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On the ocean road
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Despite earlier statements that he favored ties with China, new Marshall Islands President Litokwa Tomeing delivered a speech strongly supporting ties with Taiwan at his first meeting with Taiwan Vice President Annette Lu Tuesday. Lu arrived in the Marshall Islands Tuesday to start a three-nation Pacific tour that includes stops in Nauru and the Solomon Islands. All three nations have had government changes in the past two months.
EPA to ok dredging
The RMI EPA is going to give Pacific International Inc. the green light to continue dredging on the lagoon side of its Lojamwe quarry site after rejecting an extension of the permit in early January. An EPA official told the Journal this week that the EPA board has instructed the EPA to issue PII with a temporary dredge permit for the area.
JAL cancels
March charter
Japan Airlines has cancelled its only scheduled charter flight for 2008, prompting many locals to wonder if this is the end of the direct Japan-Marshall Islands JAL service. But Marshall Islands Tours’ President Satoshi Yoshii says the cancellation is due to a lack of lead time to sell seats on the direct charter. The joint decision by leading wholesaler Marshall Islands Tours and Japan Airline executives was made earlier in January in the interest of ensuring the future sustainability of the direct Japan-Marshall Islands charter.
Local medical
fund out of $$
Just four months into the current fiscal year, and the Ministry of Health’s domestic medical referral fund is exhausted, with the Outer Island Dispensary System forced to dip into other funding sources to pay to bring sick patients from the outer islands and Ebeye. The Ministry of Health has been forced to charter private boats and government ships to effect referrals from the outer islands since Air Marshall Islands has been grounded for nearly four months. Outer Islands director Arata Nathan told the Journal last week that his budget for domestic referrals was $63,000 to begin with for fiscal year 2008 (October 1, 2007 to September 30, 2008) — and it’s gone.
Utrik Atoll celebrated its new council with a big swearing-in ceremony last week at the ICC. From left: Dennis Kaiko, Ariu Alee, John Inok Peralt and Kenej Michael. At back are Henty Moore and Stanley Saul (representing the iroij). Photo by Douglas Henry.
Will long-stalled multi-million dollar aid projects get moved up to the top of the new government’s agenda? The Japanese government hopes so. “We are keen to realize these projects as soon as possible,” Japan Charge Kazuyuki Ohdaira told the Journal Wednesday. Although one project is moving forward, several projects are stuck because of a deadlock over the top-priority project of a new reservoir for Majuro — an approximately $10 million project, that is stalling other Japan aid projects waiting in line, including CMI classrooms. Some of these projects could also get a step up with the impending visit of JICA consultants in February. Significant preparatory work over the past several years has gone into a series of infrastructure development projects that the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is interested to fund, Pacific International Inc. CEO Jerry Kramer told the Journal this week. PII has been involved in developing plans for various projects sought by the RMI government for JICA support. But although the RMI is eligible for JICA aid each year, there have been no JICA-supported major projects since the new section of the Majuro Hospital was completed in January 2006, more than two years ago.
An outbreak of pinkeye (conjunctivitis) has hit Majuro, with almost everyone in Majuro knowing at least one person who has it. Majuro Hospital is reporting an eight-fold increase in number of cases this year in comparison to the same period last year. Majuro Hospital administrator Dr. Marie Lanwi-Paul told the Journal on Wednesday that since Sunday the hospital has seen “more than the usual” number of patients seeking treatment for pinkeye. In a quick comparison conducted by hospital officials, Dr. Lanwi-Paul said that in the same two-day period of January 28 and 29 of 2007 only 10 cases of pinkeye were reported. The same two-day period — Monday and Tuesday this week — 81 cases of pinkeye were reported. But it’s not just Majuro Hospital that’s seeing pinkeye cases on the rise. “We just noticed cases starting on Monday this week,” said Marshall Islands High School Principal Gary Ueno. “We’ve seen about 10 students (with pinkeye) since then.” The students who have pinkeye are being referred to MIHS’ nurse for advice, who in turn refers them to Majuro Hospital for medication. Students with this very contagious illness are being sent home. “We don’t have medications here,” Ueno said, “so we ask parents to take their children to the hospital.” Majuro Cooperative School reported 10 students infected with pinkeye this week and Assumption Schools is reporting a similar trend with its students.
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