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The
Marshall Islands
1
$1 on
The Marshall Islands Journal —Friday, February 3, 2012
Majuro
ISSN: 0892 2096
National Policeman
Cloton
Jabjulan
works out
with
Wellness
Center
fitness
instructor
Harry
Herming.
Friday, February 3, 2012 • Volume 43, Number 5
Diabetes busters
$100m
fund
lost by
RMI
vote
at UN
GIFF JOHNSON
Photo:
Selvenious
Marvin.
The biggest crisis
the RMI has ever
faced is the ravaging
affects of diabetes,
which is responsible
for putting nine of
10 patients in Majuro Hospital. The
health problem —
which Wellness
Center Director
Denis Yates says is
a “food addiction” — is resulting in widespread
illness and death that “no war or disease” in
the history of the Marshall Islands has caused.
Among Wellness Center diabetes prevention programs is an exercise room that is well-used daily.
Waylon wins
bronze in Oz
Marshall Islands wrestler Waylon Muller won a bronze medal
in last week’s Oceania Championships in Australia, competing
against wrestlers out of his normal
weight class.
Before Muller left Majuro in
mid-January, he was working to
lose about 20 pounds to get into
his normal 84-kilogram (KG)
weight class (about 185 pounds).
But when he weighed in last
week, he was four ounces over
the limit, forcing him to compete
against wrestlers in the 211-pound
weight class.
He wrestled competitors from
American Samoa, New Zealand,
Australia and the Federated States
Continued page 2
The Marshall Islands has lost development aid
as a result of voting with the United States at the
United Nations and Foreign Minister Phillip Muller
said the new government is working to change this
situation to benefit the Marshall Islands.
“We’ve been penalized for being friends with
certain countries and no one is stepping up to fill
the void,” Muller told the Journal Wednesday. As
a small nation with limited resources, the RMI
must prioritize its needs, which include a critical
shortage of doctors at Majuro Hospital.
Votes with the US and Israel, and votes with
the US in support of its embargo against Cuba at
the United Nations have cost the RMI access to a
$100 million renewable energy fund for the Pacific
established by the United Arab Emirates and have
prevented the RMI from accepting medical doctors
offered by Cuba, respectively, he said.
The United States asked the RMI to abstain during a UN General Assembly vote last year on the
statehood of Palestine, which it did, along with Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia and Nauru.
“We were then told in a diplomatic note from the
UAE that we were no longer eligible to participate
in the renewable energy fund,” Muller said.
Muller, then the RMI’s ambassador to the United
Nations, talked with US and Israeli officials about
this problem and asked them to help the RMI because of the loss of access to this fund.
“We’re evaluating how we vote at the UN so
we don’t get penalized,” he said. “The good news
is Israel is sending a high-level delegation here in
Continued page 2
Talk to us at [email protected] • Subscribe to the Journal Online at www.marshallislandsjournal.com
2
Friday, February 3, 2012 — The Marshall Islands Journal
Yokwe Tomoka
and Sachiko
Majuro welcomes new JICA volunteers Tomoka Teranuma and Sachiko Omori (pictured).
The pair arrived on Majuro last month and say
they are excited to be here. Teranuma, who hails
from Shizuoka, Japan, will be posted at Delap
Elementary School teaching math.
Meanwhile Omori — who comes from
Saitama, Japan — will spend the next six months
working at the Office of Environmental Planning
and Policy Coordination. Omori has worked on
environmental and waste projects in Samoa and
London. While here, Omori will assist OEPPC
with the nation’s strategies on climate change,
waste management and other environmental
issues.
Charles Abraham sworn in
New Mejit Mayor Charles Abraham
(pictured) is ready for action after
swearing in at the High Court last
week Thursday. Judge James Plasman
administered the oath, Ingrid Kabua
translated, and the mayor’s wife Marie
held the Bible. According to Abraham,
swearing in for Mejit council members
will take place early this month at Mejit. Minister of Finance and Senator for
Mejit Dennis Momotaro was present
at the event.
Muller: Israel to help
From page one
March including their trade ministers
and business people, and will be inviting
President Loeak to visit Israel. We hope
this will provide an opportunity for us to
pursue the issue.”
As to the US, “we’re still working
with the United States and I will raise it
with the US Ambassador (Martha Campbell) later this week.” Muller indicated
he’s not as optimistic about the US help
given the US’s economic situation, but
is still hopeful the RMI’s most important
diplomatic partner will be able to assist
in the climate change and renewable
energy areas.
On the doctor front, Muller said, “for
the last three-to-four years, Cuba has
offered to provide doctors to the RMI
and three-to-five scholarships a year to
attend medical schools in Cuba.” He said
the US government has discouraged the
RMI from taking advantage of this offer,
and the RMI votes in support of the US
on the embargo against Cuba prevents
it from accepting desperately needed
medical doctors.
“I’m prepared to recommend to Cabinet that, given the situation with lack of
doctors here, we invite Cuban doctors
to work at Majuro Hospital,” he said.
“We should take advantage of offers of
help. The most important issue is service
to people in the RMI.” He noted that
Cuban doctors are presently working in
Kiribati, the Solomon Islands and Papua
New Guinea, and he said ambassadors
from these countries expressed to him
that they are “very satisfied with the
performance of the doctors.”
The Foreign Minister said if the
United States government objects to the
RMI bringing in Cuban doctors, then
it should provide doctors to the RMI.
“We’re in a crisis with no doctors,” he
said. “Our needs are our priorities. The
US should support us as we support the
US at the United Nations.”
Bronze win
From page one
of Micronesia, winning a bronze medal. Muller frequently
uses crash diets to meet weight limits for regional and
international competitions. This time, he said he didn’t eat
for three days, and even then came up just four ounces too
heavy. The competitive level of wrestlers from the FSM gave
him new appreciation for improvements in wrestling that the
FSM has produced. “We need to build up the RMI wrestling
program,” he said. “The other islands are getting good.”
He is now aiming for the combined Oceania/Africa
Championships that will be held in Morocco from March
14. Muller said he desperately needs a sparring partner to
prepare for this final Olympic Games qualifying event in
Africa. “The Wrestling Federation and the National Olympic
Committee need to work this out,” he said. “I need to get a
(practice) partner.”
He said that the International Olympic Committee is providing funding for coaches and sparring partners in the FSM,
and it showed in the accomplishments of the three FSM
wrestlers competing in Australia, he said. “They did well.”
Correction
In the January 13 issue, an article reported that College of
the Marshall Islands instructor Pei I Su is from China, but
she is from Taiwan.
3
US helps climate action
Why
takes on
new role
Ambassador Martha
Campbell presented a check
for $28,492.29 to Chief
Secretary Casten Nemra
as the first installment of
a $100,000 grant to fund
a two-year Senior Climate
Change Advisor position
within the RMI government.
The newly-created position
is part of a broader effort
by the United States to help
Pacific island nations adapt
to climate change.
In addition to the Senior
Climate Change Advisor
position in the RMI, the
United States is providing
$21 million over the next
two years to the Pacific
region to support activities
associated with adapting to
climate change.
The $100,000 grant, provided through the Department of State’s Oceans and
International Environmental
and Scientific Affairs, will
fully fund the senior technical advisor position for
two years. Last month, the
RMI selected Steve Why for
the position, and he began
working in the position on
January 10.
Why is a cofounder of the
Marshall Islands Conservation Society, and served as
the Interim Manager of the
Majuro Atoll Waste Company. He has been involved
in climate change adaptation
strategies in the Marshall
Islands since 2004, and in
the Pacific region since the
1980’s.
Campbell noted that the
RMI has established a Climate Change Roadmap and
that this new position can
help coordinate implementation.
“We are excited that the
government of the Marshall
Islands has chosen such a
qualified and capable individual as Mr. Why, and we
strongly support the RMI in
its efforts to implement its
Climate Change Roadmap,”
Campbell said. “The Marshall Islands is one of the
most vulnerable countries
in the world to the effects of
climate change, and adaptation efforts will be increasingly important in the years
to come.”
Ambassador Martha
Campbell recently
presented a check
to Chief Secretary
Casten Nemra for the
establishment of a
Senior Climate Change
Advisor position in
the RMI. From left:
OEPPC Representative
Warwick Harris,
Ambassador Campbell,
Chief Secretary Casten
Nemra, and newly
appointed Senior
Climate Change
Advisor Steve Why.
Your briefing for the week
• The Nitijela is scheduled to
return to session on Tuesday,
February 14.
• Beginning February 7, visa
applications at the US Embassy
will be by appointment only on
Tuesdays. Also from February
7, passport and other services
for American citizens Services
will be by appointment only on
Thursday mornings. Appoint-
ments can be scheduled through
the embassy’s website, majuro.
usembassy.gov.
• About 42,000 black lip pearl
oyster “spats” (babies) were harvested at CMI’s Arrak campus last
week. This is the third spawning
since November. The spats from
November are now between two
and 10 millimeters in length and
“are healthy and in good condi-
tion,” reports aquaculture specialist Miguel Delos Santos.
• Future nurses gathered at the
Marshall Islands Resort Sunday afternoon for the traditional
“pledging and candle lighting
ceremony,” a milestone on their
way to graduation. This involved
students in the class of 2012.
• A Greek shipping company
and a Danish ship owner were
each fined $1.2 million for dumping waste oil and plastic garbage
into the ocean and obstructing
justice in the Baltimore area last
week. Efploia Shipping Co., a
Marshall Islands corporation
based in Greece, operated the
ship Aquarosa, which was built
in China and registered in Malta.
Aquarosa Shipping, of Denmark,
owned the 33,005-ton cargo ship.
Brenda voted in as new
President of Chamber
The Marshall Islands Chamber of Commerce elected a women-dominated board
of directors at its annual elections meeting
Tuesday at the Marshall Islands Resort.
MIVA General Manager Brenda AlikMaddison was elected President of the
business organization. She is joined on the
executive by PII’s Deborah K. Shoniber in
the Vice President slot, Continental Station
Manager Salome Andrike in the Treasurer
position, and Bank of Marshall Islands Chief
All-time world champion surfer
Kelly Slater buzzed through Majuro briefly this week on his way
to surf Ailinglaplap with tourism
entrepreneur Martin Daly. Slater
Information Officer James McLean in the
Secretary post. Business people gathered
at the meeting urged the new Chamber
executive to reach out to new President
Christopher Loeak and his Cabinet to follow
up Loeak’s announced interest in closer ties
with the business community.
“I’m ready to work with the new government,” Alik-Maddison said. “We need to
have dialog on a continuous basis to get our
priority needs addressed.”
was greeted at Amata Kabua International by MIVA General Manager Brenda Alik (left), who helped
get him through immigration and
customs, and provided handicrafts
and other gifts. Slater has won
the surfing World Championship
a record 11 times. “Little things
provided make a difference to our
visitors,” said Alik-Maddison.
