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Inside Stories
Friday, March 19, 2010
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Chamber ready to help diabetics, divers
The Ministry of Health will have the capability to prevent deaths and loss of limbs, and heal wounds quickly by using the now fully operating hyperbaric chamber starting next week. Last week, the ministry brought in two professionals to train Majuro Hospital staff to operate and maintain the machinery.
Aussies increase aid to the RMI
A high level delegation from Australia led by Ambassador Susan Cox met with RMI officials late last month to discuss a new framework for future Australian assistance. The move is part of a regional engagement by the Australian government under a Pacific Partnership for Development (PPD). The Australian delegation proposed the priority areas of water and energy. The RMI delegation agreed to the proposed areas by Australia and requested that the Australian delegation revise the draft PPD agreement based on the roundtable meeting.
Burn baby burn
A couple of spare parts, a tweak or two of the machinery and voila — Majuro Hospital’s incinerator located past the airport is now in operation. Last Thursday, an AC Construction crew with Majuro Hospital staff accomplished the first successful burn of hazardous wastes at the incinerator.
First Lady: 'Women's voice still weak'
in the RMI
Despite accounting for half the population of the Marshall Islands, women’s status in the workforce and the economy remains weak, First Lady Hannah Zedkaia told several hundred people at last week’s International Women’s Day event at the ICC in Majuro. “The question is not that the role and status of women at home, in the work place, in our culture and churches and elsewhere has changed from what our grandparents understood,” she said. “The question we should be asking is how are these changes improving our lives?”
Japan shows friendship
Japan has responded to the outer islands shipping crisis in the Marshall Islands by giving the RMI request for new ships “special priority,” according to Charge Kazuyuki Ohdaira. A Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) survey mission is expected to fly to Majuro for initial project review within the next six week.
Marshall Islands Resort workers turned out in force for the hearing last week at the High Court on MISSA’s move to put the government owned hotel into receivership. Photo: Suzanne Chutaro.
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Compact audit
Marshalls greets Taiwan President Ma
KAREN EARNSHAW
Taiwan’s President Ma Ying-jeou will touch down at Amata Kabua International Airport in a China Airlines plane at 9am on Monday for a whirlwind five-hour tour of the capital.
Ma is making his first trip to the Marshall Islands, which is the kickoff for a six-island tour of Taiwan’s Pacific allies, the first time that Ma has been to visit the region. According to the RMI President’s Office’s Earl Bing, there will be an official greeting between President Ma and President Jurelang Zedkaia on the tarmac at the airport.
The ROC President will be accompanied by a large entourage, including 38 television and print media representatives. At the airport, the media will be requested to take photos from a stage being erected for the purpose. 		Next stop for the Presidents will be the International Conference Center for a closed bilateral meeting, starting at 9:50am.
“The media will have a few moments to take photographs of the gifts exchange and then the meeting will be closed,” Bing said.
At 10:25, the statesmen and other government officials will move outside the ICC, where President Ma will plant a number of ‘wutilomar’ trees in the triangular airport between the ICC and Ace’s One Stop.
The next venue for the VIPs, at 10:40, will be the Marshall Islands Resort’s Melele Room for a meeting with members of the special medical mission from Taiwan, who are here to work on cataracts in collaboration with the Ministry of Health.
Feeling hungry by now, the ROC-RMI officials will
President Ma Ying-jeou
travel back to the ICC for a state banquet being catered by the MIR’s Enra Restaurant staff.
Stomachs full and with smiles on their faces, President Ma and his entourage will be escorted back to the airport in time for his 2:30pm flight to Kiribati.
GIFF JOHNSHON
Eight American Congress people — including three from Arkansas — have asked the US Government Accountability Office to conduct the first-ever audit of Compact impact aid related to Marshallese, Micronesians and Palauans living in America and its territories.
In a letter late last month to Acting US Comptroller General Gene L. Dodaro, who heads the GAO, the Congress people asked GAO to “evaluate federal funds granted annually to certain state and territorial governments to aid in their defraying costs resulting from the demands placed on them due to the residence in their jurisdictions” of people from the RMI, FSM and Palau.
