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Metal million
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Cleaning up Majuro makes mega-bucks
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Majuro Atoll Waste Corporation is hoping to make a million dollars or more from the sale of 30,000 tons of scrap heavy metal. According to MAWC manager, Roger Cooper (pictured), the company is hoping to have the unsightly scrap moved off island by December. “This month we signed a contract with Skanfil Corporation of Manila, the Philippines, to provide labor and transportation for the scrap metal,” Cooper told the Journal. He has contracts with Matt Holly, who has the Micro ships, Majuro Stevedoring and Terminal Co., Pacific International Inc., Robert Reimers Enterprises, Kirt Pinho, Public Works and the Marshalls Energy Company to remove heavy metal from their yards. “We’ll also be collecting shoreline debris that has laid around for years and we’re negotiating with Charlie Domnick to remove his stuff.” A 25-man Filipino crew, which is on a six-month contract, was due to arrive in Majuro from Tarawa, Kirbati, on Tuesday, but this was delayed “because AMI isn’t flying,” Cooper said. “They had visa issues coming through Guam, so they’re flying Manila to Korea to Fiji and then Kiribati. We’re hoping they’ll be able to make the trip next week.” The 25 experienced ‘ship breakers’ (steel cutters) will be joined by a local workforce of about 45. “We’ll be paying minimum wage and when we need them we’ll
Circulating around Majuro’s cyberspace this week is this collage of unsightly red trash bins creating visual pollution on a grand scale. Despite a substantial program advanced by Marshall Islands Visitor’s Authority to improve our environment, such a contradiction fires dismay in all who consider the situation.
Asia Pacific Airlines is hauling in 20 sets of metal cutting torches and other tools for the crew, while a container is on its way with more equipment. “The last major steel clean up on Majuro was in the 1980s,” Cooper said, “so we have 30 years of scrap metal littering the
It’s an eyesore and while metal is not really a health threat, there are other dangers involved such as kids being at risk if they play on the junk.” The metal collection will stimulate the economy for a while, he said. “It will provide jobs and make the island more attractive for residents and tourists.”
$10m airport deal signed
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This Week's
Inside Stories |
| Slight drop in teenage pregnancy The Ministry of Health reports a modest drop in the percentage of babies born to teenagers during fiscal year 2008. In a recent report to the Nitijela, the Ministry’s data shows that in FY2007 17.5 percent of all babies were born to teenagers (19 and under). Last year the percentage dropped to 16.6 percent. Imata helps US veterans Kwajalein Iroij and former President Imata Kabua (pictured) is a contributor to the Paralyzed Veterans of America organization. Kabua is listed among contributors in the $500-$999 range in the 2008 annual report of the organization, which supports veterans injured in combat and elsewhere. Rare trip offshore for the President President Litokwa Tomeing, who left for Japan on Tuesday this week, is making his first trip since last September. In a significant departure from the norm during President Note’s tenure, the President has gone nearly eight months without traveling internationally, according to his aides. Kijiner, Muller VIP jobs safe Despite rumors circulating that two RMI ambassadors will be removed from their positions, Foreign Minister John Silk told the Journal Monday “there are no plans to recall any ambassadors.” The removal of ambassadors “has not been entertained by Cabinet,” he said. “All ambassadors are still representing the RMI wherever they are.” |
Help make Majuro beautiful. Please don't spit betelnut in
public areas.
public areas.