4
US sweetens offer to fish
After telling Pacific
island fisheries negotiators
last November that their
demands for higher fees
were “not realistic”, the
US government in January
increased its offer of fishing
fees from $45 million to
$54 million and then to $58
million a year.
Pacific island negotiators
— representing all of the
Forum Fisheries Agency
members, including the
RMI — last month rejected
the US pitch as still too low.
“What entity in the Pacific
turns down $54 million or
$58 million a year?” asked
PNA Director Dr. Transform
Aqorau last week at his
Majuro office. He made the
point that the level of fees
the US is now offering to
pay are huge by comparison
to various donor offers of
development funding in
other areas. “It tells us how
much we have lost during
the last 10 years of the US
Pacific Treaty,” Aqorau said.
“We will never again be
locked down in this type
of (long-term) financial
agreement.”
The $58 million offer is
nearly triple what the US is
currently paying.
The primary reason
the US State Department
and US tuna boat owners
dramatically increased their
offer in just a month — from
$45 million to $58 million a
year — is that Papua New
Guinea last year announced
it would withdraw from the
treaty this year and time
was running out to save the
treaty.
Parties to the Nauru
Agreement (PNA) leaders in
Fiji last month celebrated the
international certification of
the PNA-managed skipjack
tuna fishery in the Pacific.
MIMRA Director Glen Joseph
is third from left holding
sign, and Majuro-based PNA
officials Maurice Brownjohn
and Dr. Transform Aqorau
are fourth and sixth from left,
respectively.
PNA: ‘Why sell days to US at lower rates?’
A key concern for PNA nations
involved in the US Pacific Treaty
negotiations is the level of industry
payment for access to fish in the
region.
The position of the Pacific island
negotiators — who include both
PNA and non-PNA islands — is that
the US industry should be paying
a minimum of $6,500 a day when
its latest proposal is for $6,400, of
which about 40 percent is calculated
as US government fisheries aid, not
industry payment.
PNA Director Dr. Transform
Aqorau said the primary problem
with the US government’s demand
for 9,000 days at $58 million —
$6,400 a day — is that fishing
companies from other nations are
Te r m i n a t i o n o f t h e
agreement would end
preferential access by 40
US tuna fishing boats to
the entire Pacific region.
This is a level of access that
no other country enjoys,
and Papua New Guinea
is one of three nations
paying PNA countries a minimum
of $5,000 a day since January 1
and have already bought days for
as much as $8,000. Because fishing
companies from other nations will
pay higher levels than the US is
offering, PNA nations may be
reluctant to give up days to the US
fishing boats. Aqorau made the
point that fishing boats from Asian
nations are paying $5,000 to $8,000
per fishing day and government
fisheries aid is provided in addition
to these fees.
For example, he observed that
Japanese fishing companies are
now paying at least the minimum
$5,000 per day amount, with a
range of $6,000-to-$8,000 per day.
Government fisheries aid is provided
— the others are Kiribati
and the Federated States
of Micronesia — whose
participation, because
of their lucrative fishing
grounds, is required for the
treaty to continue. Under
pressure of the treaty’s
possible cancellation this
in addition to what industry pays for
the fishing day fees. Contrast this
with the United States proposal for
$6,400 per day that includes US
government fisheries aid, which
means the US industry portion
is around $4,000. “It’s the only
treaty where aid is part of the fee,”
noted Maurice Brownjohn, PNA’s
commercial manager.
While $58 million for 9,000 days
computes as $6,400 per day, the
treaty will not pay that much for
a fishing day based on the current
agreement, in which between 20 and
25 percent of the total US package is
provided as aid in equal amounts to
all islands, PNA and non-PNA alike,
is used for treaty administration and
other regional aid.
summer because of PNG
objections to the low fees
paid by the US tuna industry,
the US significantly
sweetened its offer at the
talks in Fiji in mid-January.
To salvage the treaty
by keeping Papua New
Guinea on board, the US
Under the US treaty, all islands
— whether fish are caught in their
waters or not — receive an equal
share of US aid that is taken off the
top of the annual payment, which
decreases the fishing day value to
the islands where the fish are caught,
said Aqorau.
“The key issue,” said Aqorau,
“is where will we (PNA) find days
for the US treaty? If the price of a
day (from the US is good), some
members will be willing to put all
their days into the US treaty.
“The question facing PNA
members is why give fishing days
to the US when they can sell to
Taiwan at $5,000 or more plus
get government fisheries aid,”
Brownjohn said.
also offered to jack up the
treaty funding level this year
and next until the financial
agreement expires in June
2013. The US in November
said it would increase the
$21 million annually to $35
million a year through 2013,
and then upped that to $45
million a year to get Papua
New Guinea to cancel its
notice of withdrawal from
the treaty. At last month’s
talks in Fiji, PNG agreed
to this offer, which takes
immediate pressure off the
US government and tuna
boat owners.
It is unclear at this stage
how PNG’s cancellation
of its notice to withdraw
from the treaty will impact
the next session of the
negotiations scheduled for
Hawaii later this month.
According to people who
were at the talks in Fiji,
the negotiators made good
progress on sovereignty
issues that would allow the
islands to apply domestic
laws to US vessels, which
the current treaty forbids,
and basic agreement has
been reached on the vessel
day scheme.
The challenge for both
sides is that they remain far
apart on the issue of fees for
fishing days and the number
of fishing days.
The latest US offer of
$58 million is for 9,000
fishing days in Parties to the
Nauru Agreement waters,
which translates to about
$6,400 per day. PNA waters
accounted for more than
60 percent of all skipjack
caught in the Pacific in 2010.
But the Pacific islands have
set their price of $60 million
for 6,000 days (5,500 of
which would be for PNA
waters and 500 in other
islands’ exclusive economic
zones). This price translates
to $10,000 per day.
The islands, according to
a position paper delivered
to the US in Fiji, said
because of the scarcity of
and demand for available
days, “it is not viable to
provide (the US) with an
allocation of 9,000 days,
which represents almost
25 percent of total allowed
effort.” At the end of the
week of talks in Fiji last
month, the Pacific island
officials told the US: “Your
counter-offer to our proposal
demonstrates a substantial
gap remains between us at
this time.” The talks resume
this month in Hawaii on
February 27.
5
Loeak to meet with
Hawaii Governor
Mobil bumps gas
price by 10 cents
Mobil Oil Micronesia bumped
its gas price up by 10 cents late
last month, and the four service
stations that it supplies in the
downtown area followed suit.
Gas prices rose to $5.65 a
gallon at Ace’s One Stop, Riwut
Corner and RRE. SEPS station
Buses being
wrecked on
school road
Ebeye’s “causeway” is
more like a “cause of destruction,” damaging school
buses and forcing cancellation of classes at high
schools on Gugeegue Island.
The rock and pothole
strewn causeway that connects Ebeye the approximately seven miles to Gugeegue has been a problem
for years, and is again this
week causing problems for
schools on Kwajalein Atoll.
Both Fr. Hacker High
School and Kwajalein High
School, which serve nearly
500 students, are located on
Gugeegue.
“The causeway condition
is causing a lot of headaches
and breakdowns for our
school buses and disrupting
school,” said Gary Kakki
Elaisha, the Director of
Queen of Peace Schools at
Kwajalein.
Kwajalein Atoll High
School currently has just
one bus servicing over 300
students because their older
bus broke down nearly a
year ago.
“They’ve had their buses
break more than three times
within two months,” he
said. “Our bus broke down
Tuesday morning prompting us to cancel classes so
our mechanics can try to
fix the problem to have bus
President Christopher Loeak
(pictured) and First Lady Lieom
Anono Loeak were to depart to
Hawaii Wednesday night, with a
return expected on Tuesday next
week. Accompanying Loeak will
be Minister in Assistance Tony
deBrum and RMI staff.
The delegation expects to meet
in Rita, also supplied by Mobil,
has maintained a five cent lower
price than the other stations.
Meanwhile, PII’s gas station,
which is independently supplied from the South Pacific, is
maintaining its $5.55 per gallon
price.
ready for tomorrow — but
a problem like this usually
takes more than two days.”
Kwajalein High School was
forced to cancel classes last
Friday because of transport
problems.
Elaisha called on the Ministries of Education and
Public Works to work with
KALGov and Ebeye’s utility company KAJUR to fix
the causeway.
He identified several particularly bad areas on the
causeway, including areas
around North and South Loi
Islands. “If these areas are
fixed and then maintained
by sending equipment to fill
and smooth once a month,
there will be no more broken
down buses and no school
disruptions,” Elaisha said.
He said KAJUR fixed
one spot, which has greatly
helped. But it’s not enough
to keep the schools functioning.
“If all agencies collaborate and combine resources
this problem will be eliminated,” Elaisha said. “This
is not a new problem, the
past administration knows
about it but did little or nothing to help. The government
leadership has changed and
we students and educators
pray and hope the new government won’t be like the
previous one.”
with Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie as an initial contact
to open discussions about issues
concerning Marshall Islanders living in Hawaii.
The leaders are also expecting to
meet with officials from Hawaiian
Airlines, and to get together with
Marshallese in Hawaii.
The many empty chairs at
the Nitijela induction
workshop at the ICC.
Poor showing at induction
At last Wednesday’s opening
session of the Nitijela induction
workshop, 16 of the 33 members of
Nitijela participated. In attendance
were President Christopher Loeak
and Speaker Donald Capelle.
In addition, ministers and senators
attending the opening were: Tony
deBrum, David Kabua, Jeban Riklon,
David Kramer, Jerakoj Bejang, Tony
Muller, Wilbur Heine, Tony Aiseia,
Mattlan Zackhras, Dennis Momotaro,
Nidel Lorak, Litokwa Tomeing, Dr.
Hilda Heine and Caios Lucky. They
were joined by many government officials, diplomatic partner representatives, and business leaders.
Thursday’s opening session, a
presentation about RMI’s progress
in meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) that it agreed
to work toward in 2000, only eight
members were present when the
meeting was called to order by
UNDP resource person Charmaine
Rodrigues.
The early bird arrivals were led
by Speaker Capelle, and ministers
and senators David Kabua, David
Kramer, Jeban Riklon, Wilbur Heine,
Tony Aiseia, Caios Lucky and Dr.
Hilda Heine.
As the MDG session proceeded,
the following Nitijela members arrived: Jiba Kabua, Jerakoj Bejang,
Tomaki Juda, President Loeak, John
Silk, Nidel Lorak, and Dennis Momotaro.
On Friday, the session started at
9:15 with nine Nitijela members
present to hear a presentation on
treaties and conventions to which the
RMI government is a party and the
problem of debt for unpaid membership fees.
By 9:40am six more senators had
arrived. Those in attendance Friday
morning included President Loeak,
Speaker Capelle, Senators Bejang,
Jiba Kabua, Silk, Lorak, Lucky,
Kramer, Riklon and Aiseia and Ministers David Kabua, Wilbur Heine,
Hilda Heine, Momotaro, and Hiroshi
Yamamura.
