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Friday, February 20, 2009

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(692) 625-8143
(692) 625-8146
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(692) 625-3136
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PO Box 14 Majuro, MH 96960 Marshall Islands
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On the ocean road behind Formosa in Uliga, Majuro
Finger printin' good
Bishop: Disaster aid 'doubtful'
Damage from waves last December does not reach the level that would allow for US government disaster aid to be provided to the RMI, according to the US Ambassador.
Ambassador Clyde Bishop told the Journal Wednesday that the FEMA assessment team reported while it did find some damage from high waves that hit many islands in December, “the damage did not reach the threshold that would result in generation of disaster assistance from FEMA and USAID.”
Week of debates
MIHS students take on SDA schoolers in a hot debate about English teaching in RMI schools next Thursday afternoon from 4pm at the ICC as part of Education Week. College of the Marshall Islands students will take on USP students on a debate of whether migration is a good solution for climate change problems.
Visitor numbers plummet in 2008
The number of people visiting the Marshall Islands took a dive last year compared to 2007, according to figures released this week by the Marshall Islands Visitors Authority. A total of 6,022 people came to RMI in 2008, a 17 percent drop over the 7,200 who visited in 2007, MIVA reports.
Leading causes of the drop in visitors appear to be the cutback in Japan Airlines charter flights, the halt to diving at Bikini Atoll and the lack of flights directly from Australia, which makes it difficult and expensive for visitors from south of the equator to get to Majuro, according to MIVA’s Emelyn Simon
The battle for Liki's soul
The second film in as many years to be made in the Marshall Islands is to premier early next month in Majuro. “Ña Noniep” is a film about the spiritual battle between a ri-anijnij (an evil Marshallese witch) and a noniep (a Marshall-ese fairy) for the soul of a 13-year-old boy, Liki. The film is scheduled to open at the K&K Theaters on March 6.
Rugby guys ready to defend Guam title
From winning second place in 2007, to becoming champions last year, now the Marshall Islands Rugby Club is pumped and ready to head back to Guam to defend their championship at the Guam True Grit XII international tourna-ment. The RMI team will leave next week Thursday to duke it out with every dripping drop of sweat in a battle royale against teams from Guam, Korea, Philippines, and Japan — hoping to keep the Marshall Islands Rugby Club name on the top.
Marshall Islanders are now being finger-printed and photographed on entry in Honolulu and Guam. Some Nitijela members on Monday wanted to know if this is being done because the US thinks Marshallese are bad people.
US Ambassador Clyde Bishop said, however, that Marshall Islanders are not being singled out. “This is bringing the freely associated states (FAS) into compliance with procedures that have existed for all visa waiver countries,” Bishop told the Journal Wednesday. The negative line of thinking arose Monday as Nitijela senators were questioning why Marshallese traveling to the US are being photographed and fingerprinted as they go through US immigration. Ebon Senator John Silk told Nitijela that he was concerned about the status of Marsh-allese citizens’ visa-free entry status into the US because during a recent trip through Guam, immigration officials had RMI citizens finger printed and then photographed. “Why is this happening now?” asked Silk. “What does it mean, what about our Compact with the US?” Silk commented it could be happening in response to RMI and other freely associated states selling passports to
Rien: 'Maybe they think we're bad'
third country nationals. Bishop explained that recently the decision was made to bring all three FAS (RMI, Palau and FSM) into compliance with post-9/11 procedures that have been standard for other countries that do not require visas for entering the US. “To suggest that the US is singling out the RMI or the FAS is simply not true,” he said. Bishop said that when the new procedure was approved recently, he communicated this to the RMI government. But this information was evidently not available to the Nitijela earlier this week. With Foreign Minister Tony deBrum absent from Monday’s meeting both Minister in Assistance Christopher Loeak and President Tomeing were unable to explain this new US immigration procedure and said they would look into it.
Meanwhile, Jaluit Senator Rien Morris offered the following for consideration: “Maybe it’s because the US thinks we’re bad people.”
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Joshua and Keoni Kattil show the "bõb spirit" at Saturday's big celebration of this special atoll crop that provides food and material for housing, clothes, and handicrafts. Bõb = Pandanus
Bikini goes for World Heritage
By GIFF JOHNSON
Bikini Atoll, famous as the birthing site for America’s first post-World War II nuclear tests and the namesake for the two-piece bathing suit, hopes to parlay this into recognition by the United Nations’ World Heritage program. “It is a ground breaking nomination for World Heritage,” said one official involved in the application.
