STATEMENT
Forum SG Henry Puna
on the passing of FSM Vice President, HE. Yosiwo Palikkun George,
Sunday 14th August 2022
It's with deep sadness that I received news of the passing of the Vice President of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Late Honourable Yosiwo Palikkun George, on 14th August 2022. He was 81.
I know he was a truly remarkable man, steeped in service of his family, community, state, country, and the region in a lifelong career spanning more than four decades of this region's post-World War 2 period-- a critical time in our Pacific history.
Yosiwo was part of our leading Pacific pioneers who formed the first wave of indigenous leadership as Micronesia like many of our ocean states, transitioned from a colony to a trust territory to modern statehood.
While his passing in some ways marks the end of an era, I am confident that the trail he blazed set the foundations for many women and men of the Federated States of Micronesia to take on the mantle of service.
He was received here at the Secretariat three years ago when he took time out of his busy schedule to be briefed on important regional issues and meet secretariat staff. Through his humility, experience and quiet leadership he left a lasting impression on staff, particularly when he spoke of the regional friendships he had made and maintained over the course of his career, and I know they all join me in our shared condolences to Mrs Antilise W. Mackwelung George, their seven children, grandchildren and the families who grieve the loss of a true servant leader of the Blue Pacific, of Kosrae and the Federated States of Micronesia.