Roki heads to DC for workshop
Carl Roki (pictured) from the MIEPI
“Marshalls Prevention Group” is headed to
Washington, DC next week to join Kumit
Bobrae Coalition members and nearly 3,000
other substance abuse prevention specialists
and advocates from the US and Pacific.
Roki will be attending the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America’s
(CADCA) 22nd annual National Leadership Forum. CADCA’s National Leadership
Forum is the nation’s largest training for
substance abuse prevention and treatment
professionals and researchers. Besides the
opportunity to learn the latest strategies to
prevent alcohol, tobacco and other drug use,
Roki will also have the opportunity to meet
Senators and members of Congress.
“I hope to come back energized with new
strategies under my belt to tackle substance
abuse,” said Roki, a Data and Media Officer.
MIEPI coordinates the tobacco compliance checks, school caravan visits, Substance Abuse Epidemiological Profile 2011
and more recently put up road signs with
prevention messages alongside DES, Jerry
Nii’s residence and the Majuro Hospital.
the Ministry is our arrears in membership to
these regional/international organizations,”
said a report prepared by the Ministry and
presented by Foreign Affairs Assitant
Secretary, US Desk Keyoka Kabua. “The
total membership due every year total over
$700,000, while the budget appropriated to
the Ministry every fiscal year is $330,000.”
The report said “the inability of the Ministry to resolve its arrears results in limiting
assistance as well as in voicing our interests
(through these treaties).”
RMI owes $2.5m through treaties
The Marshall Islands belongs to dozens
of regional and international treaties — all
of which have a variety of reporting requirements and many of which require annual
membership payments.
As of this week, the RMI government
owes $2.5 million as a result of the Nitijela
not appropriating the more than $700,000
a year needed to remain current on membership fees, according to a Ministry of
Foreign Affairs presentation to the Nitijela
workshop last Friday. “A main challenge for
6
‘When will
our offices
be fixed up?’
The subject of the condition
of Nitijela offices for senators
came up on the floor during
the Monday January 23
first business session since
the election of President
Christopher Loeak on January
3. Most of the offices on the
Finance side of the Nitijela
building are in appalling
condition, with mildewed
carpets and furniture, peeling
paint, damaged or no ceiling
panels, and holes in the walls.
Some senators asked if
they could buy their own
doorknobs and locks, and
get reimbursed by Nitijela in
order to expedite access to
their offices.
Others asked when needed
repairs would be implemented.
7
8
The RMI Riddle No. 385: Sponsored by CopyMasters
ACROSS
1. Amata Kabua place.
5. Brushes.
10. Lib and Lanai.
11. Financial checker.
12. Prohibited.
14. Verse.
15. Swine.
17. Scott’s ‘better half’.
19. A single element of the
Journal. (3,2)
21. Ueno’s workplace.
(abb.)
22. Expanse of water.
23. Ward worker.
24. Hi in Likiep.
25. Depressed.
26. Cook.
28. Kayak.
30. You could live in auto if
it has one truck.
31. Handle surgery?
33. She shirt.
34. Wild wave.
DOWN
2. Sick.
3. Tack a laugh on the end
for Minna’s man.
4. MWSC storage spot.
6. Tough day for Journal
jokers.
7. Title.
8. Food intake.
9. Lanwi or Note.
13. Flame Tree worker.
15. Vine veggie.
16. Birds.
17. Commuter vehicles.
18. Male plant areas found at
shoreline.
20. Voting procedures..
27. Majuro’s mate.
28. Immaculate.
29. Biblical garden.
30. Taxi.
32. Goal.
Need a pen to do the puzzle?
Buy your stationery needs at:
Answers to Riddle No. 384
Note: (abb.) = abbreviation
(3,4) = indicates the number
of letters in words.
Election case
crawling along
Three losing candidates
filed a joint complaint to the
High Court on December 30,
challenging the Chief Electoral Officer’s acceptance of
postal absentee ballots that
were not authenticated by
notary publics in the United
States.
But since the case was
filed, there has been no
movement to hold a hearing
to consider the complaint.
Amenta Matthew with lawyer Gerald Zackios.
Last week Tuesday, attorney Gerald Zackios on
behalf of Amenta Matthew
and Eldon Note filed a re“The summons is a critical part of the
quest for the High Court to schedule a status filing process as it informs the defendant of
conference on the matter. But on Wednesday, the plaintiff’s attorney, the time frame within
the reason no hearing or status conference which the defendant must appear and defend,
was scheduled became apparent when Judge and the consequences of failure to do so,”
James Plasman issued an order responding to Plasman said. Without a summons being
the Zackios’ request for a status conference. served on the defendants in the matter, “the
“Such a request is premature,” Plasman action has not been properly commenced and
said. Although documents were filed with may not advance,” Plasman said.
the court confirming that the complaint was
The judge said the request for a status
served on Chief Electoral Officer Joseph conference would be deferred until “proper
Jorlang, Internal Affairs Acting Secretary service of the summons on defendants.”
Wallace Peter, and Acting Attorney General
On Monday, January 23, the summons was
Tubosoye Brown, “there is no indication drafted by Zackios and signed by the Clerk
a summons was served on these parties,” of Courts for delivery to the defendants in
Plasman said.
the case.
RMI agencies
talk to Cabinet
Cabinet last week started
facilitating a series of consultations with various government ministries and agencies
that is critical in the initiation
of policies, programs, and
services.
Ministries and agencies that updated the Cabinet
Chief Secretary Casten
on their work through Tuesday this week include:
Nemra set a schedule of pre• Ministry of Health
liminary Cabinet briefings to
• Economic, Policy, Planning, and Statistics office
be presented by ministries and
• Public Service Commission
agencies a two-week period.
• Ministry of Finance
The Ministry of Health held
• Banking Commission
the first scheduled Cabinet
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs
briefing at the Cabinet Con• Environmental Protection Authority,
ference room last Monday.
• Office of Environmental Policy, Planning, and
Representing the Ministry
Coordination
of Health were the Secretary
• Marshall Islands Postal Service Authority.
of Health Justina Langidrik,
• Marshall Islands Social Security Administration.
Chief of Medical Staff Dr.
Kennar Briand, Director of
Outer Islands Health Care Services Arata Nathan, Assistant
Secretary of Health Policy, Planning, and Statistics Russell
Edwards, Assistant Secretary of Primary Health Care Services Rosbella Marty, and Assistant Secretary of Administration, Personnel, and Finance Maybelline Bing. The health
team updated Cabinet on dengue fever, the redevelopment
project of Majuro Hospital, and provided general overviews
on personnel, budget, hospital equipment, medical referral
services, and outer island health care services.
Cabinet raised concerns about the health care system’s
unresolved issues and expressed keen interest in improving
effective and efficient services to the public.
Consultations from ministries and agencies is aimed to
Chief Secretary
provide Cabinet a full understanding of a number of imporCasten Nemra.
tant issues that will be considered when assessing policy
impacts and determining policy outcomes.
Gov’t officials talk
over service term
DOI funding supports
over 4,200 employees
The RMI government received the fourth
largest amount of funding from the US
Office of Insular Affairs in fiscal year 2010
that paid for 1,872 government workers or
about 75 percent of the RMI government’s
workforce.
The report issued by the Interior
Department in January says its funding
directly and indirectly impacted an additional
2,343 workers in the RMI, meaning that US
funding supported 41 percent of the total
number of people employed in the RMI.
The Interior Department’s Office of Insular
Affairs (OIA) provided $428,555,000 to six
US-affiliated islands in the Pacific and the
US Virgin Islands in 2010. Of that, the RMI
received $71,558,000 most of it pursuant to
the Compact.
This amounts to a 17 percent share for
the RMI of the total OIA FY2010 funding
for insular areas.
The Federated States of Micronesia
received the largest level of 2010 funding at
$110,644, which translates into 26 percent
of the total OIA funding for that year. Fiftyfive percent of employment in the FSM is
supported by the US funding, the report
shows.
The report said gross domestic product
per capita ranges from a high of $36,860 in
the US Virgin Islands to a low of $2,402 in
the FSM. The RMI’s is the second lowest
at $2,883. Palau’s is $8,331.
While 44 percent of national employee
compensation in the RMI was supported
by OIA funding in 2010, the figure was
an astronomical 72 percent of national
employee compensation in the FSM.
“We determined that for every $1 of
employee compensation directly supported
by OIA payments, approximately $2 of
employee compensation was supported (on
average) elsewhere in the insular economy,”
the report said.
“In the cases of the Marshall Islands and
Micronesia, a significant portion of national
employee compensation is directly and
indirectly supported by OIA payments.”
Please don’t drink & drive!
9
10
EATING OUT IN MAJURO
Dyna Reimers,
Kooki Pinho and
little Myra Kattil
were spotted giving
themselves a taste
treat at Tide Table
on Tuesday. Photo:
Isaac Marty
Wait-staff take
their title literally
In the latter quarter of
1970, a traveler on his way
to Fiji, happened to spend
several days in what was
then known as the Gilbert
Islands, specifically in the
capital, Betio.
Hungry one morning,
the visitor sought out and
located a restaurant. On
entering, he took a seat at
a table (there were no other
customers). It was approximately 11am, a reasonable
time to expect an empty
eatery, too late for breakfast,
a tad early for lunch.
The visitor sat untended
for perhaps five minutes.
A middle aged woman, her
hair tied in a bun, came to
the table asking if she might
be able to help.
“Yes, as a matter of fact,
I’d like breakfast and coffee
if you have it available,”
he said.
“And the breakfast will
be for when?” asked the
woman.
The answer: “Now.”
“I’m sorry sir, but we
require a minimum of 24
hours notice before we serve
a meal.”
Our friend left the restaurant thoroughly unsure
as to whether or not he
understood exactly what
happened. As a matter of
fact, the visitor of long ago
isn’t sure his recollection of
the incident is correct, so
odd the policy seemed.
We do acknowledge that
dining in competitive Majuro, there is no parallel to the
24-hour wait, but other odd
conditions have been noted
in the area. This includes
the Republic of Nauru to
the south, and even international flights, such as those
‘Majuro
legitimately
boasts a fine
assortment of
restaurants,
enough to
provide a
wide-range of
choices be the
food Indian,
Chinese
of several
varieties,
standard
American, or
Japanese,’
provided by Pan American
Airlines during the earlier
time frame.
In Nauru, there is the story
of the guest at the island’s
only hotel. Seated at a table
untended over half an hour
and expecting a server to
approach to take an order
(there were three or four
young women in uniforms
chatting at a table) our friend
finally rose from his seat
and approached the group
of servers to ask if one of
them would be so kind as to
come take his order.
“Just help yourself,” one
of the girls said, indicating
a long table with a variety
of foods on display. Style
of service was non-existent,
it was a buffet. There was
also another feature of what
turned out to be a delicious
breakfast: there was no bill.
And when searching your
pockets for a tip? Forgetaboutit!
