THE SUPREME COURT OF THE
FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA
Cite as Akapito v. Doone ,
4 FSM Intrm. 285 (Ch. S. Ct. Tr.
1990)
HANSEL AKAPITO
and OTHERS
Plaintiffs,
vs.
GIDEON DOONE
and OTHERS
Defendants.
CSC CIV. NO. 31-90
AMENDED ORDER OF PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION
ORDER
Before Honorable Keske S. Marar
Associate Justice
Chuuk State Court
June 21, 1990
APPEARANCES:
For the Plaintiff: Charles Greenfield
Micronesia Legal Services Corp.
Chuuk Office
P.O. Box D
Weno, Chuuk 96942
For the Defendant: Attorney General's Office
Chuuk State
Weno, Chuuk 96942
* * * *
HEADNOTE
Federalism; Separation
of Powers
Chuuk State statute authorizing Chuuk state senators to
designate the particular projects to be financed from state funds for
their own election districts was violative of the separation of powers
between the executive and legislative branches of the state government,
and of the right of municipalities to select their own development
projects, all as provided in the Chuuk Constitution. Akapito v.
Doone, 4 FSM Intrm. 285, 286 (Chk. S. Ct. Tr. 1990).
COURT'S OPINION
KESKE S. MARAR, Associate Justice:
The Court having on June 8, 1990, heard the application for a preliminary injunction, on motion of the plaintiffs and after notice to the defendants, and having then taken the matter under advisement and having reviewed the briefs submitted by the respective parties, the Court now being fully advised, from the evidence finds that section 2 of TSL 6-81, lines 13-15, wherein is stated, "[S]ection 1(d) for Municipal CIP social and economic development projects shall be designated and assigned by the senators from each of the respective election precincts," violates the following provisions of the Chuuk State Constitution: article VIII, section 6;1 article VI, section 1;2 and article V, section 1.3
It is hereby ordered that Governor Sasauo Gouland, as successor to defendant Doone in office as Governor, and defendant Chuuk State, and their employees, agents, or assigns, are prevented from releasing, obligating, encumbering, or otherwise expending any CIP money earmarked for "municipal allocation" under TSL 6-81, for the 1989-90 fiscal year as may be designated or assigned by those senators identified in section 2 of TSL 6-81.
It is further ordered that the municipalities shall continue to submit budgetary proposals, with respect to the expenditure of those funds identified in section 1(d) of TSL 6-81, to the Governor, who shall allot said monies to the respective municipalities.
* * * *
Footnotes:
1. Article VIII, section 6
says: "Each fiscal year, the Legislature shall appropriate for the
operation of the municipal governments at least 8 percent of the state
operation funds, and shall appropriate to the municipalities for
development projects at least 40 percent of the development funds that may
be allocated."
2. Article VI, section 1
provides: "The executive power of the State Government is vested in the
Governor. The Governor shall faithfully execute and implement this
Constitution and all state laws."
3. Article V, section 1 says:
"The legislative power of the State Government is vested in the
Legislature, which consists of the Senate and the House of
Representatives. This power extends to all rightful subjects of
legislation not inconsistent with this Constitution or the Constitution of
the Federated States of Micronesia."
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