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Friday, February 15, 2008
E-mail:
journal@ntamar.net
Phone:
(692) 625-8143
(692) 625-8146
Fax:
(692) 625-3136
Mail:
PO Box 14
Majuro, MH 96960
Marshall Islands
In Person:
On the ocean road
behind Formosa
in Uliga, Majuro
Clyde meet officially for the first time
The RMI government will be submitting proposals to the US government regarding Kwajalein, the changed circumstances nuclear compensation petition, and the Nuclear Claims Tribunal’s lack of funding to make pay off personal injury claims. These were among issues touched upon during a courtesy visit by US Ambassador Clyde Bishop with President Litokwa Tomeing.
Official investigation into election problems
Cabinet has appointed a commission of inquiry to bring closure to public outcry over the handling of the 2007 national general elections.
Minister in Assistance Christopher Loeak told the Journal this move is in response to the demands of the public who have rights to a fair, free and democratic election process.
“The public has asked so many questions about the national election that have been left unanswered,” said Loeak. “Cabinet appointed (this commission of inquiry) to ensure what happened in the 2007 general election doesn’t happen again.”
Pinkeye outbreak finally slows
An outbreak of pinkeye in Majuro appears to be slowing after affecting more than 1,000 people.
The Ministry of Health reported that after issuing a high of 134 doses of conjunctivitis medication on February 4, the number dispensed dropped to 19 on Tuesday this week. Statistics provided by the Majuro Hospital pharmacy show that more than 1,000 doses of conjunctivitis medication were dispensed since January 28.
More than three years after engineers said the President’s Office and other areas of the capital building are a potential hazard, major renovation work has yet to get started. “We need to relocate the President’s Office,” Public Works Minister Kejjo Bien told the Journal this week. “It should have been done months ago.” Engineering reports dating back to 2004 have strongly urged “immediate” action to fix structural problems at the capital building, problems that appear to be heavily focused on the fourth and third floors. In a June 13, 2007 letter to Public Works Minister Matt Zackhras and other PW officials, PW architect Herc Lagunay said it was urgent to revisit the Beca engineering report on the capital building conducted in late 2004 and for “mobilization (of) work for its recommendations to be immediately started.” Lagunay suggested housing capital staff at the new International Convention Center (ICC) while repair work is carried out. Lagunay reported “receiving reports on some worrisome repair work at the capital building, which are possible signs of bigger problems. “Doors that suddenly become hard to open could mean that the floor, or worse, the building superstructure, has unexpectedly moved. Numerous water leaks, concrete slabs and ceiling parts falling would also mean that building deterioration may have already reached the critical point where danger to building occupants is now imminent.”
Microsoft co-founder and billionaire Paul Allen may be headed to the Marshall Islands on his luxury mega-yacht Octopus, according to a recent story in the Honolulu Advertiser. The $200 million, 414 foot yacht has a permanent crew of 60.
US Air Force planes will conduct their second bombing target practice mission in as many months at Kwajalein Atoll this Friday. Aircrews flying planes from the 36th Operations Group at Anderson Air Force Base in Guam are scheduled to conduct what the Air Force calls “ordinance delivery procedures” at the Reagan Test Site this weekend using “inert” weapons. On January 23, B-2 Spirit stealth bombers from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri flew 23 hours, with inflight refueling, to conduct an aerial bombardment of targets around Kwajalein — the first time the Air Force used Kwajalein for target practice by aircraft. “The air-to-surface weapons are nothing more than steel casings filled with concrete and contain no hazardous material,” an Air Force release provided to the Journal said about this Friday’s exercise at Kwajalein.
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