Our Pan Am experience
took place just after take
off from Majuro on a DC-4
scheduled to Guam. A couple seated near the coffee
station in the back of the
plane signaled an attractive
young stewardess, she was
from Palau. She approached
their seat.
“Could you please bring
us coffee?” asked the woman in the seat.
Suddenly the stewardess
developed an askance look
on her face and declared,
“Just what do you think I
am?”
When no reply was provided, the air lady added,
“get your own.”
It would be safe to say
that overall things have
improved for the customers here in the intervening
years. Majuro legitimately
boasts a fine assortment of
restaurants, enough to provide a wide-range of choices
be the food Indian, Chinese
of several varieties, standard
American, or Japanese.
But the most unique eating experience to be had on
the atoll is not in the various
establishments we have here
in town. For really unique
dining you need to travel
the 30-odd miles to Laura
Village on a Sunday cruise.
The roadside stands offer a
surprisingly varied choice
of foods from bwiro balls
soaked in coconut syrup,
fresh bananas, tray meals
replete with salt fried fish,
or ek tutu, mouth wateringly good pickled papaya
shards, and fresh chunks of
taro with copra slices. Mmmmm, good!
11
EATING OUT IN MAJURO
Holy mackerel!
Guess who
came to dinner?
KAREN DRIVER
Sitting alone on my boat at Enemanet reading a book
suddenly there came a loud thumping outside. “Holy crap!
What’s that?” I yelled as I ran outside. Small children? A
bird caught in the rigging?
No, it was a good-sized fish that was not happy about
having launched herself onto the deck of the good ship Seal.
“Holy crap!” I yelled and ran back down below. “De La
Mer, De La Mer ... Wasabi, Wasabi!” I screeched into the
VHF mike. “There’s a fish on the deck. What do I do?”
Wasabi Captain: “Put it in the frying pan.”
De La Mer Admiral: “I’m on my way.”
On handing her a fileting knife, the admiral commented that she’d been asked to kill chickens before,
but never a fish. “Komol, komol,” I said as she deftly
gutted, decapitated and scaled the snake mackerel.
And here’s how it went down...
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 stalk of celery,
chopped
Half an onion, diced
2 tablespoons finely
sliced leek
2 tablespoons sultanas
1 small can of crushed
jalapeno peppers
1 snake mackerel
Method:
Fry first five ingredients
in olive oil for 5 or 6 minutes. Add sultanas and cook
for a couple more minutes.
Stir in peppers. Set aside.
Place fish in oiled baking
pan and squeeze lemon all
over and inside fish. Stuff
with the vegetables and
place remaining on top of
and around fish. Bake for 40
minutes or until fish flakes
easily.
Serve with your favorite
side such as steamed potatoes, cauliflower and carrots.
Enjoy.
Alternate recipe
ideas: Fillets of fish
can be substituted
for whole fish. The
‘stuffing’ can be made
using a variety of
vegetables, but the
ginger and sultanas
were a highlight.
Instead of vegetables
on the side, try brown
rice and a salad.
Advertise your restaurant.
Call Darren on 625-8143
12
AROUND TOWN
Offering RMI helping hands
This RMI government vehicle (right) was parked
and locked blocking the road to the Ministry of
Education next to the Women’s Training Center
in Delap last Saturday. After seeing it, this gang
of strong guys tried to pick it up to move it out
of the way, but it turned out to be too heavy for
them. It remained in place until later in the day
when someone returned, moved it to the fence
by the training center, and again parked and
locked it. From left, below: Jeffery Rison, Linton
Baso, Winton Boon, Alson Kelen and Mentil Laik.
Photo: Giff Johnson.
muffins, bananas, sliced
apples and oranges, and
grapes. Wow, a treat and
not bad for weight watchers.
“I’m not used to eating
healthy,” quipped one
of the ministers as he
moved down the buffet
filling up his plate. “Don’t
worry,” came the reply.
“Once a month won’t kill
you.”
Here’s something we saw
around town these past couple of
weeks: Shop Local, Shop Momo.
The words appeared on a nottoo-big bumper sticker and are
to be admired for their effectiveness. The worth of well-executed
advertising is not to be disputed,
and this simple message proves
to be right on target. It even
made mention in the local news!
High bidder
They were sitting at the end of Uliga
Dock, feet dangling over the edge with
fishing poles in search of fish hungry
enough to try for the bait on their hooks.
Both guys appeared sheepish, covering
their heads with wide weave hats.
It was 2pm, middle of the workday,
and both men were hooky from their
government jobs (for their respective
reputations the two men remain unidentified in this around town item).
“We got a quote for that repair job,
and wow! Really high,” number one
fisherman said.
The other fisherman knew about the
repair job, it had to do with fixing a government building some drunk ran into
earlier. One company bid to repair was
way high, just over $4,000. Two other
quotes came in under $2,000.
“So what are we going to do?” asked
number two
hooky man.
“I think we’ll
give the job to
the $4,000 bidder. He thinks
he’s wise and
can charge us really high because we’re
government.”
“But that sounds crazy, why choose
the high price?” said number two.
“Because it lets the low bidders free to
get other work where they can get paid.
Meantime, we get a PO to Mr. High Bid,
and he does the work. See?”
“Not really,” said number two, “I don’t
understand.
“How long you think it will be until he
gets paid?” said number one.
“Oh,” said number two, “smart, real
smart.”
Shop Momo
Cabinet members were
treated to a sumptuous
Wellness Center-prepared lunch the other day
by the Ministry of Health,
which was providing the
leaders with an update
on the health situation in
the RMI.
A veggie wrap, a broccoli and walnut salad
(like crab meat salad, but
without the crab), fresh
Shop
Local
Everything in Message
moderation
received
Good
looking
bridge
R e c e n t l y, M a j u r o ’s
“small boat bridge” got an
attractive paint job care
of the Ministry of Public
Works. Combining both
traffic-yellow and white,
this important road asset
appears attractive and
(we hope) calls attention
to itself for weary drivers
who might fall asleep if
not minimally “jolted” by
the bright, new paint job.
Public Works deserves
our appreciation for a job
well done.
Who’s
Your
Daddy?
Several visitors from USAKA were in Majuro recently,
booked at M.I. Resort enjoying the loving security of a
place to sleep provided by Bill
Weza, the hotel’s main feature. They were engrossed in
a semi-serious conversation
about the environment, ecotourism, and what-not.
At one point one of the
guys, the one sporting a
beard and tattoos of snakes
slithering down to his wrists,
said he was very concerned
about the way humans were
abusing Mother Earth. One of
the girls asked what he meant
exactly, but before he could
answer her friend interjected:
“Why does everyone worry
about Mother Earth? What
about Father Earth? I’ve
never heard anyone make
mention of Father Earth. How
come he doesn’t hang out
with Mother Earth? Does he
have a girlfriend on the side?
The table fell silent.
Question of the week
For months, the Journal has
been running an ad to sell wine
picturing an attractive model, a
selling price of $2, and ad material
Clever use
of funds
A simple but apparently effective way of
saving government
money is demonstrated
by the Marshalls Billfish Club: they have a
sort of “club house” on
wheels they roll out to
various locations when
needed as headquarters
for coordinating different
tournaments.
How this applies to
the RMI government is
simple. When we have
a new president, one of
the expenses in installing the new leader is
provision of a security
building to house the 24-
hour per day protection
necessary for the president. In a change of administrations, normally
an entirely new security
building is contracted.
Could we not simply
design a security guardhouse with wheels and
make it portable? We
could afford to spend a
substantial amount in
making the portable facility permanent, and the
savings garnered by use
by additional presidents
would be considerable.
Just a thought, but
hey, who wants to waste
money?
Found in
RMI waters
On its annual migration from the North to the South Pole, this
reindeer went through a species adaptation process in order to
survive the water temperatures in the central Pacific Ocean. It was
photographed not too far from Lib Island in the Ralik Chain, where
a local fisherman figured he had caught a marlin from the weight of
the fish, but upon seeing the antlers, immediately recognized the
globally protected mammal (Cervidae)-cum-tuna (Scombribae) and
quickly did a tag and release. Photo: Riap Meo.
Frying our brains at dump
A trio of inventive young boys, approximately 12 years old, came up with
an imaginative solution to Majuro’s
major dump problem. Hearing that the
dump recently became full and efforts
to install an effective incinerator was
not possible due to financial restraints,
the boys took measure of the situation
and proceeded to ignite supposedly
empty propane canisters. The results
were compelling as fire raged at the
dump’s southwest corner, consuming
large amounts of bulky waste material.
Police and fire trucks came to the site to
witness the burning. They joined MAWC
employees in efforts to douse the fire.
Starting just after 2pm, the smoldering
site was considered contained by 10pm.
The boys claimed they were not really
intending to cause a fire and insisted
they were merely trying to fry their brains
with the residual propane in the discarded canisters.
News story: See Page 24
in what appears to be a foreign
lingo.
Can any of our readers help us
in identifying the foreign language?
13
?
14
Opinion page
Send letters to PO Box 14, Majuro, MH 96960 or email [email protected]
Senators need
to get focused
on our needs
Unfortunately, Nitijela induction workshops
that are now a feature of January when the new
parliament is established and sworn in are viewed
as a political bipartisan event or a “school” that the
old timers don’t need to attend. This led in 2008
and again last month to a large number of senators,
sometimes the majority, not participating.
In fact, the three-day workshop, run by the United
Nations Development Program, was mostly an
issues-based discussion. It brought RMI government
and NGO officials in to make short presentations
on important Marshall Islands development issues,
offered time for the senators to comment on the
presentations and question the presenters, and it
allowed for discussion about how these issues can
and should be integrated into the regular Nitijela
hearing and committee process.
An interesting, if depressing, report on the relative
lack of progress by the RMI on meeting the eight
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) was
provided. A valuable suggestion was made at the
wrap up to the discussion session that monitoring
of MDG progress could be mandated as part of
the Nitijela’s Health, Education and Social Affairs
Committee’s ongoing work. With only three years
left to meet the MDGs that the Marshall Islands
government agreed to implement in 2000, this would
for the first time involve Nitijela oversight of the
MDG process. The MDGs, after all, are about quality
of life for the people of the Marshall Islands. So the
question could reasonably be asked: Why hasn’t the
Nitijela taken an active oversight role in the past to
push the executive branch to make more progress?
A raft of other issues were presented at the
workshop pertaining to important social, health and
education needs.
Sadly, however, the meeting rarely, if ever,
mustered a quorum of senators. One morning started
with eight members present. Usually there were about
a dozen senators present. The public that elected
Nitijela members to represent them deserve better
performance by the entire membership of Nitijela.
Isikeli proud of his
many achievements
In response to Honorable Senator
and Iroij Michael Kabua’s letter last
week, I wish to clear my name by
verifying the three A/C projects that he
stated were completed by his company.
