NINETEENTH CONGRESS
Federated States of Micronesia
Vice Speaker Berney Martin
COMMITTEES
- Resources and Development
- Judiciary and Governmental Ops
SUMMARY
Two-year Representative
Election District 2, State of Pohnpei
DOB: May 20, 1952
elected to 17th FSM Congress (2011)
Vice Speaker 17CFSM & 19CFSM
Vice Speaker Martin is from the State of Pohnpei and represents Election District Two to
the Nineteenth Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia. He first joined the Congress in May 2011
during the 17th Congress and elected as the Eighth Vice Speaker of the Legislative Body. During the
reorganization of the 19th Congress, he was again seated to the Vice Speakership.
Senator Martin has dedicated over thirty years of his life in public service to the Government of the State of
Pohnpei with extensive background in the judiciary and legislative fields. He began his public service in
1979 as a law enforcer in the new State of Pohnpei in the new nation of the Federated States of Micronesia.
Understanding the challenges that accompany the advent of nationhood, the Vice Speaker decided, in 1980,
to pursue his education in the field of criminal justice and left for the United States. In 1982 he graduated
from Eastern Arizona College and returned home with a degree in Criminal Justice Administration.
Martin picked up where he left off and continued with the Department of Public Safety for the next two
years until he accepted the position of Administrative Assistant of the Pohnpei State Supreme Court. He is
also a member of the Pohnpei State Bar. Within two years of moving to the Judicial Branch, he was
promoted to Court Administrative Officer of the Pohnpei State Supreme Court and maintained this role for
the next eight years.
In November 1995, he was elected to the Fourth Legislature of the State of Pohnpei as a representative of
Kitti Municipality and, as a freshman, was elected by his colleagues to be Vice Chair of the Committee on
Federal and Foreign Relations. He has since maintained his seat in the Pohnpei State Legislature until his
election to the FSM Congress.
With well over a decade as a member of the Pohnpei State Legislature, Martin was one of the most senior
members of that legislative body. He has served as a member of all its standing committees and has also
taken lead roles in many. Beginning in 2000, Vice Speaker Martin assumed roles of leadership in the
Legislative Body - as Floor Leader or Parliamentarian to the Vice Speakership. He maintained the role of
Vice Speaker from 2004 until his election to the Congress.
On May 2011, he became the Eight Vice Speaker of the Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia and
in the May 2015 reorganization he was again seated to the Vice Speakership, the 10th person to hold the seat
since 1979.
The expanse of Vice Speaker Martin’s public service is not limited to the government alone, but also
extends into to the communities and the various social programs. As an avid supporter of athletics
programs, he has inspired and championed many programs involving youth and sports from the municipal
level - Kitti Sports Council to being a member of the Pohnpei State Sports Council to his current post as
President of the National Olympic Committee.
Born on May 20, 1952, Senator Martin is from Kitti and is married to former Judy Carl and they have seven
children and 15 grandchildren.