Decolonizing Chamorro Histories, Identities and Futures.” The people who attended that first gathering left with the desire to transform the energy and excitement of the conference into something more sustainable.
Famoksaiyan translates into “the time or place of nurturing or growing,” or “the time to paddle forward.” And it was in this spirit that more than 70 Chamorros and individuals of other ethnic identities from Guam gathered together to share their work, ideas and stories in hope of effecting a positive change for Chamorro communities in the Marianas Islands and the United States.
In a short period of time, Famoksaiyan has organized and assisted in organizing several historic meetings, trips and conferences. Most prominently amongst these have been the following:
• Three trips to the United Nations to testify to the international community on the question of Guam.
• The “Decolonizing Our Lives” forum held at the University of Guam, which gathered more than 250 people. The event served to educate individuals about what different organizations are doing to facilitate Guam’s political and cultural decolonization.
• A second Famoksaiyan conference held on April 20-22, 2007, in Berkeley and Oakland, California. Titled Famoksaiyan: “Our Time to Paddle Forward,” Summit on Decolonization and Native Self-Determination, the conference brought together more than three hundred people to share and learn about the struggles of indigenous people in the Pacific and the Americas.
As part of Famoksaiyan’s continuing commitment to the decolonization of Chamorro lands and lives, we are pleased to announce in cooperation with Chamorro Hands in Education Links Unity (CHELU) Inc.:
Guma’Famoksaiyan
Gathering our Strength for the Journey Ahead
Day 1 Friday, May 23, 2008 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Famoksaiyan Sustainability Meeting
CHELU Inc. Office
334 Willie James Jones Ave
San Diego, CA 92102
Day 2 May 24, 2008 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
I Salud i Taotao yan i Tano’
Joyce Beers Community Center
1220 Cleveland Avenue
San Diego, CA 92103
Day 3 May 25, 2008 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Ma’cho’cho’cho’ para i Mamamaila
Sons and Daughters of Guam Club
334 Willie James Jones Ave
San Diego, CA 92102
In times past, knowledge, skills, family and village histories were passed down to the younger generations through different guma’ or houses, such as the guma’saga’ or the family home, or the guma’ulitao, the bachelor’s house. In these spaces young Chamorros, would be given the crucial knowledge of their family, clan and village genealogy, and also be imparted the necessary skills for tasks such as planting, fishing, navigation, debate and weaving. Through this inter-generational sharing, young Chamorros would be prepared to be productive, respectful and active members of both their clan and their village.
As Chamorros and their islands face uncertain futures due to various economic, health, environmental, military and social concerns, it is crucial that we come together to work towards developing progressive solutions to these problems. This year’s gathering hopes to continue the spirit of our ancestors by creating a guma’famoksaiyan, or a house where we can nurture each other, grow and strategize ways to continue paddling forward. We will do this by first, providing presentations and facilitating discussions about fundamental issues that are affecting our people and our islands, whether it be health and diet issues, the impending military buildup, the reality of Guam’s physical environment, the decolonization of Guam and the plight of the Chamorro language. Second, in the hopes of building a more progressive and critical Chamorro / Guam community, we will also convene working groups to discuss different projects and strategies to creatively and effectively confront the existing problems that face our island.
Attending the gathering is free, however donations will be taken throughout the weekend. Please contact Michael Lujan Bevacqua (mlbasquiat@hotmail.com) or Leiana San Agustin Naholowaa (leiana@gmail.com) or visit the Guma’Famoksaiyan website at http://famoksaiyan.blogspot.com for more information.
Chamorro Hands in Education Links Unity, Inc. (CHE’LU) is the official fiscal sponsor of Famoksaiyan and the Guma’Famoksaiyan gathering in May 2008 in San Diego, California. CHE’LU is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and all donations made to Famoksaiyan are eligible for tax deduction. Neither CHE’LU nor Famoksaiyan support any political candidate, party or affiliation in compliance with the laws governing nonprofit institutions.