1: As the picture indicated the
Mormon Church at Long Island, I
started my company Waratah Air
Conditioning on my own on November
16, 2004. I was subcontracted by
CaBella Construction with the late Mr.
Keith Takatsuki where he installed the
air conditioning unit and I fabricated,
installed and commissioned the longest
galvanized sheet metal duct work on
island, completed, paid in full in 2006.
However Honorable Senator and Iroij
Michael Kabua did not invest into my
Waratah Air Conditioning Inc. until
October 3, 2008.
2: As indicated in my advertisement
is the picture of the NTA fiber optic
building. This was the first introduction
of the Mitsubishi Energy Saving unit,
which I designed to suit the application
letter
PO Box 14, Majuro, MH 96960
or email [email protected]
of the building, ordered in the unit,
installed and commissioned it, and
was paid in full. However this project
was started and completed after the
separation of the Waratah Investors. As
there is only one fiber optic building
at NTA in which the A/C unit was
installed and completed by my guys,
under Elite Engineering.
3: As indicated in my advertisement,
the picture of the Martin Daley store
at Shoreline. This was the second
introduction of the energy saving unit,
which is exactly the same story as the
NTA fiber optic building.
I wish to convey while carrying
out these various projects on island
for the last eight years I also have
trained some Marshallese citizens
where they are now able to perform
the work without any supervision.
For example Chris Keju A/C and
refrigeration technician at the Marshall
Island Resort, Leonard Prout A/C and
refrigeration at the Salvation Army,
Tame Ha’avea A/C and refrigeration
technician at Kili Island, and Herold
Lakabung, senior technician at Elite
Engineering.
With the little knowledge I may
have shared and accomplished various
projects, I have no reason to be ashamed
but proud of watching these local guys
putting food on the table, sending their
children to school and carrying on with
the business.
With all respect, I wish to clear
my name that I have nothing to lie
about on what I advertised as I only
advertise what we have accomplished
on our own.
Isikeli Fotofili
Appreciated source The Marshall Islands Journal
In this era of general criticism of government
(more and more it just seems to be the way people
talk) it might be good to consider something RMI
has developed that has proven to be a great benefit
to all of us: the fact that through our health care
system many of our citizens have been able to
access treatment in the Philippines, primarily at St.
Luke’s Hospital.
Numerous patients have been treated with
excellent care at St. Luke’s, and the words of praise
we hear about this institution reflect a commendable
aspect, one that St. Luke’s deserves and for which
our own health care administrators should be
accorded recognition.
Phone: (692) 625-8143/6 • Fax: (692) 625-3136 • email: [email protected] • www.marshallislandsjournal.com
Editor.......................................................... Giff Johnson
Production/Advertising.........................Brett Schellhase
Production/Web Management..............Benjie Digno, Jr.
Ad Manager........................................ Suzanne Chutaro
Advertising Assistant................................ Darren Lanki
Reporter/Photographer.................................Isaac Marty
Deckhand............................................. Karen Earnshaw
Basic Advertising Rates are for display ads, camera ready copy:
$5.85 per column inch. All material must be received by 12:00
noon Monday for that Friday’s paper. (5:00 pm Friday the week
prior to publication for full page ads). All ads received
after deadline are subject to late charges.
Letters to the editor may be edited or cut. Please mail your
letters to the above address, fax them to (692) 625-3136, or
email them to [email protected]
The Marshall Islands Journal is a dual language, once a
week publication of the Micronitor News & Printing Company.
It has been the newspaper of record for the Marshall Islands
since 1970.
Subscription Rates are $87.00 per year for the print edition
sent U.S. first class mail to U.S. domestic mail zones ($50.00/6
months) and $227.00 per year for international airmail. The
digital (pdf) version sent by email is $52.00 per year. Please
make checks payable to: MARSHALL ISLANDS JOURNAL, P.O. Box 14, Majuro, Marshall Islands MH 96960.
Rongelap Council members (above) take the oath of office
last week at the ICC. Speaking during the ceremony were
Senator Kenneth Kedi (below left) and Mayor James
Matayoshi. Photos: Isaac Marty.
15
RALGov council
ready for action
Rongelap Atoll Local Government completed
its swearing in Tuesday evening at the
International Conference Center for its 13
council members and the mayor.
Majuro Atoll councilman Jasper Lanki spoke
of gratitude and best wishes on behalf of Majuro
Senator Jurelang Zedkaia and Majuro Mayor
Mudge Samuel.
Minister of Internal Affairs Wilbur Heine
represented RMI President Chris Loeak. “The
National Government will help these Rongelap
people as well as the whole of RMI,” said Heine.
Chief Justice Carl Ingram administered the
oath to the council members and the mayor.
Rongelap Mayor James Matayoshi stated that
he will continue to seek answers regarding the
fallout that affected Rongelap Atoll and its
people during the bombing of Bikini. “I do not
make a promise, but I will give it my all,” said
Matayoshi.
Rongelap councilman Isao Eknilang added
that the objective is, “do it best and do it right.”
“We need to work together to get it done right,”
said Rongelap Senator Kenneth Kedi.
16
‘Kate yuk ne ejab etal jen jene’
Ta naan eo an MIHS Principal
Evelyn Konou, nan ri jikuul ro, ri
kaki ro, ro jinen im jemen, ekoba
jukjuk in bed eo, ilo an kiili kejem
ko an high school eo ilo jibbon im
elkin ien mona in raelep otemjej?
Ebidodo: Jelalokijen ijin ebed ilo
kauwatata, im jej aikuij in jino lale
aolep tibdrik in melele ko ie.
Melele ko, einwot an ri jikuul
im ri kaki ro jimor maron jede ilo
ien, nan jikuul, im maron in bed ilo
kilaaj ilo aolepen juon raan eieo.
Ippen jet armij emman menin ear
kommane, jet redrike. Botaap naan
eo ejjelok kajjitok kake. Evelyn ej
letok nan koj, juon kein karrujruj.
MIHS, ekoba elon bar public
school ko, rebed ilo kauwatata, im
rej aikuiji an aolep ro ejelet er jino
lale im jerbale.
Elane jenaaj wonmanlok wot
im jab kommani bunten ne ko
rellap, nan komman oktak, innem
jejamin tobare ijo jej jibadreke.
Evelyn ealikkar ke elon an jibarbar
im kottobar ko nan Marshall
Islands High School. Botaap nan
kemakitkiti jikuul eo – im koj – jen
jonan mojno in jebed ie kio, innem
enin, jej loe kin jonan “yokwe
eo ebin” an Evelyn nan koj. Jej
kejetdrikdrik bwe enaaj wor bar
elon lok wawein ko, ilju im jeklej.
Jen kakomanmanlok
ad lale ‘seamen’ ro
Juon iaan rijikuul ro me
rerumwij rar bed inabwij
bwe emoj kiloke kejem
in drelon eo ilo Marshall
Islands High School.
Rutiej im kab ri jerbal ro ilo
Majuro in, mekarta ke rej bulijman, ri
jerbal in custom, ro ilo immigration,
ak ro rej kejebarok aenomman eo
an jukjuk in bed, im rej lorlorjake
kakien ko an Majuro Atoll Local
Government eo, rekar jimor im
aolep kommane juon bod laplap,
iumin iio lonlon kein rej kab jemlok
lok. Ej alikkar ke, rutiej im ri jerbal
rein ad jimor, eaurok lok wot aer
lorlorjake karok im kakien ko aer,
innem ealikkar ke rej kommani
jerbal ko aer kajojo, nan kenanaik
lok wot, jonan jerammon im mweie
ne ad, mene elukkun in alikkar ke
rej aikuij in kejerbal lolatat jimwe,
im lemnak jimwe, ilo aer jerbal, ko
im remaron in
komman bwe en
laplok wot jonan
money ko, im rej
drelon tok ijin,
im jujen wot naaj
kokmanmanelok
ke, lukkun mool, Majuro ej mejan
armij, ibelakin lalin.
Kimij kenono kin karok im lemnak
ko jej kommani im lorlorjaki ikijien
waan eonod kane iaar, wa kein im
rej boktok crewmen ro nan Majuro,
ro im rej kejetdrikdrik bwe renaaj
lemonono im kakijje bajjok ie, ijoke
elonlok ien, rej jelmae aer kwalok kin
kakien ko nae er, im mo ko bareinwot
nae er, ke, rejjab maron in itotak jen
wa ko waer enetak, ak bwe rej aikuij
in bed ion ene iumin wot jejjo awa ko
ilo aolep jota otemjej.
Etke jej aolep im lelok juon kain
lemnak eo enana nae ion armij rot
in, ak seamen rein, im rej lotok koj,
kotke ejjab emman ad lemnak kake
er. Jej lemnak bwe enana ne rej bed
ion ene, im itotak, ijoke elane jej
lukkun lemnak kin menin, jej aikuij
watok er, ke rej bar jet ri lotok ro,
jet armij ro im ewor jaan ippaer – jet
customer ro, ro im jej kejetdrikdrik
in komman jaan jen er, ko im renaaj
maron in najidrik tok baamle ko aer,
wiaiki wa ko waad, im kollaik wonen
jarom im dren ko ad.
Elkin iio lonlon ko in lale lok kin
wawein jab in, jej loe bwe seamen
rein, im rej jet ri lotok ro, elon alen
rej er ro im ej walok jorrean nan
er, ejjab er eo rej komman jorrean.
Elon bwebwenato ko ilo Journal
eo rej ripoot kin aer kar mane im
kakinejneje seamen rein. Lukkun ri
jorrean ro, rej ladrik hoodlum rane
im rej waje im kojare wot ri lotok ro
ejjelok ruweer.
Kimij lemnak, bwe jen ukot
lemnak im mwilir 180 degree ko, nan
ri lotok jab rein im ejjelok kajjitok
ke, rej er eo remake wot kio, im
rej letok ad jaan. Jen komman bwe
seamen rein, ren kiki ion ene ilo bon,
kejerbali jaan ko aer ilo hotel ko ijin.
Jen lelok nan ippen seamen rein,
jet kain menin jerammon ko, bwe
ren wonmanlok wot im idraak elkin
awa in kilok, elane rej jet ro im rej
kiki ilo room ko ion ene. Lelok nan
seamen rein im rej ri lotok bareinwot,
jet kain kaat in kaikujkuk ko, im rej
kadrikdrik lok wonen mweiuk ko
nan er. Lelok jet kain pepa in melele
ko, im emoj eiki bwe ri lotok seamen
rein, rej jet ro im jej monono kake
er, innem rej maron in elolo ien ko
renaaj kamnono nan er, ion enein.
Ilo tu kadu in bwebwenato in, jej
aikuij in kokmanmanlok nan ippen
men aurok rok rein, im rej itok jen
wa ko, en emman mwilir nan er, im
enaaj ikutkut aer naaj komman bwe
jen mweie lok wot, jen jonan in, kin
wot aer maron loe jonan karuwainene
ko remman nan er.
