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Friday, April 4, 2008
RMI joins talks on ri Majol in US
What is different about the current situation of heavy out-migration of Marshallese and Micronesians to the US is that leaders in the freely associated states are now engaging with Hawaii state officials to address the many issues that have largely been ignored until recently. That is the view of Hawaii state Senator Kalani English, who spent the weekend in Majuro to meet with American Samoa Congressman Eni Faleomavaega, US Ambassador Clyde Bishop and RMI officials.
$3.2m boost for projects
In March, the RMI Ministry of Finance received Compact-funded payments from the United States government totaling $3,229,055. These payments were for Compact sector grants and Compact infrastructure projects for March, fiscal year 2006 Supplemental Education Grant (SEG), FY07 SEG, and the Enewetak Food and Agriculture Program.
State funeral for ex-Minister Lemari
Former long-time Cabinet Minister Kunio Lemari died late last week and flags were flying at half-mast through April 6. President Litokwa Tomeing set a week of national mourning for Lemari. On Tuesday, a state funeral was held at the Nitijela chamber, with police honor guard.
Litokwa to
visit Japan
President Litokwa Tomeing and First Lady Arlynn Tomeing will head to Japan for their first “state working visit” that starts Monday April 7. The Japan Embassy in Majuro said the visit will continue through April 11.
Tapping into our Pacific sun
The E-8 — a non-profit group representing power companies in eight of the major developed nations of the world — and the Pacific Power Association are sponsoring a two-week workshop in Majuro providing classroom and hands-on training in solar systems. Electrical company officials from power companies throughout the north Pacific are here for the workshop that is happening at the Marshall Islands Resort. The workshop started Monday and ends April 11.
Farewell to Harumi Nii
Long time resident of the Marshall Islands Harumi Nii died early Thursday morning last week in Majuro. She was 92 years old and had lived in the Marshall Islands for 35 years.

Phone:
(692) 625-8143
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Fax:
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Mail:
PO Box 14 Majuro, MH 96960 Marshall Islands
In Person:
On the ocean road behind Formosa in Uliga, Majuro
Frisco Lang had something to ‘spray’ during a clean-up effort at the airport ... but his target, Niten Anni, wasn’t overly impressed. The pair were taking part in a clean-up of the airport with the rest of the cast of the MIHS production Comedy of Errors. The Shakespeare play will premiere at the RRE Shoreline stage on Tuesday, April 22. Photo: Helmar Anito.
Allen: Langidrik lied, Rien interfered
By GIFF JOHNSON
Former Internal Affairs Secretary Wilbur Allen told the Journal that Public Service Commission Chairman Cent Langidrik lied to the Commission of Inquiry and former IA Minister Rien Morris interfered in the PSC hiring process to get Carl Alik the Chief Electoral Officer position. “We were trying to go through the (selection) process,” Allen told the Journal. “He (Morris) interfered.” Allen was responding to the front-page story in last week’s paper reporting on Langidrik’s testimony before the Commission of Inquiry where Langidrik said there was no involvement of the former Minister in Alik’s selection and that Allen, as the then-Secretary, had recommended Alik. Allen said he believes the PSC chairman was “trying to maintain the integrity of PSC” by lying about the Minister’s involvement in the hiring of Alik. “PSC is trying to hide it because a Minister is not supposed to pressure them,” he said. “The Public Service Commission shall not receive any direction from the Cabinet or from any other authority or person but shall act independently…,” the RMI Constitution’s Article 7, Section 10 says in part. Allen said he and two PSC assistant commissioners were on the selection committee that screened applicants to head the Electoral Administration. This occurred when that post became open in late 2005 when former Chief Electoral Officer Hemely Benjamin was moved to head Internal Affairs Sports and Recreation office.
More strife with the Dash-8
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As soon as Air Marshall Islands fixes one problem with the Dash-8, another crops up. The latest is the uncertainty caused by the unannounced departure from Majuro of one of only two local pilots currently certified to fly the Dash-8, forcing AMI general manager Dan Fitzpatrick to attempt to hire at least one qualified pilot from outside on a short term contract until AMI can send out additional local pilots to be re-certified at the Seattle-based facility. Parts to fix the exhaust pipes on the 34-seater Dash were expected to arrive Wednesday night this week, and Fitzpatrick told the Journal this is expected to take just a few minutes to install, meaning that the airline aims to have flight testing of the plane starting from later this week — but that depends on having two pilots to fly the plane. One of the two Marshallese pilots who was recertified in February at a cost to AMI of $9,000 refused to sign an agreement that would require his service to AMI, according to both Fitzpatrick and board members. Then last week, this pilot left the islands without communicating with airline management, which had earlier expected to begin flight-testing on Monday this week. Fitzpatrick told the Journal on Wednesday that he has 14 possible options with certified pilots who may be candidates to be brought in quickly to fill pilot positions. He said the aim is to send more Marshallese pilots to be re-certified, but the first available slots available at the Seattle flight facility are early May and the airline can’t wait that long to get the Dash-8 flying.
The stories shown here are just a sample from this week's paper.
The Majuro Weather Station now has high frequency (HF) and single-sideband (SSB) radio capability that covers the outer islands and can be used to talk to Pohnpei or Guam in an emergency, a new VHF emergency base station (complete lagoon coverage to a handheld radio for emergencies and a direct link to the hospital) and a new broadcast station for dissemination of information to the public. Weather station chief Reginald White (right) is joined by Weather, hospital and other agency staff in the new facility.