Subscribe to the Journal. One year costs just $52 by check or $57 by PayPal (See subscribe button at top)! Click here to see a sample of the Journal.
FRIDAY, August 21, 2009
Germs have a battle surviving at USP Delap due to the school’s rule of cleaning your hands on entering. Staffer Noatia Siofilisi, pictured, thinks it’s a great idea.
Imata: Fix KADA or else
Former President and Kwajalein Iroij Imata Kabua (pictured) has demanded President Litokwa Tomeing appoint a new board for the Kwajalein Atoll Development Authority. In a letter sent to the President last week, Kabua’s attorney David Lowe told the President “should you fail or refuse to appoint a board of directors for KADA, as you are required to do by law, Iroijlaplap Imata Kabua will pursue the matter by all appropriate means at his disposal.” A new KADA law was adopted by the Nitijela
in early 2008, but to date has not been implemented. The lack of implementation is intertwined with the falling out between former Foreign Minister and Kwajalein Senator Tony deBrum — an introducer of the KADA legislation — and President Tomeing that began late last year, and the shakeup in government that occurred earlier this year. The US government says KADA cannot receive US money because the Nitijela law does not comply with Compact funding requirements, and KADA
does not meet sub-grantee rules.
The 2008 law requires Presidential action to appoint the board. All but one of the members are appointed by their title, with only one to be named by the President. Lowe said Tomeing is allowed “discretion in one appointment, that of the RMI representative. All other appointments are not
subject to the discretion of the President; rather they are a ministerial duty that the President is required to perform.”
Lowe accused the President of having “failed and refused to appoint a board of directors for KADA, as you are required to do by law.” Lowe said that Kabua “demands that you immediately exercise and perform the ministerial duties required of you as President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands by appointing a board of directors for KADA.”
President’s office officials contacted Tuesday by the Journal indicated they had not seen the letter, which is dated August 11.
No-confidence motion planned
This Week's
Inside Stories
Won Pat to address WUTMI
Guam Speaker of the House Dr. Judith Won Pat will be in Majuro next week to deliver the keynote address to Women United Together Marshall Islands’ executive board meeting. Won Pat, a five-term senator for the Guam Legislature, was voted in as Speaker in 2008.
Terrorism talks
RMI government and private sector workers spent three days this week in a US Department of Defense Joint Task Force/Homeland Defense (JTF-HD) sponsored “All-Hazards Terrorism” workshop held at Marshall Islands Resort’s Melele Room.
“Our goal is to build on last year’s exchange and provide an opportunity to test and help identify the current strengths and areas of improvement in the Majuro and RMI emergency response plans,” said Michelle Garcia, the JTF/HD coordinator.
Campbell eager to
return to RMI
New US Ambassador to the Marshall Islands Martha Campbell is to be sworn in for duty later this week, following her recent confirmation by the US Senate. She is expected to arrive in the Marshall Islands on September 5, according to the US Embassy in Majuro.
MEC wraps up Ebon solar job
MEC solar unit technicians have been hard at work over the last month in Ebon, where they put solar power systems on both of the atoll’s schools. They have now completed the first three of the six schools that should be installed by Christmas. Elementary schools in Ine Island in Arno Atoll and Ebon and Take islands in Ebon Atoll now have solar power for the first time.
By GIFF JOHNSON
President Litokwa Tomeing may be facing an unprecedented third motion of no confidence when the Nitijela reconvenes next week.
Elected leaders associated with both political parties have told the Journal of plans to introduce a motion of no confidence against the President after next week’s session starts. Speaker Jurelang Zedkaia has set Monday as the opening of the second session of 2009, and aside from several speeches, no official business is anticipated on 		the opening day. But elected leaders have indicated to the Journal that shortly after the business sessions of the Nitijela commence, possibly as early as mid-week, a no-confidence motion is likely to be introduced.
If the talk turns to action, it will be the third motion of no confidence in the 18-months that Tomeing has been President of the Marshall Islands. The first one, in late 2008, was introduced by opposition United Democratic Party senators and then withdrawn the day of the expected vote.
 The second was introduced by senators from the then-ruling Aelon Kein Ad party during the session earlier this year. This led to protracted delays and procedural maneuvering that finally culminated in a vote that defeated the motion after the President enlisted his former colleagues from the UDP to vote with him.
The difference in this possible third motion of no confidence is that there appears to be support coming for the motion from senators identified with both parties, in contrast to the earlier one-party motions.
Beautify the islands... Keep trash off the streets & beaches.
Hawaii cuts off vital treatments
Patient: Hey... are you stupid or what!
Doctor: Jolok bod, ibban e wonam.
Alik gets 70 cute chicks
Republic of China/Taiwan’s Laura Farm animal husbandry specialist Lewis Lin (pictured right) delivered a harem of 70 cute chicks to Majuro Senator and Vice Speaker of Nitijela Alik Alik on Wednesday. Alik is one of 35 other lucky Majuro residents and farmers who’ve been handed the responsibility of caring for the chicks and to ensure their survival, Lin says chicken pens are also included with the donation.
Wally to represent Marshalls
The Marshalls Billfish Club board-appointed All Micronesia Tournament Committee will be hosting the 17th Annual Budweiser All Micronesia Fishing Tournament in Majuro in early September. Visiting teams from Japan, Taiwan, Guam, Saipan, Pohnpei, Yap, Kosrae, Kwajalein and Samoa are set to compete in this event, with more teams possible. The team representing Majuro and the Marshalls Billfish Club will be the 2009 Atjang Paul Memorial Trophy winner Captain Wally Milne of Team Marah.