17
The well-attended workshop by the Pacific
Women’s Network Against Violence Against
Women at the Nitijela Conference Room.
Call to stop the violence
S
Woman of the Year
tanding up against violence and
abuse was a group of representatives from non-government
organizations, government ministries,
schools and communities gathered at
the Nitijela Conference Room Tuesday for
a one-week workshop by Pacific Women’s
Network Against Violence Against Women.
According to Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre
Coordinator Shamima Ali, the workshop
focuses on gender equality, violence against
women, child abuse and human rights. Basic
training will commence in the workshop,
said Ali. “It will be up to the participants
if they would work with the government to
deal with the issues.”
Ministry of Internal Affairs Manager of
Child Rights Office Carline Jarom added
that child abuse is a top issue. “It’s very
important to prevent violence,” said Women
United Together Director Daisy Momotaro.
Ali explained that the network has been
running for 28 years. “This is the first of
many collaborations,” said Ali.
Shamima Ali, who was in Majuro
last week to conduct a workshop
focusing on preventing violence
against women and children, was
named Pacific Woman of the Year by
Islands Business Magazine recently.
Human rights issue
Fiji’s Women’s Crisis Center
Coordinator Shamima Ali. Photos:
Suzanne Chutaro and Isaac Marty
Important role for men
Can our men lead the way to a peaceful tomorrow for families? Shamima Ali of the Fiji
Women’s Crisis Center believes so.
A new approach the Fiji Women’s Crisis Center
has spent the past 10 years to develop is their
publication of male advocacy for women’s human
rights. According to Ali, in general it is internationally recognized that men who commit violence
The question
everyone asks:
Ali is based in Fiji where she runs
the Women’s Crisis Center.
Islands Business magazine hailed
Ali for her outstanding work in
championing human rights in Fiji
and the region as a whole.
against women are the hardest to change. But she
believes through a “male advocacy” approach they
can change the mindset of men as a group.
She said having male politicians, church leaders, traditional leaders and policemen become
advocates for the cause of eliminating all forms
of gender violence would produce a real impact
on changing the mindset of the whole community.
Domestic violence is not a women’s
issue, it’s a human rights violation and
human development issue and this is
the message Fiji Women’s Crisis Center Coordinator Shamima Ali hopes the
government and people of the Marshall
Islands will come to understand and
appreciate as they make headway on
addressing the issue.
Ali, who has worked at Fiji women’s
Crisis Center since 1985 — first as a
volunteer, then as a coordinator — says
she got involved because she herself
is a survivor of violence, her mother
was in an abusive relationship, and she
“can’t stand injustice.”
“For some women and children,
violence is an everyday reality,” explained Ali. “We’re taking a right’s
based approach” to deal with domestic
violence. This is the same approach
other organizations throughout the
world are taking. Leading this effort in
the Pacific region is the Fiji Women’s
Crisis Center, which become the Secretariat for advocacy and sourcing funding for eliminating domestic violence
programs.
Ali warns that if left ignored, domestic violence will cause a burden on government resources and the economy.
“It creates a real cost to the nation,”
said Ali. “It impacts development.
Government and donor funds are spent
on dealing with domestic violence
rather then development issues.”
Ali points to the opportunity cost
of funding for strengthening policing,
medical care and the court’s time, all
of which is to respond to domestic
violence issues. In Fiji, she said her
government spends nearly US$250
million a year to deal with all forms
of gender-based violence.
‘Why doesn’t she just leave him?’
By SUZANNE CHUTARO
Most women who are victims of domestic
violence do not leave their situation, says Fiji
Women’s Crisis Center Coordinator Shimima
Ali. “Victims of domestic violence don’t want
to break up their families,” said Ali. “They just
want the violence to stop.”
This is often the case seen in the Marshall
Islands. Many of us know at least one woman
that is dealing with violence at the hands of her
spouse and the comment is always the same:
“why doesn’t she just leave him?”
Ali says the best thing friends and families
can do is “support them and believe them.”
“They have their reasons for not leaving —
kids, economics, religious vows, stigma and
the hope that he will change,” explains Ali.
In Fiji, Ali said when women seek help at
the crisis center, often they will stay for a few
days and use this time to collect themselves
and reflect. Meanwhile the center offers
Some of the publications produced by
the Fiji’s Women’s Crisis Center.
human rights-based feminist training and
counseling.
“What’s important is that we believe them,”
said Ali. “Then when she goes back to her
home she is empowered with knowledge of
her legal rights and information.”
As for men who are known perpetrators of
domestic violence, Ali encourages families to
talk to them and remind them that their actions
are wrong — they need to be re-educated to
change their mindset and to start respecting
women.
She said in cases like this, anger management doesn’t work: “Anger management is
for someone who beats up everyone, but wife
beaters only beat their wives.”
With the passage of Bill 93 on domestic
violence last year, Ali says she sees new op-
portunities for the umbrella women’s group
Women United Together Marshall Islands to
make strides in advocating against domestic
violence. But she cautions that a law alone
won’t solve the problems.
“You can have the best law in place but if
you people don’t understand it, it’s useless,”
she warns as she stressing the need for legal
literacy training at the grassroots level.
“WUTMI is ripe to establish counseling and
crisis centers,” said Ali who adds that now is
a good time for the RMI to conduct a survey
on domestic violence based on World Health
Organization standards.
The last survey on domestic violence was
conducted in 2004 and this was only a sample
survey. Violence counseling is another area
of need, Ali points out. Although there are
counselors in RMI, she notes that they are
counselors for substance abuse but none with
a focus on violence.
18
Coop says
komol tata
Coop board
President Jack
Niedenthal presents
a certificate of
recognition to
Japan Acting
Charge d’Affaires
Koji Matsuda for
the new classrooms
(above, right).
Japan Embassy officials and Majuro
Cooperative School teachers and students
got together last week to officially bless and
open new high school classrooms funded
by the Japanese government.
Acting Charge Koji Matsuda led a contingent of Embassy staff to the ceremony.
Board President Jack Niedenthal praised
Japan, saying that despite last year’s tsunami and nuclear power plant disasters, the
Japanese government still provided funding
to help the school. This is the fourth Coop
school facility that the Japan Embassy has
funded in recent years through its Grassroots Grants scheme.
Japanese language students JJ McCaffrey, Mikela Heine, Karen Liu, and Chrystle
Vila, with training from Japanese language
teacher Maki Tsunamoto, delivered thank
yous in Japanese and translated them into
English. Pastor Delja Anni blessed the new
building.
Benedict Yamamura, second
from left, with delegates
from the United Nations
Framework Convention on
Climate Change.
Yamamura in Durban
for ‘CC’ workshop
Benedict Yamamura was the first Pacific
Youth Delegate from the Marshall Islands
to attend a session of the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC) when he attended the recent
global meeting in Durban, South Africa.
He was among youth from the Pacific
region there to lobby with the Alliance of
the Small Island States with the big polluters
such as China and the United States for a
comprehensive, legally binding agreement.
“In our part of the world, climate change
is a reality and we as Pacific youth need to
fight for our future,” said Yamamura, who
is a student at the University of the South
Pacific in Suva. “Climate Change is the
greatest threat to the existence of the human
race and our environment.” Yamamura believes that youth involvement in the climate
justice movement is important.
Yamamura’s participation in the UNFCCC was funded by the RMI Office
of Environmental Planning and Policy
Coordination-Office under the President’s
Office as well as 350.org.
“The UNFCCC was the greatest experience in my life,” he said. “We didn’t cause
it but we will fight it.”
Maverick Felix
Marshall Islands High School, 12th Grade
F
or such a demanding job and a head
ached one, I would probably do everything
and anything in my power to make such
improvements. I would definitely follow the rules
agreed upon. If punishment is the answer then
punishment it will be. If the students understand
the benefits of school and how much people
dedicate their money and life to school they
wouldn’t want to let things go to waste, such as
time. That is if I were the principal.
19
Lawrence Janer
Marshall Islands High School, 12th Grade
R
ather than continue doing a great job of
being time friendly, I would deal with tardiness and absenteeism in ways that would
stop the students from doing this. For example, I
would let the students stay after school or before
school doing cleaning or chores. For the girls, to
clean the boy’s bathroom, this goes for the boys
also but to the girl’s bathroom. Things that would
make them come on time every day.
If yOu’rE iN EveLyn’s sHoes,
WhAt wOulD
yOu aLL dO?
Annietha Jilly
Majuro
Cooperative School
12th Grade
Y
es, of course we
want the students to finish
their education. Since
letting students be inattentive to class is a
downer, I would act! I
would show discipline,
nothing else but discipline. Students should
stay for detention and be
suspended from school
the third time they’ve
been warned. Even if
these are high school
students this seems to
be the best to get them
going. Time should not
go to waste.
Selvenious Marvin went out to find out what
local high school students think on the
question: What would you do if you were
in MIHS Principal Evelyn Konou’s shoes
regarding students being late and absent?
Lisa Lajkom
Assumption High
School, 9th Grade
I
would deal with the
students in an educated manner. First,
I would give them detention if they have two or
more tardies. Secondly,
I would counsel their
parents if they continue to miss two classes
without notes from their
parents or doctors. Finally, I would suspend
them if they continue
doing so.
Sudoku
Last week’s answer
Alma Capelle
Seventh-Day Adventist, 11th Grade
L
ate and absent are the two most hated
concepts of meeting the modern lifestyle. Due to the fact that we don’t have
enough time and time is not with us I would
consider 15 to 30 minutes be considered as
“absent.” The students will not be allowed to
attend their first period but will do cleaning.
The late students will have to pay two dollars
and be awarded with one-week detention.
HS b’ball results
through Tuesday
Jan. 25..........NVTI def. MIHS (2), 46-43
Jan. 26..........Co-Op (girls) def. Laura
Jan. 27..........GED (boys) def. MIHS (2), 28-25
Jan. 30..........AHS (boys) def. GED: 42-34
Jan. 30..........Co-Op (girls) def. AHS, 27-25
Jan. 31..........Baptist (boys) def. SDA, 32-29
Correction
Jan. 21..........MIHS (2) girls def. MIHS (1): Forfeit
Standings
Boys:
MIHS (1)..... 3-0
AHS............ 4-1
GED............ 2-1
Baptist........ 2-0
Rongrong.... 1-0
Co-Op......... 1-1
SDA............ 1-3
NVTI........... 1-3
Laura.......... 0-2
MIHS (2)..... 0-4
Girls:
Co-Op......... 3-0
Basketball
AHS............ 2-2
at Salvation
MIHS........... 1-2
Army court.
Laura.......... 0-2
MIHS (2)..... 1-1
20
Abnono in kar
ekalel eo kio
Jilu iaan ri jibadrek ro im raar luuj, emoj
aer kadrelone juon aer abnono ippen dron,
imaan High Court eo, ilo December 30
eo, ilo aer jumaeiki an kar Chief Electoral
Officer eo, kar boki im buni postal absentee
ballot ko, im rekar jab jain imaan mejen
notary public ro ilo United States en.