With their letter, the Congress people included a detailed six-page “proposed scope of work” outlining dozens of questions and issues they want the GAO to address, including a review of “screening protocols addressing communicable diseases and other public health and national security interest to the United States,” and a request for recommendations for “improving the pre-entry and pre-admission screening for Freely Associated State (FAS) citizens migrating to the United States.” Since the first Compact went into effect between the US and the RMI and FSM in 1986, and Palau in 1994, questions have been raised by Hawaii, Guam and the Northern Marianas about the adequacy of US federal “Compact impact” funding provided to cover costs for providing education, health and other services to people from the RMI, FSM and Palau. Since Compact II was agreed in 2003, and the number of FAS citizens living legally in the US has increased, Hawaii, Guam and CNMI have complained that the amount of funding is far below the actual costs these governments incur.
Now, mainland states such as Arkansas — where an estimated 5,000 Marshallese live — are expressing concern that while they support large populations of FAS citizens, they receive no Compact impact funding.
“We are interested in receiving recommendations for improving both the adequacy and effectiveness of such federal aid,” said Representatives Madeleine Z. Bordallo (Guam), Eni F.H. Faleomavaega (American Samoa), Neil Abercrombie and Mazie K. Hirono (Hawaii), Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (CNMI), and Vic Snyder,
Getting ready to use the hyperbaric chamber to help people with diabetes and divers who suffer decompression sickness (“the bends”), from left: Hendy Enos, Arthur Alee, Roly Gough-Allen, Uruvau Munivai, Charles Lomae, Dr. Nabin Oli, Dr. Robert Maddison, Dondon Javier, Veronica Ysawa, and Lisa Shewchuk. Photo: Douglas Henry.
Inside Stories
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Journal 3/20/1971

Journal 3/22/1985
P1 Former Laura Municipality Magistrate Yosh Tada Kaneko has filed a petition with the District Administrator complaining of irregularities in the March 5, 1971 Laura Municipal Election. According to Marshalls Political Affairs Officer Shiro Riklon, the recent election, which was won by Tony Edwards, has been declared null and void in the Rong Rong precinct. “From what we understand of the situation, it appears that 58 students from Rong Rong school cast votes improperly,” said Riklon. Edwards came out a strong number one with a total of 114 votes (out of 274 cast). Second was Kaneko, who had a total of 82.
P6 Shipping Report, District Transportation Division: Militobi — departed 3/17 for Kwajalein and northern islands, regular service; Hafa Adai — departed 3/17 for Kili/Jaluit/Majuro/Kwajalein/Bikini/Kili, logistical support for Kili/Bikini program; James M. Cook — departed 3/17 for Kwaj/Likiep/Utrik/Ujae/Ujelang, special trip to conduct survey of schools and dispensaries; Ralik-Ratak — Central field trip, regular service; Mieco Queen — Eastern field trip, regular service; LCU 1497 — to depart 3/21 for Ailinglaplap, logistical support for Civic Action Team; Tetami Maru — to depart 3/18 for Fiji; in port — Makua, Mera, Miula; no report — Evangeline II, Etai Maru, Col. Millar, Mellejon and Louisa.
Dear readers: This issue of the Journal is significant for two reasons: 1) It is the first issue of the Journal that the current editor took charge of, showing you why he, today, has no hair left on his head; and 2) the issue contains no news stories, but instead is billed as a “High School Special,” presenting 16 pages of photos of students from the then-four high schools in DUD: Assumption, Calvary, SDA and Marshall Islands High School.

Journal 3/19/1993
P5 The Marshall Islands is about to lose its chicken man, the irascible Shaul Eliat, who this week completed two years in working himself out of a job. Shaul came here when the country was 8,000 chickens fewer, a desperate situation that had us totally dependent on imported eggs. Now, not only are we well on the road to egg self-sufficiency, we also have a fully trained and, by Shaul’s evaluation, competent team to carry on. “There is no one coming to replace me, it just isn’t necessary,” said Shaul, who was provided to the RMI by the Israeli government. He leaves on Saturday. But don’t worry. We’ll still have scrambled local eggs on Sunday, thanks to Shaul and the RMI poultry staff.
P6 Kwajalein will return to “Marshall Islands time” on the night of August 20, according to Col. Gene Hazel, commander of the US Army Kwajalein Atoll. For nearly 30 years, Kwajalein has followed the same date as the United States, despite the fact that it is on the other side of the International Dateline from the US. It first switched over in the early 1960s when its missile testing program began to synchronize Kwajalein with California for missile launches. “At midnight, Friday, 20 August 1993, USAKA will transition from the western to the eastern hemisphere,” said Hazel. “We do this at the request of and the reaffirm our recognition of the sovereignty of our hosts, the RMI.”