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Friday, March 6, 2009

Phone:
(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
In Person:
On the ocean road behind Formosa in Uliga, Majuro
Nitijela and Cabinet in limbo
The wheels of government ground to a halt this week in the wake of President Tomeing’s dismissal of Tony deBrum from Cabinet. Nitijela’s scheduled Tuesday session was called off indefinitely by Speaker Jurelang Zedkaia despite a quorum of senators present and ready for roll call — in part because the Speaker had not made new seating arrangements for deBrum and in part because of a request from the President’s Office Friday to delay resumption of the session. On Wednesday, in response to the question, “Is Tony in or out?” Kwajalein Senator Mike Kabua told the Journal: “It’s still in limbo.” But, he added, “if there’s a willingness to resolve it, there’s a way.” He acknowledged that things were “floating” at the moment, but he expressed confidence for a resolution later this week.
RMI does well on human rights
The RMI has received what can only be described as a glowing appraisal by the recently issued 2008 Human Rights Report by the US Department of State. While pointing out serious deficiencies in the condition of prisons and alarming statistics relative to abuse of women, the report was generally very favorable in its assessment of other applicable indices of human rights conditions.
Ambassador to leave service
US Ambassador to the Marshall Islands Clyde Bishop announced his retirement from the Foreign Service, effective April 30, 2009. The US Embassy issued the announcement Wednesday, saying “family circumstances require the curtailment of his assignment and his premature retirement.”
Prices down 15% over last 6 months
Prices in Majuro and Ebeye continued to fall between October and December 2008, according to the latest Consumer Price Index report issued by the Economic Policy, Planning and Statistics Office this week. Majuro prices declined by 6.3 percent over the quarter, bringing the six-month drop in prices to 15.1 percent, according to EPPSO. On Ebeye, the decline was smaller, but significant. Prices dropped 4.7 percent last quarter and 6.8 percent the previous quarter, giving Ebeye consumers an 11.5 percent reduction in prices.
Amatlain set to go to Suva
President Litokwa Tomeing was expected to sign diplomatic papers this week, paving the way for new RMI Ambassador to Fiji Amatlain Kabua to head to the South Pacific nation. The Fiji government last month accepted the RMI government nomination, and with Tomeing’s signing of diplomatic credentials for Kabua, everything is now set for her to take over the post. Former RMI Ambassador to Fiji Mack Kaminaga is now back in Majuro, currently working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Biuma Samson is the designated Charge d’Affaires at the Fiji Embassy.
Litokwa test
Party's call to bring Tony back
The entire government party has asked President Tomeing to rescind his decision to remove Senator Tony deBrum from the latter’s post in Cabinet.
“The removal of Minister Tony deBrum will cause us great difficulties in the future,” said the letter signed by 15 members of the ruling party. Only Minister Dennis Momotaro, who is off-island, did not sign it. The letter is dated February 25.
Although the letter was prefaced and closed with apologies for its directness, the letter bluntly challenges Tomeing’s decision to axe deBrum. “The United States and many others who work to undermine the RMI have wanted Tony removed from day one
The scene near the Alele during Education Week.
so that he doesn’t stop their attempts at taking away our sovereignty and our traditional rights,” the letter said. “In truth, we have friends in Washington, DC and elsewhere who can help us and they really know Minister deBrum. We need to address the Kwajalein situation and the shortfalls of the nuclear affects that impacted our nation, which makes it important for us to be united now so that we can truly be Armij Mokta.” The 15 members of the coalition government asked the President to “please listen to our request for Minister Tony deBrum to continue on as your Foreign Minister, and you to continue being our President. We understand you have great trust in our abilities, but our abilities will be greater if you and Minister Tony can hold hands, forgive each other and work together. Forget what has happened between you two in the past and think about Armij Mokta.”
They besieged Tomeing to “please listen to us. We apologize for insisting, but at this time it’s very important for us all to be together, rather than on two different paths…one that is strong.”
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M.I. Rugby Club:
Are you tough enough?
Defending champion Marshall Islands rugby club was the team to beat at the Guam international tournament during last weekend's competition. Team RMI beat four teams, winning its pool and placing them in the semi-finals against the Guam team Paratodu. But Guam beat RMI 14-10, putting the RMI team in third place. Japan beat Guam in the finals to take the championship home. Before the team left, Councilwoman Deborah Shoniber and Veronica John helped the group with a donation.
Triple J boss calls for action
By GIFF JOHNSON
Triple J owner Bob Jones is unhappy over changes in Ebeye Dock security measures that are hurting his company’s ability to efficiently move cargo off the dock, raising his cost of doing business on the island to unacceptable levels.
The recently changed fencing situation at Ebeye Dock is preventing Triple J from getting its containers in and out of the dock, forcing the company to resort to the time-consuming method of transporting small amounts of product on forklifts.
Transportation Secretary Wilber Allen said the RMI was warned that if it did not comply with the “International Ship and Port Security” (ISPS) convention, US-flagged ships such as Matson would be		 banned from servicing Ebeye.
One of the security problems identified by the Coast Guard was Triple J’s direct access from its warehouse to the dock, which has now been shut off with a fence. Jones said repeated attempts to resolve the problem have been unsuccessful. “We have had no complaints from other companies on Ebeye,” Allen said, adding the issue “is not our concern right now. Our concern is the Ebeye port must comply with the ISPS convention and meet Coast Guard requirements so US ships can continue to service Ebeye.”
Jones added: “I have no problem cooperating with legitimate security. But inconvenience and added cost to the customer is not acceptable.”
