On February 26, the ambassador and Mrs. Prahar participated in the groundbreaking ceremony for the College of Micronesia Yap Campus’ Student Services Center.
The estimated $1.9 million-dollar facility was made possible through an U.S. Amended Compact Infrastructure Grant.
Ambassador and Mrs. Prahar joined FSM President Emanuel Mori, Yap Gov. Sebastian Anefal, and others in turning over the
first shovelfuls of dirt on the project.
Later that day the ambassador toured Yap International Airport’s newly constructed Aircraft Rescue & Fire Fighting Station.
The six million-dollar station was financed by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program, and is constructed to withstand severe weather systems that frequent the region. The new facility is scheduled to open on March 15.
During his visit Prahar also paid courtesy calls on Anefal, Legislative Speaker Charles Chieng, Supreme Court Chief Justice Cyprian Manmaw, Council of Pilung Chairman Chief Bruno Tharngan, and Council of Tamol Chairman Chief Ignathio Hapthey.
Prahar outlined the three goals for his tenure as ambassador to the FSM: to nurture the unique and profound FSM-U.S. relationship, to uphold his nation’s responsibility to ensure the FSM’s security, and to assist the FSM achieve its Compact Development Goals.
Prahar also met with Department of Education Director Sister Margaret Margou and Department of Health Services Director James Gilmar.
He attended a roundtable discussion with Yap High School administrators and faculty at the YHS campus. He also met with local Peace Corps volunteers and American citizen residents of Yap.
On a more somber note, Ambassador and Mrs. Prahar spoke with Seventh Day Adventist Volunteer Teachers, expressing their condolences for the loss of SDA volunteer Kirsten Wolcott, who was murdered in Yap last November.
Ambassador Prahar also laid a wreath at the gravesite of Staff Sgt. Steven G. Bayow, a Yapese soldier who died while serving in Iraq.