Botaap jen ke abnono in ekar jino drelon,
ejjanin dre bar wor emakitkit en enanin
komman, nan komman ien ronjake ko bwe
ren maron in lemnak kin abnono jab in.
Ilo wiik eo lok, attorney Gerald Zackios,
jede ilo etan Amenta Matthew, im kab Eldon
Note, ekar kadrelone juon kajjitok ippen
High Court eo, bwe en komman juon ien
status conference ikijien menin. Botaap ilo
Wednesday, un eo bwe en kar jab komman
ien ronjake ak status conference, jen wot an
kar alikkar ke Judge James Plasman, ej kab
kemelimi an komman ien ronjake eo, ilo
an uwaake kajjitok eo jinoin tata jen ippen
Zackios, nan juon ien kar status conference.
“Kain kajjitok rot in ekar mokaj jidrik
an wonlontak,” Plasman ear ba. Mene pepa
ko rekar kadreloni ilo Court, rej kalikare ke
abnono eo ekar etal juon lelkan nan ippen
Chief Electoral Officer eo, Joseph Jorlang,
Internal Affairs Acting Secretary eo, Wallace
Peter, im kab Acting Attorney General eo,
Tubosoye Brown, “ej bareinwot alikkar ke
ear ejjelok men eo rej ba summons, ak pepa
in kur, im ear bareinwot etal nan ippen ri
jumae ro bareinwot,” Plasman ear ba.
“Pepa in kur eo, ej mottan eo elap an
aurok in, ilo jerbal in kadrelon menin
abnono ko, einwot ke ej karone ri jumae kin
won eo ej loear nan ri abnono, jonan ien eo
lelok nane bwe en uwaak, eo im ri jumae ej
aikuij in bojak in jede im jojomare emake
ie, ekoba ta wawein im jekjek ko renaaj jelet
ri jumae elane enaaj kar likjab in uwaak,”
Plasman ear ba.
Ilo an ejjelok juon kur, im emoj an etal nan
ippen ri jumae ikijien menin, “innem abnono
eo ejjanin lukkun in jino kitien, im ejjab
maron in wonmanlok wot,” Plasman ear ba.
Judge eo ear ba bwe kajjitok eo nan juon
status conference, enaaj rumwij lok, mae
ien eo im “komman kojjela eo ilo jimwe im
jetjet, enaaj etal ion ri jumae ro.”
Filimon asks for delay
Saying his office is “severely understaffed with the departure of two attorneys,” RMI Attorney General Filimon
Manoni on Monday asked the High
Court for 20 additional days to respond
to a complaint filed by attorney Gerald
Zackios for himself, Amenta Matthew
and Eldon Note.
They challenged the Chief Electoral
Officer Joseph Jorlang’s acceptance of
postal absentee ballots that were not
properly notarized. All lost their elections
due to the inclusion of postal ballots.
Manoni noted that the AG’s office and
the Public Service Commission are in the
process of hiring new attorneys, but in the
meantime he said he needs extra time to
respond to the suit.
Ro rej chairman nan
Nitijela Committee ko
Speaker
Donald
Capelle
Speaker Donald Capelle, emoj an kojjela kin ro
uwaan committee ko an Nitijela ilo raan in Friday eo.
Ruo iaan committee ko jiljilimjuon, enaaj bed wot
ejja chairmen ro ie, jen kar Nitijela eo mokta lok,
2008-2011 eo, ilo an juon iaan committee kein naaj
jea jen ippen juon iaan senator ro rekaal, im ej kab
baj juon katten an jijot tok ilo opiij.
Kwajalein Senator Michael Kabua, enaaj wonmanlok wot im bok jea eo an Appropriations Committee eo, im ejja einwot nan Kwajalein Senator,
Jeban Riklon, eo im enaaj wonmanlok wot im bok
jea eo an Judiciary and Governmental Relations
Committee eo.
Member eo ekaal an Nitijela, Senator Tony Aiseia
jen Namu, enaaj jea nan Ways and Means Committee eo.
Rongelap Senator Kenneth Kedi, enaaj jea eo
an Public Accounts Committee eo, Ujae Senator,
Caios Lucky, enaaj jea nan Health, Education and
Social Affairs Committee eo, im Arno Senator, Jiba
Kabua, enaaj bok eddo in Resources and Development Committee eo, im Lib Island Senator, Jerakoj
Bejang, enaaj jea nan Foreign Affairs and Trade
Committee eo.
21
22
What has the UN done?
Journal 2/5/1973
P10 UN’s here — but it’s
all BS by Dave Moss
This last week has seen
some thorough cleaning of
the DUD area. At first glance, I
thought “about time.”
At second glance, I knew
why — the United Nations
visiting mission is coming this
week.
Time to spruce up the island,
get things shipshape, put up a
false front.
Time to spruce up the island, with the hoopla, bow and
scrape a little, birth and cry
a little, and send the visitors
on their way, laden with stick
charts, model canoes, hats,
flowers, and woven bowls. But
what has the UN ever done for
Micronesia.
Any help in pushing along
self-determination?
No. Any help in developing
a viable, self-sufficient economy? No. Any help in unifying
the incredibly diverse elements
that make up Micronesia?
No. But yet the Trusteeship
Agreement for Micronesia
calls for the United States to
individuals, but Marimed Executive Director Teri Klein said
the organization is still $1 million short of the amount needed
to complete the ship.
The ship will be outfitted with
surgery rooms, and laboratory,
pharmacy and x-ray facilities.
Klein said the ship will “be a
boon” for isolated outer islands
in the Marshalls that have very
little medical care and health
education.
Journal 2/3/1995
P14 Marshall Islands
develop Micronesia politically,
economically and socially. The
UN is supposed to shepherd
this development, and hasten
the time of a plebiscite, or else
take Micronesia away from
the Americans and give it to
someone else (like the Micronesians?).
But what has the UN every
really done for Micronesia. A
WHO team whenever an epidemic hits the islands. A package of posters showing what
the UN does in other countries.
An agriculture bulletin or two.
What else?
Journal 2/6/1987
P1 Ship shape up?
In the wake of a critical Auditor General’s report, some
changes are in progress at
the ministry of Transportation.
Last year, the Auditor General reported to the Nitijela
that hundreds of thousands of
dollars were lost annually by
the issuance of credit for freight
shipped and the lack of control
over tickets, and that passengers were being endangered
by overcrowding of vessels.
The report was also critical of
the Transportation office for not
publishing a schedule during
1985.
P9
Marimed looks to 1988
arrival of ‘Tole Mour’
The Marimed Foundation’s ship “Tole Mour” will
be launched next January,
if construction proceeds as
planned, reported the Honolulu
Star-Bulletin.
The 150-foot topsail schooner is being built in Washington
state. The $2.2 million project
is being funded by private
foundations, corporations and
High School Honor Roll, 12th
grade
Tarry Henos, Morda Morris,
Selma Peter, Zin Thomas, Robert Anjain, Anja Henos, Jesse
Napolitano, Naomi Lang, Dixie
Lomae, Tommy Bohanny, Melissa Zion, Shigeyoshi Ogawa,
Nella Jitiam, Samious Anmontha, Carner Andrew, Calvert
Muller, Tarbein Daniel, Bruce
Bwijtak, Kimi Jorlang, Tony
Netwon, Mackton Peter, Joann
Keju, Cashmil Simon, Jennifer
Johnny, Lucky Jima, Yoma
Lodge, Ladd Capelle, Ranny
Anrak, and Dohsis Lokot.
23
Iakwe eo ej jaan
Man 1: I have wanted you for the longest time. I have money. Woman: Jera, I’m
with you ’til death do us part. Man 2 (in the background): Oh Anij, now that I’m
broke she doesn’t love me any more.
WATCH OUT FOR thieves
Person in house: Jera, bring the clothes inside because someone will steal them
and then sell them.
Women and their deceiving ways
Ri-eoñõd: Take this money and go use a washing machine and go shopping for
what we need. Kõra eo Paleen: Sure, give it to me. I’ll get things for the kids. I
don’t mind washing by hand. (Thinking) I’ll save some for the block party.
kokaale Tempel eo
Nitijela candidate: Wõn kwe? Rat: Ij juon ian member ro an nitijela. Nitijela
staffer: Oh mol ke? Ewi opij in am? Rat: Eñnene!
Patience: taktõ, kwalok tok juon kõkalle. Imijak Swine Flu. Doctor: Swine
Flu emaroñ pad ippen A-O-L-E-P. Patience: Io wañ.
jab jokpej
Officer: What are you doing, disobeying the law? Citizen: No, I am just
getting an update on Climate Change.
24
Cruisers’
challenge
The brand new
Billfish board
Every third week on a Tuesday, the international cruisers and members of the Mieco Beach
Yacht Club go to MIR for pasta and the pub
quiz. “I think the pub quiz is great,” said Resort
GM Bill Weza. “As well as being good fun,
it’s an opportunity to stimulate the mind. I’ve
participated in quite a few of them and they’re
quite a challenge.” It costs $1 to take part in the
quiz with teams of up to two people allowed.
The winning team gets the kitty and writes the
next quiz. This week’s quiz, which was written
by Barney van Auken and Zoey Meyers, was
won by Naomi Tabata and John Fermont from
the yacht Renova. They were presented with
their winnings by Glenda Bernaez of the yacht
Helena.
Photo: Yvonne Magee
When approaching the manager of Do It Best, you need
to be especially polite as Larry Hernandez has now reached
presidential status. In fact, using the term ‘Your Excellency’
wouldn’t go astray.
Yes, Larry is now President of the Marshalls Billfish Club,
replacing Charles Stinnett.
He was voted in on Friday night at the club’s annual general
meeting at RRE’s Bokanake.
Club members also voted Provan Crump in as Vice President, Kyle Aliven as Secretary, and Rudy Aliven as Tournament Director.
There are three members at large: Reginald White, Charles
Stinnett, and Scott Howe.
It is expected that the next Billfish Club tournament will be
held on Saturday, February 11, but this was to be confirmed
Wednesday evening.
Reservoir needs rain
With Majuro entering the annual dry
season, Majuro Water and Sewer Company’s airport reservoir levels are dropping.
As recently as January 16, the level was
over 20 million, or close to two-thirds full.
It has continued to drop off with almost
no rainfall the past 10 days.
As of Friday last week the water level
was down to 16.6 million gallons.
The first substantial rain in a week arrived Saturday, but after pumping water
Monday, the reservoir was below 16
million gallons for the first time in about
a year.
Children start fire
at MAWC dump
ISAAC MARTY
Police vehicles and fire trucks with sirens
blaring sped to the Majuro dump because
of a fire last week Wednesday.
According to MAWC Manager Jorelik
Tibon, it was after 2pm that smoke was
spotted going up at the southwest part of
the dump.
Workers ran into the area and caught
two out of three kids around 12 years old.
