Journal July 30, 2010

Utrik pig: 1 head, 2 bodies

An Utrik Atoll official provided this photo of a two-bodied, one-headed pig reportedly born recently on Utrik. The Journal source said the pig lived for few hours after birth and then died. Prior to giving birth, the piglet’s mother roamed and fed freely around Utrik, which is one of the four atolls the US government acknowledges as nuclear test-affected. This is said to be the first of its kind seen anywhere in the Marshall Islands.

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JULY 30, 2010

Fred: 'Performers needed'
A Public Accounts hearing on Tuesday focused on government-wide financials audits and pushed for more performance audits to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the government.
The hearing, called by Nitijela Public Account’s Committee Chairman and Ujae Senator Frederick Muller — who recently took over chairmanship — called in Chief Secretary Casten Nemra and all ministerial secretaries.
Learning
lots of trade secrets
A major new vocational training program kicked off last week at the Ministry of Public Works, opening up one of the first on-island automotive, electrical and plumbing training programs in many years. The two-year program aims to run three six-month training cycles with 50 trainees in each group, said Marie Maddison, Director of the National Training Council. The Republic of China/Taiwan is a major contributor both in funding and expertise for the program, joining NTC, the Ministry of Public Works and the College of the Marshall Islands in this aggressive effort to turn out young people with skills.
Ebeye's struggle to halt spread of TB
In the face of an outbreak of drug resistant tuberculosis (TB) at the end of 2009, Ebeye Hospital staff went to work early this year screening more than 1,000 people on the island — but they had no test kits to determine the type of TB they found in the initial screening nor adequate medicine to treat people with the preventable illness.
So serious was the drug and supply shortage on Ebeye that Ministry of Health TB program officials on Ebeye, in a report submitted recently to the United States government, asked their Majuro counterparts to “make sure that supplies are sent to Ebeye on a regular basis.”
Trash turning off the lights
A series of unplanned power outages have hit Majuro since last Thursday — and a big cause of the problems is people tossing garbage into the lagoon that ends up blocking cooling pipes for power plant engines. General Manager David Paul said the Marshalls Energy Company is being forced to change its engine cooling equipment because the garbage situation is causing it to lose too much money.
Boy Scout's
big campout
The biggest Boy Scouts summer camp ever in Majuro kicks off this week Thursday through Saturday, with 400 youth expected to participate. Organizers Island Director Hirobo Obeketang and Boy Scouts of America official John Mills said the partnership with local schools, churches and businesses — particularly PII and Do It Best — is helping to make this weekend’s big campout possible. The Boy Scouts will focus on environmental and leadership themes while camping out on Enemanet Island, with many non-government groups and government agencies running activities for the boys.


		On your marks
Tobolar Copra Processing Plant made its annual sale of coconut oil last week, exporting more than 3,000 tons of crude oil worth $2.4 million. This is good news for copra makers and businesses that are owed money by Tobolar. The sale, though 200 tons less than an August 2009 sale, will net Tobolar more than $400,000 more than last year’s sale, according to Tobolar Manager Wilfredo Candilas. Tobolar currently owes $69,752.76 for copra collected on recent trips. “Our aim is to pay all copra payables once we received the payment of the oil shipment by August,” Candilas told the Journal. He said the sale is worth $2,449,026.92 to Tobolar, but the payment from the buyer will not be made to Tobolar for several weeks. A tanker was in Majuro last week to collect the 3,004.9 metric tons of crude coconut oil. This compares to the August 31, 2009 sale of 3,200 metric tons that netted Tobolar $2,032,000.
			HANAKO HEINE Don’t blink because you might just miss this speedster from afar! Her name is Haley Nemra and she is ready to represent the Marshall Islands for the seventh Micronesian Games that is being hosted in Palau, starting this Monday. “I’m just really excited to be here,” said Nemra. This is her first time in the Marshall Islands and she is taking in the culture shock. “It’s like a whole other world out here,” she said. “But it’s been really nice to see family.” Click here to continue
	Sprinter Haley Nemra working out in Majuro. Photo: Hanako Heine

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The heat's on for RMI runner Nemra