“There are not many World Heritage sites in the Pacific,” said Bikini liaison Jack Niedenthal. “I hope they will want to include Bikini.” He and Australia-based consultant Nicole Baker, who worked on the 86-page nomination proposal, both believe that a listing by World Heritage would increase Bikini’s visibility internationally, increasing demand by people wanting to visit the former nuclear test site. But there is nothing guaranteed about gaining World Heritage status, and it involves a difficult, multi-level review process. A “technical assessment” of Bikini’s submission will be complete by the end of March. If the proposal passes that initial review, then it goes out for a more detailed review by 20-30 UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) professional reviewers, according to Baker. “This could involve historians, archeologists and 		Pacific experts,” she said.
That review leads next to a UNESCO team being dispatched to the RMI and Bikini in late 2009 for an on-site review. “They will want to see management systems in place (for monitoring Bikini) and the intent to implement plans (outlined in the World Heritage proposal),” said Baker. A key element of the UNESCO review is to see if the “state” — in this case the RMI national and Bikini local governments — “are serious about implementing the plan,” she said. These evaluations funnel recommendations to the World Heritage committee, which then decides whether to reject or accept the nomination, Baker said. That decision won’t be known until June next year. But all of these reviews depend on the Bikini nomination passing the initial technical assessment next month. To be successful, the submission must demonstrate that the site has value that transcends national boundaries. Because of its role in the nuclear arms race during the Cold War, Bikini clearly passes this test, she said. Niedenthal put it another way. “Bikini is the only world famous, world class place out here. It’s got nuclear test buildings, craters and a bathing suit.”
Mayors' new pay deal will allow them to enroll themselves into such programs as the supplemental health plan, apply for loans and pay bills through the allotment system. Prior to the new bi-weekly pay schedule the mayors were paid quarterly. Confirming the new Ministry of Internal Affairs payroll agreement were, sitting:
IA Minister Norman Matthew, IA Secretary Wilbur Heine, and Marshall Islands Mayor Association President Nokko Kabua.
Back, IA staff: Angela Tibon, Lisa Muller and Lowell Alik.
Be aware of God
Journal 2/21/1970 Journal 2/20/1976
P3 The Nite Life by Stoney — I was talking with Jerry Kramer, the general manager for Acme’s company, they are owner of the Reef Bar. Anyway I told him that plenty people were asking me, whats going on down the Reef. What is the big building, I told them that it’s the Reef, the new Reef. They told me its too big, and when you guys gonna open it. Jerry told me
P1 The UN Visiting Mission fulfilled its promise to visit Mili Atoll last Monday in a hasty four-hour meeting there during which the Mili petition to the UN was investigated. Early last year a petition sent to the UN Trusteeship Council claimed nothing has been done in the way of war reparations for the Mili population in 25 years and demanded a $10 million reparation payment for their damaged land. The nine members of the Mission left Majuro Sunday afternoon for a nearly 20-hour boat trip,
that, they’ll try and open the first half sometime in March. The first half is the restaurant kitchen and store room, they gonna move the bar there, and brake the old bar, and build it up, Jerry said that they will finish the first floor, sometime this year, and build the second floor later next year or this year, who knows. The restaurant is not like all these restaurant in town to open 16 or 24 hours, it will open when the bar open, 4:30 till 9pm from there on and they’ll only serve sashimi or what those Hawaiian call it Pupu. Jerry also said that the new Reef is gonna be the best bar in town when its finish.
P8 Consternation and froth reigned last Thursday at a meeting of the Majuro Chamber of Commerce as the local body of mostly business types discussed the recently activated Marshall Islands Price Control Board. At the center of the controversy was a February 10 notice issued by the newly constituted board which declared that “a markup of not more than 30 percent on all consumption goods is to be imposed on all retail outlets, and will become effective on the 18th of February. The notice was semi-officially presented and withdrawn, however, after a slew of criticism developed during the meeting. The chamber said the declaration of the price board limiting all markups to 30 percent was not issued in accordance with the Nitijela law. The law provides that the board must state the reason for imposition of price controls as well as the formula used in determining the maximum lawful price of the affected commodity…The board, as appointed by Distad Oscar deBrum, consists of: Jack Akeang, a teacher (chairman), Marie Maddison, a teacher, Rev. Jude Samson, pastor of Uliga Protestant Church, Neilang Elaisha, president of the women’s group Jined Ilo Kobo, and Grant Labaun, manager of Nauru Pacific Line/Air Nauru agency in Majuro.
