Article XI
GENERAL PROVISIONS

     Section 1.  The Legislature shall provide by law for the development and enforcement of standards of environmental quality, and for the establishment of an independent state agency vested with responsibility for environmental matters.

     Section 2.  The power to take an interest in land may only be exercised by the State Government for a specified purpose of general public interest, as prescribed by statute.  Negotiations with the owner for voluntary lease, sale, or exchange shall be fully exhausted and just compensation shall be fully tendered before a taking may occur.  The Legislature shall provide for access to the courts to ensure the good faith of the negotiations, the reasonable necessity of the acquisition, and the adequacy of the compensation tendered.  Upon the termination of the public use for which an interest in land is involuntarily acquired, the State Government shall return and quit claim the land to the owner or the owner's successor.

Case annotations:  Early termination of a lease for which the State of Chuuk has fully paid is a disposal of public land which the governor cannot do without the advice and consent of the legislature.  Sana v. Chuuk, 7 FSM Intrm. 252, 255 (Chk. S. Ct. Tr. 1995).

     Section 3.  No person may monopolize or attempt to monopolize, or combine or conspire with any person to monopolize, any part of trade or commerce, if such action results in the restraint thereof.  The Legislature shall prescribe by statute for the implementation of this section.

     Section 4.  The State Government shall establish and administer a mandatory retirement plan for all employed residents of the State of Chuuk.  Other residents shall have the option to participate in the plan.  The plan shall be based on age or length of service, and shall provide for optional retirement after certain minimum standards have been satisfied.  The Legislature shall prescribe by statute for the funding of the plan, and may appropriate funds to provide retirement benefits on account of service prior to the initial effective date of the plan.  The plan shall be established and fully effective within 4 years from the date of ratification of this Constitution.

     Section 5.  There shall be a Consumer Protection Agency in the State of Chuuk. The duties of such agency and the protection of consumers shall be prescribed by statute.

     Section 6.  Chuukese is the State language, but both Chuukese and English are official languages.  In case of conflict, Chuukese shall prevail, except when the concept is foreign, has not been accepted into Chuukese, and has no equivalent translation in Chuukese.

     Section 7.  Toong is the State flower.