(Continued from above) Nemra, age 20, daughter of Korap and Mary Nemra, will be competing in the 400, 800, and 1,500-meter races. “My best time for the 400 meter is 57 seconds, while my best time for the 800 meter is two minutes and 13 seconds,” said Nemra. Throughout her life, Nemra’s been a runner. “I started playing soccer in second grade, then the cross country team wanted me to join in middle school,” the Marysville Pilchuck graduate recalled. “Because I wanted an athletic scholarship, I decided to stick with running.” And she got it. She is in her junior year at the University of San Francisco (USF) with a scholarship for cross-country running. Before Nemra started her career in running for USF, she represented the Marshall Islands at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. “Its hard to believe that it was just two years ago,” she said. “My favorite part was the opening ceremony. Just the energy around us was great. It was an experience of a lifetime!” Nemra recently had an Achilles (heel) injury. “I got hurt during cross country and I took off last cross country season,” she said. Nemra is continuing to receive treatment for it but said she will not let it get in the way of her performance. “I’m a little nervous because I want to do well, but I’m just really excited to participate,” she said. Now that she will be competing in the Micro Games in Palau, her biggest threat will not be the other runners, or her injuries, but the island heat. “When I got off the plane, I was like ‘So this is how it’s gonna be in Palau’,” said Nemra. “But I’m happy to be here because I’m still trying to get used to the heat.” Her mother and father are really proud of their daughter. “My dad is really happy that I’m finally with his side of the family and I can get to know about the Marshallese culture and get to see the island,” she said. “My mom is really proud. She just wants me to do my best and hopes I do well.” To give our best wishes to Nemra and all the other participants of the Micro Games, we would like to say “Jerammon!”



		Taiwan is supporting the Marshall Islands Conservation Society’s “Mule” bird program with a $3,000 donation. From left: Doan Trevor, President Jurelang Zedkaia, Albon Ishoda, Bruce Linghu and Sophia Fowler. Photo: Suzanne Chutaro

Journal 8/2/1985

Journal 7/30/1973

P1 A halt in negotiations between the US Army and landowners of Roi Namur Island in Kwajalein atoll is about to trigger direct action by the people, according to a July 25 statement issued by the Congress of Micronesia. Marshalls Congressman Ataji Balos sent a dispatch to Director of the Office of Territorial Affairs Stanley Carpenter informing him that since a satisfactory reply was not forthcoming from Interior and Defense, the people of Roi Namur will take action necessary.

P1 Headlines: “Amended Compact sails through US House…But rejected by Cabinet…Praised by Opposition”
P15 The Marimed Foundation has launched a fundraising effort to provide health care services to isolated islands in Micronesia using sailing ships, the foundation said. The foundation was created last year with the intention of providing medical care and health training to people in Micronesia. The drive to raise funds to construct and equip a 150-foot sailing vessel in Micronesia was termed “a voyage of pragmatic romanticism” by Marimed Executive Director David Higgins.

Journal 7/30/1993

“The people of Roi Namur are prepared to return to their home islands within 30 days,” he said. “The military has blasted, bombed and burned our islands and then tried to avoid the responsibility of paying for the destruction they have caused,” Balos said. “If the US is unwilling to compensate the people, then it had better be prepared to move off land that does not belong to it.”
P5 Sources from Truk indicate that Xavier High School in Truk will have a new principal this coming year — a Jesuit priest named Francis X. Hezel. He will be replacing former principal Father John F. Curran who will be going to Pohnpei.
P11 Which of the three stories reprinted below would you believe?
• “Man walks”: An unknown man, described by witnesses as looking very tired and emaciated, is reported to have walked down the main road of the District center from Rita to Uliga recently. This is the first reported incident of anyone walking from Rita to Uliga in the last two years…
• “The copra cutter’s cut — $106”: A man at Aranuka has made $106.20 clear profit from his copra earning in a span of 30 days…
• “Sand discovered on Uliga beach”: A patch of sand measuring approximately four inches by four inches was discovered on the beach of Majuro Atoll early Thursday morning by a tourist picking through trash near the lagoon edge of the island. Unfortunately for the visitor, he did not know it was against the law to walk on the beach and he was immediately handcuffed and jailed by the district police. He died four hours later in his cell…

P1 The opening of the new capital complex in two weeks is going to be a celebration the likes of which Majuro has never seen before. Public Works Minister Antonio Eliu is chairing the planning committee for the celebrations. Marshallese from Fiji, Hawaii, California and all of the outer islands will be converging on Majuro. “We’re planning to feed lunch to 22,000 people,” Eliu said.
P2 “There’s a guy in Honolulu who controls more of the Marshall Islands than the President.” — Intending Erikub investor John Miller commenting on a trust agreement under which Iroijlaplap Murjel Hermios put chiefly authority for Aur, Maloelap, Wotje, Erikub, Ailuk, Takae, Utrik, Bikar, Aowon and Bokaak (Taongi) in the hands of Honolulu residents Robert Moore, II, and Luman N. Nevels, Jr.

P14 World Bank report on the Marshall Islands: “The Republic of the Marshall Islands has made slow progress since 1986 and faces major long-term development challenges. The most important of these revolves around the issue of declining resources under the terms of the Compact.”