arriving off the leeward reef of Mili late Monday morning. After a mile and a half walk to the meeting house, Mili women met their visitors with flowers and chants. The talks began immediately. The group listened at length to Iroij Lorok, Mr. Chutaro and Magistrate Erwin, the three main spokesmen. Assistant District Administrator Oscar deBrum was interpreter for the three-and-one half-hour meeting. Australian representative Kenneth Rogers asked specifically whether or not anyone from the administering authority had come to Mili to assist in filing claims or to check on the petition. Persons present indicated that this has never been done. Mr. Chutaro read a long statement proposing manifold changes in field trip policy, called for more frequent administration visits, and increased monetary aid in health and education for Mili Atoll. Iroij Lorok asked the UN members to facilitate the Mili requests and told them they wanted the reparations made now. Rogers promised them the Mission’s full attention in its report and when it meets with officials in Saipan. He urged the Mili people to formally submit their (World War II) claims. Rogers reminded those gathered that the UN Trusteeship Council and the visiting mission have no remunerative authority.
P1 Twenty nurses graduated Sunday afternoon at the Trust Territory School of Nursing in Saipan…From the Marshalls were Libwel K. Jewel, Yoseph M. Kintaro and Tarnin B. Luther.
P2 Agreement was reached Tuesday between Land Management officials and residents of Long Island concerning arrangements for lease of land for Majuro’s new airport. Approximately 90 acres of land on Enelip and Kokojbar islands will be leased for $4,000 per acre for 25 years. An additional $1,000 will be allocated to the three householders already situated there to make relocation easier. The Ni-Palm Inn, also situated near Long Island, will be moved at the expense of government.
P5 (Letter) On Friday night, somebody tried to break into our house. They have been doing this for so many times already, not only our house but others, too, and I really wish that the police here will do something about it. I am a Micronesian too and I want to see the people here have more respect and I thought that putting this in the Micronitor might end this business of whoever is doing it. Whoever you are that is doing this, there’s a door for you; ask for something you want
(Letter) On Friday night, somebody tried to break into our house. They have been doing this for so many times already, not only our house but others, too, and I really wish that the police here will do something about it.
Journal 2/21/1992
P1 The Nitijela is considering a bill that would amend the current election law. Bill number five would change the absentee/postal ballot requirements and procedures for newly registered voters to cast their ballots on election day. The bill would put the Electoral Administration within the Ministry of Interior and Outer Island Affairs.
P1 Kwajalein fishermen celebrated
instead of cutting the screen trying to get in. Police, I think it’s time for you to put a curfew hour for youngsters… —Mrs. Flory De La Cruz
P5 (Editorial) It became quite clear to everyone last week, especially to the UN Mission, that the citizens of the Marshalls and Micronesia, when asked about political status, do not have any answers. The Mission met with Micronesian students at the East-West Center and discussed future status. UN Mission Chairman Rogers, of Australia, summarized their comments, saying, “Quite a number of students do not have any specific views on the subject.” At Saturday’s public meeting with the Mission at Nitijela Hall, only 26 Micronesian members of the community attended. When asked by Chinese Mission member Meng-Hsien Wong how many present were ready to make a choice concerning political status, only one man raised his hand. Senator Isaac Lanwi explained there was a lack of political education and no one was aware of the alternatives open to them. Last week it became quite clear that people have got to be informed before any decisions can be made.
P8 Ad Micronesia Interocean Line, Inc. (MILI) requests all the stockholders pick up their dividend checks and annual reports for 1969. MILI, the largest private employer in Micronesia, with over 150 full time and 180 part time employees.
the atoll’s annual liberation day with record-breaking billfish catches. Some 28 boats from Ebeye and Kwajalein set their sights on breaking the 1991 record 259 pound marlin caught by Seagull James’ 007 boat. On the first day of competition, none of the fishermen came in with a fish over 200 pounds. As the closing of the tournament approached on the second day and the spectators on the pier were ready to give up hope of a record-breaker, one of Patrick Bing’s four boats came in with a big one: a marlin weighing 287 pounds. Cheers and shouts of approval went up from the crowd and out went 007’s old record. But the record was short lived. The crew of MMKO had just minutes to celebrate before the next boat, the Lady Y from USAKA, turned up with a bigger marlin, tipping the scale at 297 pounds. A total of 7,000 pounds of fish was caught in the two-day tournament.
P3 Majuro’s water situation remains critical with virtually no rainwater since early January. Water hours were further reduced this week. Instead of six hours every other night, the water will now be on from 5pm to 9pm every other night. The downtown population is relying almost entirely on water pumped in from Laura at a rate of 300,000 gallons per day. Without the Laura water, Majuro’s reservoir would be dry. Jaluit Atoll, particularly the high school, is in critical need of water. FEMA officials have imported three small desalination units that will be going to Jaluit and two of the other storm damaged islands to produce 5,000 gallons of fresh water a day.