Journal 3/7/1970 Journal 3/7/1975
P1 The House of the Congress of Micronesia voted last week to void the Marshall Islands district Constitutional Convention delegate election, which was held in May of last year. In taking the action, Congress noted the procedures used in the Marshall Islands did not measure up to the standards necessary to give the Constitutional Convention legitimacy as the embodiment of the will of the people. Further, only ten percent
P1 A sales tax was proposed last week by the Resources and Development Committee of the Marshall Islands Legislature. The proposal, essentially a tax on luxury items, was drafted by Hemos Jack, chairman of the committee. Jack said the chief aim of the bill is to collect a tax from the “urban centers” such as DUD, Ebeye and Kwajalein, and distribute this wealth more evenly. “More scholarships,
of the people voted, considered unusually low when compared with Congress of Micronesia elections. Two reasons for the low turnout: the people did not understand what effect a constitution would have on areas not directly affected by the Constitutional Convention, and the fact that traditional Marshallese leaders were not to be granted voting rights in the convention. In a long debate before passage, Marshalls Rep. Charles Domnick urged the membership to pass the bill. Saying that it is “very important” to the people of the Marshalls to be represented at the Con-Con, Domnick asked: “Do you want us to be united with the rest of you?”
P1 Micronesia has a new man of the year — or at least it will have if Palau Senator Roman Tmetuchl has his way. In a recent speech, Tmetuchl began by noting that a Saipan newspaper suggested that Rep. John Mangefel of Yap should be considered a national hero for Micronesia. The Palau Senator, who also nominated Rep. Ataji Balos for “Man of the Year 1974,” said Mangefel’s accomplishments during his tenure in the Congress include:
• Introduction of a bill to simplify the laws in Micronesia by replacing the Trust Territory Code with the Ten Commandments.
• Introduction of a resolution urging the men of Micronesia to do their best to resolve the sex imbalance of Micronesia’s population.
• Acted as a salary consultant to a senate committee and produced a simple solution to the problem of inequities in the present government pay scale by dividing all grant funds equally among all government employees.
• Sponsoring a resolution asking the almighty to roll back the pages of history so Micronesia could again become self-sufficient and self-governing.
• Suggested that Walt Disney Enterprises and its cartoon characters be retained to straighten out Micronesia.
P3 An amendment to an administration bill to increase the minimum wage paid to TT employees from $.61 per hour to $.80 per hour has been approved by the House. The amended proposal increases the minimum wage to $1.05 per hour. Marshalls Rep. Charles Domnick and Truk Reps. Haruo and Setik argued that the increase to $1.05 would make Micronesia more dependent on the US, increase unemployment by Micronesians who would lose higher paying jobs to better qualified outsiders, and possibly require a reduction in the government workforce. Marianas Rep. Rasa argued strongly in favor of the increase, criticizing COM members for supporting an increase in their salaries and office expenses, saying that if the COM should be abolished to aid the poor, “let it be done.”
outer island community halls and copra warehouses, water catchments are needed. The list is endless,” he said.
P1 The sunken hull of the old ship Nei Raete II was successfully removed from Majuro’s dock yesterday afternoon. The wreck, which has cluttered the north-east berth of the dock for over four years, was pulled free of the lagoon reef by tow lines attached to the Hafa Adai and the LCU.
P2 The MV Hafa Adai left Majuro Tuesday with a master-planning team aboard head for Jabor, Jaluit, The team, consisting of a Peace Corps architect and engineer, Dave Carlson and Jim Smith, was sent from Saipan to do a masterplan for land usage at Jabor, according to the Community Development Office. The team’s job will be to find a definite site for a high school, power plant and dispensary slated to be built there within the next two years.
P2 A total of $210,000 has been granted by the US federal government for the combined Bikini, Kili and Ujelang projects, according to Jack Tobin, Community Development Advisor. The Marshalls Community Action Agency was granted $35,000 for construction of a warehouse-council house currently under construction at Ujelang. The Community Development Office was granted $80,000 for housing and school construction at Ujelang, and an additional $95,000 for housing at Kili.
P3 Officially it is called Land Cadaster program. But already it has earned nicknames, among others, “Land Catastrophe Program.” The nicknames have been given by Micronesians to the biggest land program ever undertaken by the US since the war to solve the suspicions among increasing number of Micronesians as to the real purpose of the land cadaster program launched here in Saipan last January by Interior Secretary Assistant Harrison Loesch. The goal, as the TT Administration puts it, “is the monumentation, registration and issuance of clear title for every property owner in the TT. Titles that are good against all the world and free from initiating clouds.” The Micronesian suspicions over the program arise as a result of the way, speed and the timing of the land program. Many are afraid that this may be a land reform program and feel that if so it should be done after the political status of Micronesia has been settled.
Journal 2/23/1990
P20 The first large voyaging canoe to be built in the Marshalls in more than 30 years will be constructed right here in Majuro beginning later this month.
P21 Marshalls Energy Company’s meter reader Jobo Lucky has one of the most interesting job descriptions on island. In addition to reading meters around Majuro and cutting power to non-payers, he checks the 30 or so homes on Ejit Island that were connected to power last summer by underground cables. To get there he walks the reef at low tide, or takes a boat when the tides are wrong, picking up a stick enroute to ward off over-aggressive watchdogs on Ejit.
P1 Penalties against juvenile offenders could increase, and parents made liable for any fines if a new bill is passed by the Nitijela. The bill’s summary notes “in light of the dramatic increase in serious, violent offenses committed by youthful offenders, the $100 cap is insufficient.”
P11 The last major atoll without an airfield will not only be getting one soon, it will become the first paved runway outside the centers and nuclear tests atolls. Public Works Minister Antonio Eliu said a construction team will shortly be heading for Ebon to begin work on a runway that, when built, will be able to accommodate AMI’s 748.