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FRIDAY, July 31, 2009
This Week's
Inside Stories
ROC boosts RMI budget
The RMI Government received a grant of $1 million for ‘Budgetary Support’ as part of a donation package from the Republic of China. ROC Ambassador Bruce Linghu presented a check for $2,750,000 to Foreign Minister John Silk and Finance Minister Jack Ading on Tuesday afternoon at the Ministry of Finance conference room in the Capital Building.
Body floats up on Drenmeo
A man in his 30s was found dead after his body floated onto the beach at Drenmeo Island (northern islet located just after Serrindipper Island) last Wednesday.
The body is said to be that of Delap resident Arnold Ralpho who was last seen at the Majuro Bridge on the Saturday prior to the discovery of his body.
President flies to trio of meetings
The scheduled August 3 session of the Nitijela has been pushed back to Monday, August 24, as both the President and the Speaker are traveling.
According to Abacca Anjain-Maddison, President Litokwa Tomeing left Tuesday to attend the France Oceania Summit in Noumea, New Caledonia.
Following the summit, Tomeing will fly to Cairns, Australia, to attend a Pacific Islands Forum meeting. His next stop will be Taiwan for an Asian Pacific Parliamentarian Union meeting.
Langrine: Protecting and serving RMI
Majuro community last week was saddened to learn of the death of police Major Wedmond Langrine, the longest serving Public Safety officer in the RMI.
Wedmond began his career as a policeman in the early 1970s and throughout the intervening years managed to move from post to post until achieving the status of Major.
Lack of rain leads to taps off for MIR
The Marshall Islands Resort has been rationing water for two weeks, with guests only able to make full use of their bathrooms between 6pm and 9am.
“This is the third or fourth time we’ve had to bring in rationing,” MIR’s general manger Bill Weza told the Journal. The MIR catchment can hold 80,000 gallons of water caught on the resort’s roof and from city water.
This amount can look after the hotel during normal occupancy — 60-90 rooms — for nine days. “But the city water is inconsistent and because of so many leaks in the city system there’s no pressure when it reaches us,” he said.
Eignt nations to restrict fishing
Tuna catches in the western and central Pacific Ocean were worth over $3.8 billion in 2008, while the eight Parties to the Nauru Agreement together received just $60 million, or 1.6 percent of that value, according to data compiled by various Pacific fisheries agencies. Maurice Brownjohn, a director of Papua New Guinea’s National Fisheries Authority, on Tuesday said at a symposium at Majuro’s International Conference Center that the big fishing nations are receiving cheap, subsidized tuna to benefit their own economies while leaving Pacific island states with little in return. As well, he said that the fleets of the ‘distant water fishing nations’ are continuing to grow, despite evidence that there is already excess capacity in the global fishing fleet. The symposium, titled ‘The Future of our Fisheries,’ was well-attended by government officials and members of the private sector, with Senator Tony deBrum commenting: “This discussion has confirmed some of our deep concerns over the status quo in fisheries, but also raises our hopes that measures are being taken to improve our fisheries future.”
High times for Coop school
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) has recommended to Majuro Cooperative School “that the school continues to focus on delivering comprehensive high school programs for all students.” The recommendation came with the positive news that the education watchdog has approved the school’s high school program for accreditation status through June 30, 2010.
Beautify the islands... Keep trash off the streets & beaches.
Grave moment
In 1994, Majuro World War II buff Matt Holly discovered the remains of Second Lieutenant John W. Starmann on Mili Atoll. The remains were recovered and an identification confirmed by the Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii in 1995. Starmann’s remains were then transported to the US for a full honor guard burial at Arlington Cemetery, Washington, DC. Fast forward to July, 2009, and Holly found the grave at the cemetery and posed for a proud photograph.

Journal 8/1/1970

Journal 7/29/1974
P1 The big political question in the Marshall Islands at the present time is whether or not Carl Heine, deputy director of Public Affairs for the Trust Territory government, will be running against incumbent Senator Amata Kabua in the upcoming November congressional elections. The two men are ideologically polarized over the rather
P1 A bill being proposed by the US Congress may soon cause the people of Micronesia to vote for or against the establishment of their own government in association with the United States. The proposed bill, known as the Micronesian Constitutional Convention and Enabling Act provides that the High Commissioner shall put a referendum to a territory-wide vote within six months.
basic question of Micronesia unity, and have come to represent, at least unofficially, the gravitational centers of two distinct political parties in the atoll district. Amata, undoubtedly, has more political clout than Carl simply by the mere fact that he has proven himself again and again to be an artful manipulator of both commoner and chiefly power. Carl is the outsider, the usurper, the Johnny-come-lately.
P1 Another medical first was witnessed this week at Majuro Armer Ishoda Memorial Hospital. Dr. Gavin Sutherland performed the first Tibial Leg lengthening operation in the Trust Territory on 11 year old Kemwot Telbonie of Ujae. Kemwot’s leg was first placed in a special clamp, then the bone was surgically broken and separated one quarter of an inch. Each day the clamp will be turned to further separate the tibia bone one sixteenth of an inch. This allows both ends of the tibia to grow toward each other. After about three weeks, the bone will have grown the two and a half inches needed to equal the length of the other leg. The leg is then placed in a cast and treated like any broken limb.
P11 “The Take Out” Maybe we made a mistake when we named our place. Been robbed at least 20 times in the past year. Still, this does speak highly of our reputation for good food. Sorry about what it says for our local police though. —Smilin’ Bob Ni
P3 “Toboler” is the name of MILI’s new barge. The winner of the name the barge contest is Elisa Nakamura, the first person to submit the winning name of Toboler to Micronitor. In all, six people submitted Toboler, but Nakamura was first. Toboler is the Marshallese for the small seed in the coconut which generates a new tree. Other names submitted were: Sea Elephant, Alele, Pelican, Hoover Maru, Coconut Cyclone, Inhaling Empress, Wan Waini, Fruit of the Waini, Iroj, Majuro Mary, Copra Carla, Shimmy Shimmy Copra Barge and Lagoon Lily.
P8 The Eastern Gateway Hotel is coming along. An artist’s sketch depicts the new Eastern Gateway Hotel presently under construction at Majuro’s airport (Delap). The first phase of the project includes an 18 unit structure and a bar. According to Gateway’s General Manager Mike Noland, phase two (an additional 16 units with a restaurant) and phase three (16 units with a swimming pool) will be completed within two years.
P10 This week’s movies at MIECO: Thursday: Wild and the Innocent. At Tibrikrik: Saturday: Slave Girls of Sheba.

Journal 7/31/1992
P1 Copra producers come first. That is the priority placed on field trip ships by President Amata Kabua at the first meeting of the new board for the Tobolar Copra Processing Authority last week.
P6 We had a funny one occur as one of our staff was down taking a photo of the rolls of cable wire in front of MBC. On the side of the cable were the initials UMDA and our staff member’s son asked, “What does UMDA mean?” “United Micronesia Development Association,” came the reply. “OK,” said the son, “And I know what MBC means.” “What’s MBC mean?” said the father suspiciously. “Oh, it means ‘Mon Bwera & Clora.’”
P17 Peace Corps has launched a review of its program in the Marshall Islands that could affect the future of the more than 25-year-old program. Marshalls Peace Corps Director Keekee Minor said she believed the review was a positive step that she hoped would help people evaluate what Peace Corps has to ofter and how it can be used more effectively.
P24 Jaluit Atoll’s airfield remains closed following an Air Marshall Islands test landing there last Wednesday. According to commercial manager David Tejada there were still problems with the surface of the runway, despite work of Public Works and the community.