by Ken Quintanilla

Guam - Pacific Island Leaders Addressing Compact Impact (PILACI) did just as its name suggests - having all of the Micronesian chief executives along with DOI assistant secretary for insular areas Tony Babauta, Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo and through videoconference Hawaii state lieutenant governor Brian Schatz discuss how they can come up with meaningful strategies to address the impact of the Compact of Free Association between the United States and the Freely Associated States.

Guam governor Eddie Calvo says executives were able to offer their ideas on how our federal partners can support the islands, saying, "We all acknowledge that the federal government is lacking in resources, that it has not provided the necessary resources to deal with both the impacts in the American territories, as well as giving the assistance that is necessary for these compacts states to really be uplifted to realize their full potential."

In addition to stressing the need for the China visa waiver program, Calvo suggested that being that the Compact impact is not enough, to look at Medicaid and Medicare and allowing for compact citizens to participate along with allowing for opportunities for internationally accredited institutions to be used as options such as in the Philippines. "That's what my concern is - that we don't have the necessary resources," he shared..

"But if they give us that flexibility with programs such as Medicare/Medicaid, at least there's a 55/45 - if you let us use facilities in the Philippines the rates for services to be charged for healthcare is much lower than the United States."

Bordallo meanwhile says the problems regarding Compact impact have been there for years. And while she has co-sponsored the Compact Reimbursement Act of 2011, which would increase annual Compact impact assistance to cost reported in the GAO report, she says the innovative ideas shared may take time to implement considering the fiscal situation in the United States. "I'm not so sure with the financial constraints that we're experiencing in Washington that we will get it through, perhaps this year, but it's something we can look forward to," she said.

Bordallo also said, "The offsets, so whenever there is any bill that includes funding or appropriations they'll ask you right off for a offset, so you've got to come up with how this is going to be funded and this is going to be very difficult in this particular period in time."

Other suggestions brought forth included migrant rights, healthcare, feasibility of constructing dialysis facilities in the Marshall Islands and the FSM, and addressing overcrowding in the island's prisons and hospitals. Although media were restricted from attending the meeting, a release from babauta stated "I am pleased that our dialogue was candid and constructive in recognizing the challenges and responsibilities of each stakeholder as we unitedly cultivate a way forward. There was a consensus among the chiefs to carry out a cooperative response that is not only thoughtful but mindful of the fiscal constraints."

Babauta hopes to hold more PILACI meetings during the Micronesian Chief Executives Summits to have all of the region's leaders present.