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Friday, January 11, 2008
Tomeing talks with Taiwan

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   Majuro, MH 96960
   Marshall Islands

In Person:
   On the ocean road
   behind Formosa
   in Uliga, Majuro
Behind the
scenes of vote
Monday's momentous Nitijela election will be the subject of post-mortem speculation for months. Could the United Democratic Party have maintained its majority? Who voted with the Aelon Kein Ad party to make the 18-vote majority for President Litokwa Tomeing and Speaker Jurelang Zedkaia? The Journal has spoken to many senators about the behind-the-scenes maneuvering that went on in advance of Monday's vote, and many conclude that the UDP lost the presidential election by Kessai Note's determination to seek a third term.
ROC delegation to visit Marshall Islands
Taiwan’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Elizabeth Chu will lead a delegation to Majuro this Thursday to congratulate President Litokwa Tomeing and Nitijela leaders Speaker Jurelang Zedkaia and Vice Speaker Alik Alik. The five-member ROC delegation will spend two days in Majuro to meet with government officials before departing back to Taiwan. The RMI is one of 24 countries globally that recognize Taiwan diplomatically.
Power price up
Electric rates for residential customers in Majuro were hiked for the second time in two months, jumping from 25.5 cents per kilowatt hour to 28 cents effective January 1. The Marshalls Energy Company issued the announcement late last week. MEC raised the residential rate from 23 cents to 25.5 cents on December 1.
By SUZANNE CHUTARO
President Litokwa Tomeing and Taiwan President Chen Shui-Bian held a very cordial telephone exchange Wednesday afternoon indicating relations between the two countries are still on track.Chen (pictured) called to personally extend his congratulations to the new President on his election Monday and then invited him to make a state visit to Taiwan as soon as he selects his Cabinet. Chen also remarked on Tomeing’s 2005 visit to Taiwan. “Thank you for your invitation and your fond memories of the past which we share,” Tomeing said. “I know you’re very busy right now with your election so I am honored that you have made the time to call me.” Chen said that Taiwan will continue to support its current aid activities in the country including stepping in with funding for AMI. "I pledge Taiwan will do all it can to solve all of Air Marshall Islands' problems,” Chen said.This prompted an enthusiastic round of thanks for President Tomeing. “I am very proud and grateful for your help as these are some issues that we are struggling with that need immediate attention,” he told Chen.
RMI President Litokwa Tomeing at the Nitjela opening.
Senators out for UNDP 'school'
In the best-attended Nitijela training program ever, 19 senators showed up for Tuesday’s opening session of the first induction program sponsored by the Nitijela and the United Nations Development Program. In contrast to earlier trainings for Nitijela members put on in the 2006-07 period, when as few as seven or eight senators showed up, Tuesday’s meeting had a majority of the membership in attendance and all of the freshman senators. President Litokwa Tomeing and Speaker Jurelang Zedkaia opened the program. Mose Saitala, a long-time “good governance” staff member with the Pacific Islands Forum who is no stranger to RMI, told the senators “good public leadership is core to the achievement of good governance.” He asked, “is there a demand for good leadership by the people of the Marshall Islands?” And answered yes, because both the Constitution and the 1993 ethics law call for “responsible and ethical” government.
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Faces of the
new RMI Chamber
There’s a new leadership lineup at the Marshall Islands Chamber of Commerce, following Tuesday’s election.Hirobo Obeketang, rooms manager at Marshall Islands Resort, is the new president, after a two-year stint in the vice president position. Elected to the vice president spot is Entertainment Center/TSL manager Mike Slinger. Remaining as secretary is Bank of Marshall Islands’ Jim McLean, while Continental station manager Salome Andrike was voted back as treasurer.
Laura fire
Josepha Maddison's home in Laura was completely destroyed last week in a huge blaze. Although the national government has a firehouse in Laura, it has no fire truck. The fire department was called around 12 noon, and an hour later a truck from the Uliga main fire station arrived.
The stories shown here are just a sample from this week's paper.