Upon questioning, the kids said they were
out looking for butane gas canisters to sniff.
The two kids said the other kid was the
one who lit the fire on the top edge of the
mountain of trash.
The kids were suspected of entering the
dump by climbing around the ocean side,
said Tibon.
A loader truck was quickly used to climb
the garbage pile with a 500-gallon water
tank trailer to spray the fire that was spreading. “I immediately called the police station
and the RMI Ports Authority at the airport.
Half hour later, police cars and fire trucks
arrived at the scene,” said Tibon.
“Fire trucks were not able to climb the
pile of garbage, so they went around to
Lumbert DeBrum’s area (airport side of the
dump) and sprayed from there.”
Meanwhile, a water truck was dispatched
from Majuro Water and Sewer Company
to help with refills. By about 10pm the fire
died down but continued to smoke. An excavator was used to dig the pile to continue
dousing the area.
“We continued our inspection of the area,
to check if a fire is likely to break out again,”
said Tibon.
“The parents are not aware of their children and what they might be doing.”
Chuuk guy
gets 20 years
for murder
in Oahu
A Chuukese resident of
Waipahu in Oahu, Hawaii
was sentenced to 20 years in
jail this week for stabbing his
cousin to death in a drunken
brawl in a parking lot January
2010, reported the Honolulu
Star-Advertiser.
The sentencing hearing
prompted prosecutor Darrell Wong to ask the judge
to impose a stiff sentence
“to send a message out to
the Micronesian community,
mainly the males, who take it
upon themselves the idea that
they can just drink all they
want and not be responsible
for what happens after that.”
Peter David was sentenced
to 20 years in jail for killing his cousin Santhony Albert. The two had left a New
Year’s party in Kalihi that
broke up when other cousins had gotten into a fight
over a karaoke machine and
went to Waipahu to continue
drinking. David claimed he
stabbed his cousin in selfdefense while his cousin beat
him in a parking lot.
“Over the past few years
we have had a number of cases that have come in involving Chuukese, Micronesian
males … who get inebriated
on alcohol and then become
violent with their own family
members, their own friends,
and it involves lives,” Wong
said.
The Star-Advertiser quoted
Oncher Walter, who criticized Wong for singling out
Micronesians. “It’s not just
Micronesians who do bad
things when they drink. The
jails are not filled with just
Micronesians,” Walter said.
Marshall Islander Will
Swain, president of an advocacy group for Marshallese patients of nuclear fallout, said that if what Wong
stated in court is true, then
something should be done
to stop the drunken violence
because it not only affects
the Chuukese community, it
affects everyone.
“I agree that we should
send a message,” he said,
because it casts a bad light
on all Micronesians.
But he said his concern
with Wong’s statement was
the blanket use of the term
Brawl in
Honolulu
While reporting on
the Chuukese man sentenced to 20 years for
murdering his cousin,
the Honolulu StarAdvertiser in the same
edition reported that
a brawl last Friday at
Mayor Wright Homes
in Honolulu left one
man dead and three
others wounded.
Police arrested one
man after the brawl
and opened a murder
investigation.
A resident of the
apartment complex
said the man who
died is a relative of
21-year-old Chuukese
TJ Mori, who was fatally stabbed during
an argument at Mayor
Wright Homes in September.
Takson Krstoth, 21,
is awaiting trial in that
murder.
Micronesians because Micronesia includes not just the
Federated States of Micronesia, but also the Marshall
Islands, the Commonwealth
of the Northern Mariana
Islands and Palau.
In an interview with the
Star-Advertiser, Wong said
in addition to David’s manslaughter case, he is handling
an attempted murder case in
which Clinton Otto allegedly attacked another man
with a machete last May
during a wedding at Mililani
Presbyterian Church. Wong
also pointed to the case of
Frank Sanes, whom a jury
found guilty of manslaughter
in 2008 for fatally stabbing
another man outside a bar
in Waimalu. More recently,
Takson Krstoth is awaiting
trial for murder for allegedly stabbing another man at
Mayor Wright Housing last
September.
All three cases involve alcohol and people from Chuuk
who knew each other.
25
Monica trial
lasts three
weeks
Bye Stephen, hi Allison
Stephen Shu-Chi Hsu, the second Secretary of the Republic of China (Taiwan)
who has worked in the ROC Embassy for
three years has bid RMI farewell as he left
early last month heading to Taiwan. He
will be working at ROC’s Department of
North American Affairs. “I will miss the
Marshall Islands and the people,” said
Hsu. He was replaced by Allison Chao,
who currently serves as the Embassy’s
First Secretary after arriving early last
week. Photo: Isaac Marty
The trial of Monica Fang
Zhou has stretched over
three weeks, and the final
day of statements will be
held this coming Monday,
February 6.
She is facing promotion
of prostitution and related
charges. Her trial before
Chief Justice Carl Ingram
started Wednesday January
18 and continued through
Monday this week, when it
was decided to delay final
arguments to next Monday.
Monica is represented by
attorney Philip Okney and
the case is being prosecuted
by Assistant Attorney General Jack Jorbon.
MISSA sues Holly Correction
Marshall Islands Social Security
Administration filed suit this week
against Matthew Holly alleging
unpaid retirement and health fund
taxes.
MISSA, through its attorney
David Strauss, claims that Holly
Eldon Note
Appeal
dismissed
Eldon Note’s 2010 appeal
to the Supreme Court of a
lower court ruling on his KiliBikini-Ejit mayoral challenge
was officially dismissed on
January 24 by RMI Supreme
Court Chief Justice Daniel
Cadra.
Cadra said notice was given of the Supreme Court’s
intention to dismiss the appeal and with no one suggesting otherwise, he ordered
it dismissed. Note had filed
suit against Chief Electoral
Officer Joseph Jorlang and
the Clerk of the KBE Council
claiming that a special election should be held after the
death of Kataejar Jibas.
Note has a High Court
complaint pending against
Jorlang for alleged deficiencies in the tabulation of postal
absentee ballots from the
November 2011 election.
did not file returns from the quarter
ending March 31, 2005 through the
quarter ending March 31, 2010,
and now owes MISSA $20,437.86.
With interest, late fees and 100
percent penalty, the total MISSA is
seeking from Holly is $51,637.11.
Last week’s article on medical evacuation of a
sick crewman from a cargo vessel several miles
off Majuro Atoll referred to RRE official Michael
Cheng as RRE’s “CEO.”
In fact, he is the Chief Operating Officer (COO)
and Ramsey Reimers is the Chief Executive Officer.
26
Tide Chart
DateTimeFt.
2
4:13 am.......... 1.3
Thursday
11:58............... 2.9
7:20 pm.......... 1.4
AA Meetings
Tuesday & Thursday 6:30pm
at CMI RH building, room 122
3
12:59 am.........2.3
Friday6:38 ............... 1.3
1:34 pm.......... 3.3
8:23 ............... 0.9
7
4:01 am.......... 4.0
Tuesday9:53 .............. -0.3
4:11 pm.......... 5.1
10:31 ............ -0.7
4
2:15
Saturday
7:54
2:26
8:59
8
4:33 am.......... 4.3
Wednesday10:27 ............. -0.6
4:44 pm.......... 5.3
11:02 ............. -0.9
am.......... 2.6
............... 0.9
pm.......... 3.8
............... 0.4
5
2:56 am.......... 3.1
Sunday8:40................ 0.5
3:04 pm.......... 4.3
9:31................ 0.0
9
5:05 am.......... 4.0
Thursday
11:02.............. -0.7
5:17 pm.......... 5.4
11:33 ............. -1.0
6
3:29 am.......... 3.6
Monday9:18 ............... 0.0
3:38 pm.......... 4.7
10:01 ............ -0.4
10
5:38 am...........4.7
Friday11:37 ............. -0.7
5:50 pm.......... 5.3
Kramer: ‘Funds
for scouts okay’
At its Annual Business
Meeting in Hawaii last
month, the Boy Scouts of
America/Aloha Council’s
Executive Board nominated
and unanimously approved
the renewal of Jerry Kramer
as member of the Executive
Board, and Kenneth Kramer
as District Chairman.
The Marshall Islands has
about 25 percent of the boys
in the Pacific Basin Scouting
program, which encompasses
all US-affiliated islands
in the region. “The Aloha
Council has some money
constraints and is looking
to reduce its expenses in
the Pacific Basin Scouting
program,” said Jerry. But
because of its significant
population of scouts, “the
Marshalls is secure for now,”
Jerry said. He noted that
Hirobo Obeketang, Larry
Hernandez and many other
local residents have been key
to the success of the program
in the RMI.
27
28
Send your hysterical, gripping, or insightful Are You Awares? to [email protected]
THAT backing up your data and photos
Agency based in Honiara?
THAT this appears to be
into the ‘cloud’ is starting to become an afTHAT the regional agency SPC is
fordable reality with, for example, the site
currently the subject of an independent
the year winter forgot
carbonite.com offering unlimited back-up
review by a seven-member team from
with much of the US
space for $59 a year?
several South Pacific islands, the US and
reporting higher than
THAT there are only 3,291 registered
Australia but none representing north
normal temperatures,
hunters in Japan’s nuclear-ravaged FuPacific nations?
kushima prefecture, compared to 4,779
including Lincoln,
THAT 80 nations have established
a year ago, because of fears that animals
diplomatic
relations with RMI since
Nebraska, recoding a
may be contaminated with radioactive
1986 — the first was the United States
high of 68 degrees, which and the most recent was the Kingdom
substances?
is 33 degrees above the
THAT you can’t determine the largest
of Morocco?
atoll in the world due to the fact that differnorm?
THAT the Majuro Chamber of Coment criteria for size
merce is taking
muddies the issue?
a hard look at the
T H AT a t o l l s
question of handling
disputed as being
annual Christmas
THAT Emperoro Akihito islands are paid from income parades?
“largest in the world” (Kwajalein: Lagoon area, Christmas of Japan will not be visiting generated by their respective
THAT over the next few
Island: Land mass) can’t be the RMI this year to honor local governments, the RMI weeks, Pohnpei will be shedulgovernment also provides the ing power outages to that they
considered “muddy” since his birthday?
THAT Mayors in the Mar- additional salary of $10,258? can rebuild a generator?
they are formed from coral?
THAT attorney and longTHAT the European fast- shall Islands are paid a salary
THAT Majuro Atoll Waste
food chain Quick is selling of $10,258 per year by the time (now former) Arno Sena- Company is considering issutor Gerald Zackios is in the ance of $3 special passes (like
a Darth Vader style burger RMI government?
THAT although Mayors competition for the regional movie tickets) for vehicles
which comes with all the
regular ingredients stuffed into from Majuro, Kwajalein and post of Director of the Pa- wishing to enter the dump area
the four nuclear affected cific Islands Forum Fisheries to drop off product?
a black bum?
ARE YOU AWARE?

to see a sample of the Journal

Transcription

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