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Journal 5/23/1970 |
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Journal 5/21/1976 |
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| P1 The first jury trial ever held in Micronesia representing a landmark in the development of the Trust Territory’s judicial system, was held recently here in Majuro. The civil action involved a dispute concerning the sale of 10 acres of land at Laura Village. The plaintiff in the case, Iroij Taidrik Larik, charged that the defendant, Joab Jakeo, did not have the right to sell or transfer the title to the land in question. In 1919, the paramount chief Jebrik Lukutwerak, the holder of iroij lablab rights, died without an heir, thereby |
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| P1 Iroij Albert Loeak, one of the high chiefs of Ailinglaplap Atoll, died this week at Tripler Hospital in Honolulu. P3 Four Marshallese girls, seniors at Marshall Islands High School, will be going to Concordia Teachers College, Seward, Nebraska next September: |
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| ending the line of succession. The Japanese civil government then took over Jebrik’s iroij lablab rights between 1920 and 1933. In 1948, after the Japanese left, the people developed a sort of executive committee called the “Twenty-Twenty Group,” composed of 20 men and 20 women. Originally started as a cooperative, they eventually took over the iroij lablab rights to the land. In June 1953, Civil Action No. 1 (Levi vs. Kumtak) sought to determine who had iroij lablab rights on Majuro Atoll. However, the court held that was not the function of the present administration to right wrongs which may have persisted for many years under a former administration. Essentially, the court established the Trust Territory government and the Twenty-Twenty Group as joint holders of iroij lablab land rights, but to date the government has never exercised those rights. Under Marshallese custom, all the land holders, including the iroij lablab, must be consulted before any interest in land can be transferred. However, Joab Jakeo, the defendant in the case and holder of iroij erik (lesser chief) rights to the land, challenged the authority of the Twenty-Twenty Group by refusing to consult them before selling his land and iroij erik rights to Henry Samuel. As a result, a lawsuit was filed by Taidrik as a representative of the Twenty-Twenty Group. Joab and Samuel said they felt if the case was heard by a Marshallese jury the decision would be made according to the old custom, which they said Civil Action No. 1 departed from. The right to a jury trial was established in the first session of the Congress of Micronesia in August 1965. In mid-January, the names of 24 registered voters were arbitrarily selected from the DUD, Majuro and Laura areas, and summoned to report for jury duty. Of these, six were selected for duty. The trial was held April 21 at Majuro Court House and presided over by High Court Chief Justice Robert Shoecraft. Henry Samuel served as defense attorney and Jeltan as attorney for the plaintiff. The jury ruled in favor of the defendant, saying “The sale or transfer of the defendant’s rights are valid and binding giving the recipient of the land iroij erik rights to the wetos involved.” After the trial, commenting on how smoothly the proceedings were conducted, Judge Shoecraft remarked, “You’d think they’ve been having jury trials here for years.” However, the plaintiffs are appealing the court’s decision and the effect of this decision on land holdings in the Marshalls will not be clear until the appeal is heard by the Appellate Division of the High Court sometime in the near future. | |||||||||||||||||
| Limman Joram, Jabkol Harry, Mela Katjang and Grace Bobo. P8 The Nite Life, By Stoney I was talking with a friend who just came back from other districts, he is Peter Boon (known in the Marshalls as Ento). He is the Micronesian Broadcasting Technician. How’s the trip, Pete? I asked him. He said very bad Stoney; how come Pete? Well you see, I suppose to spend two days in each district, but I end up one week in Yap, three days in Palau, Saipan and Truk, two days in Ponape. Why stay one week in Yap, Pete? Cause something wrong at the broadcasting station there, so I have to fix it, and when I try to fix it, no parts, so I have to look for parts, but lucky I went to Communication there and I got the part from there. What part is that Pete? I asked him. You know what he told me? I don’t have to tell you Stoney, you so dumb, you don’t know anything about radio parts, you only know about guitar string. Anyway, Pete, when you was down in Yap and Palau, did you chew any betelnut? Yea! Stoney, lots of ’em. I thought I told you to bring some for me. Oh, I’m sorry Stoney, I forgot about you. Talking with Jerry Kramer last night at the Reef, I asked him, how come all our good customer from the Administration doesn’t come around now Jerry? Like Roger, Tony, Ray, Oscar and Botlan? You should know. What you mean Jerry? It’s your column on the newspaper. They all scared you might put their name on your column. Hey wait a minute Jerry, do you know that if I want to put story of somebody I’ll ask him first before I put it on the paper. Anyway to all the good customers of the Reef, don’t scared of me, I won’t put your name on my column, so come to the Reef and have fun. |
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Journal 5/22/1992 |
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| P1 Mili Senator Kejjo Bien has enlisted the support of heavyweight trial lawyer Melvin M. Belli in his quest for World War II compensation from Japan. Bien said Belli agreed to take the case after a meeting in San Francisco earlier this month. The two believe that Japanese war compensation was inadequate, and are critical of the US-Japan peace treaty that served as the basis for compensating the people of Mili. P4 Gregory Symons will go to trial in Majuro on the charge of forging government documents in a business migration scheme aimed at Asian investors. Taxis can be limited and full in the growing metropolis of Majuro. If you think getting in one of the taxi buses is complicated, try getting out when you are in the back row left corner with a dozen people blocking your path. The other day we were wondering how a fellow was going to get out who was in jut such a position. No problem. Instead of making eight people pile out of the bus so he could debark, he merely slid open the back window and clambered out. The other passengers loved it and were still chuckling at the next stop. |
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| P4 A local printing company representative is heading off to Russia in the coming weeks to look at a lucrative publishing deal. Now he says he is interested in spicing up the postage stamp trade in ways that might shock the stamp world but would dramatically increase sales. Says he: How about something on our stamps that is reflective of what’s going on in the Marshall Islands? A few of his thoughts to beef up the stamp industry: a stamp with Mack Wonne, master escapist; a portrait of a pamper against the backdrop of a white sand beach; the Nauru hotel, above the title “world record for longest running construction project”; and, says he, the only bird he’d put on a stamp would be the one with the prenom of Philip. Would such stamps sell? You bet, we’d have people who hate stamps collecting ours, says he. |
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