Journal 8/26/1972

Journal 8/26/1974
P1 For the past 27 years, the people of Enewetak have lived on the lonely atoll of Ujelang. But next week, an Ujelang delegation of about 50 will be returning to their home atoll. Iroij Johannis Peter, Magistrate John Abraham, Members of the council and the heads of each of the families on Ujelang will be returning to Enewetak to discuss plans for the cleanup and rehabilitation of their atoll.
P1 The three bills that are likely to be the major subject of debate during the current special session of the Congress of Micronesia were introduced in the Senate August 15. The bills are the enabling legislation for a Micronesian Constitutional Convention, a bill establishing an office of Micronesian Governmental Transition, and a bill establishing a Commission on National Unity. All three measures were introduced by ,
P5 If there were those who deserve public praise, it would be certainly worth considering the Nitijela and its arm in economic and social development, MIDA (Marshall Islands Development Authority). Equal credits should also go to the copra producers of the Marshall Islands who have participated in the execution of a petition to the High Commissioner. All of these people have fought together and they have won. They have won a copra price that will enable the population of the Marshalls in their long hard struggle for more decent living and upgraded status. The copra price is a direct result of a united front of the Marshalls despite the encountered strong opposition to raising the copra price.
P5 The Majuro Chamber of Commerce saw some lively discussions on a number of topics this week. Air Micronesia’s representative Dub Bedford and Rethmar Lekka informed the meeting that as of September 10, Air Micronesia will drop its Tuesday flight to Honolulu and stay over in Majuro, returning to Guam on Wednesday. Also announced was the introduction of an excursion rate for Majuro-Guam, 75 percent of full fare and must include one other stop. The topic then got to mail and air freight and it livened up a bit. Evidently there are large backloads of cargo for all districts in both Guam and Honolulu, with reports saying no more air freight will be accepted until September.
Senator Lazarus Salii (Palau)chairman of the Joint Committee on Future Status.
P1 “Micronesian Memories: Paving over Paradise,” by Eric Treisman: There was a lot of murmuring and eyebrow-raising in the Council of Rull. Mike Killian ignored the hubbub and said, “Let’s get on with it. Do the people here prefer to have their airport on the reef, or along the ridge?” It sounded to me like they might not want it at all. Supposing they didn’t, I asked Mike — would it be stopped? Mike did not like the question. He glared at me and muttered to Tamaged, the administration’s interpreter, “I don’t want that translated.” Tamaged didn’t translate it, but Figirmad did. Killian and the other administration people were really overbearing. To me this jet port looks like a railroad.
P3 Jim Duffy, a former contract employee of the Trust Territory government, has begun work as manager for the Eastern Gateway Hotel. Duffy, who has a degree in hotel and restaurant management, worked in this capacity with several bars in the mainland US before coming to Micronesia. The Eastern Gateway is now in its second year of operation in Majuro. Majuro’s other hotel, the Mieco, is located in the central downtown area. A third hotel is presently under construction in the downtown area being built by Molik Ishiguro.

Journal 8/21/1992
P1 The first-ever turtle evaluation survey, conducted jointly by the South Pacific Regional Environment Program and the Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority has just been completed, and according to Bill Puleloa of the National Fisheries Agency of the US, the team returned with some good news and some bad news. Real bad news. Both Bikar Atoll and the island of Jemo were visited. The good news, says Puleloa, is that the turtles inspected during the survey are apparently free from the tumors that have been found to afflict turtles in other areas such as Hawaii and the southeast coastal areas of the US. The bad news is the turtles at Bikar are under very serious attack by a huge rat population, a population that Puleloa maintains was not evident on the atoll in the 1970s when he made a previous trip to the isolated atoll. “The rat problem is incredible,” he said. Not only do the rats eat the eggs of the turtles when they were being deposited on the beach, they also gang up in a frenzy to kill off hatchlings as they struggle down the sand to enterthe water.
P3 US Ambassador David Fields presented his diplomatic credentials to President Amata Kabua and concluded the presentation with a handshake as Cabinet Ministers Tom Kijiner, Phillip Muller, Kunar Abner, Kunio Lemari and Ruben Zackhras, and Ambassador Carl Heine look on.
P16 In an effort to develop new products for the copra industry, Tobolar Copra Processing Plant is seeking the assistance of Israel and others overseas to provide information for expanding the use of copra to new products.
P17 The College of the Marshall Islands will host the first Upward Bound program to operate in the Marshall Islands, Acting President Rita Escher said. Upward Bound is a US federally funded program designed to provide supplemental support to high school students who have the desire to achieve a post-secondary education.
P21 The President told the five RMI ambassadors last week in Majuro that their mandate has shifted from seeking political recognition to promoting economic development for the Marshall Islands. At a consultation with the five heads of RMI missions in Washington, New York, Tokyo, Beijing and Fiji, President Kabua said the initial focus of these missions was to gain political acceptance in the international community of nations, a national goal which ultimately resulted in the country’s admittance into the United Nations. President Kabua said that efforts should now focus on economic development.