Gathering Strength for our Journey Ahead
May 23-25, 2008
San Diego, California
Famoksaiyan is a group comprised of dedicated and passionate people who work on issues of decolonization, cultural and language revitalization and the dissemination of information regarding the proposed military build up of Guam. The organization’s first conference was held in San Diego, California, on April 14-15, 2006, and was titled “Famoksaiyan: Decolonizing Chamorro Histories, Identities and Futures.” The people who attended that first gathering left with the desire to transform the energy and excitement of the conference into something more sustainable.
Famoksaiyan translates into “the time or place of nurturing or growing,” or “the time to paddle forward.” And it was in this spirit that more than 70 Chamorros and individuals of other ethnic identities from Guam gathered together to share their work, ideas and stories in hope of effecting a positive change for Chamorro communities in the Marianas Islands and the United States.
In a short period of time, Famoksaiyan has organized and assisted in organizing several historic meetings, trips and conferences. Most prominently amongst these have been the following:
• Three trips to the United Nations to testify to the international community on the question of Guam.
• The “Decolonizing Our Lives” forum held at the University of Guam, which gathered more than 250 people. The event served to educate individuals about what different organizations are doing to facilitate Guam’s political and cultural decolonization.
• A second Famoksaiyan conference held on April 20-22, 2007, in Berkeley and Oakland, California. Titled Famoksaiyan: “Our Time to Paddle Forward,” Summit on Decolonization and Native Self-Determination, the conference brought together more than three hundred people to share and learn about the struggles of indigenous people in the Pacific and the Americas.
As part of Famoksaiyan’s continuing commitment to the decolonization of Chamorro lands and lives, we are pleased to announce in cooperation with Chamorro Hands in Education Links Unity (CHELU) Inc.:
Guma’Famoksaiyan
Gathering our Strength for the Journey Ahead
Day 1 Friday, May 23, 2008 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Famoksaiyan Sustainability Meeting
CHELU Inc. Office
334 Willie James Jones Ave
San Diego, CA 92102
Day 2 May 24, 2008 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
I Salud i Taotao yan i Tano’
Joyce Beers Community Center
1220 Cleveland Avenue
San Diego, CA 92103
Day 3 May 25, 2008 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Ma’cho’cho’cho’ para i Mamamaila
Sons and Daughters of Guam Club
334 Willie James Jones Ave
San Diego, CA 92102
In times past, knowledge, skills, family and village histories were passed down to the younger generations through different guma’ or houses, such as the guma’saga’ or the family home, or the guma’ulitao, the bachelor’s house. In these spaces young Chamorros, would be given the crucial knowledge of their family, clan and village genealogy, and also be imparted the necessary skills for tasks such as planting, fishing, navigation, debate and weaving. Through this inter-generational sharing, young Chamorros would be prepared to be productive, respectful and active members of both their clan and their village.
As Chamorros and their islands face uncertain futures due to various economic, health, environmental, military and social concerns, it is crucial that we come together to work towards developing progressive solutions to these problems. This year’s gathering hopes to continue the spirit of our ancestors by creating a guma’famoksaiyan, or a house where we can nurture each other, grow and strategize ways to continue paddling forward. We will do this by first, providing presentations and facilitating discussions about fundamental issues that are affecting our people and our islands, whether it be health and diet issues, the impending military buildup, the reality of Guam’s physical environment, the decolonization of Guam and the plight of the Chamorro language. Second, in the hopes of building a more progressive and critical Chamorro / Guam community, we will also convene working groups to discuss different projects and strategies to creatively and effectively confront the existing problems that face our island.
Attending the gathering is free, however donations will be taken throughout the weekend. Please contact Michael Lujan Bevacqua (mlbasquiat@hotmail.com) or Leiana San Agustin Naholowaa (leiana@gmail.com) or visit the Guma’Famoksaiyan website at http://famoksaiyan.blogspot.com for more information.
Chamorro Hands in Education Links Unity, Inc. (CHE’LU) is the official fiscal sponsor of Famoksaiyan and the Guma’Famoksaiyan gathering in May 2008 in San Diego, California. CHE’LU is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and all donations made to Famoksaiyan are eligible for tax deduction. Neither CHE’LU nor Famoksaiyan support any political candidate, party or affiliation in compliance with the laws governing nonprofit institutions.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)