John Mangefel was sworn in as Yap’s first elected governor; the lieutenant governor took his oath on Ulithi on 10 Jan.

What happened

John Mangefel, a former Congress of Micronesia senator, became Yap’s first elected governor under its district charter. He chose Hilary Tacheliol of Ulithi as lieutenant governor, and the outer islands’ Council of Tamol approved him before his oath on Ulithi. These district governments started a few months before the FSM constitution took effect in May 1979.