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Friday, November 2, 2007
Promoting handicraft sales at the Ebeye trade fair were Matilda Capelle, Mio Candle, Juana Bellu and Mary Korok. Majuro vendors said they were happy with the financial results of the combined Kwajalein and Ebeye fairs.

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Kili voters questioned
A Kili/Bikini council candidate has filed a complaint to get 39 Kili-registered voters who live at Ebeye off the election list for this month’s national election. The complaint, filed earlier this week, seeks to get the Electoral Administration to remove the 39 voters who the High Court ordered removed from the list in 2003.
Danny pushes his complaint
Despite an initial rejection by the Chief Electoral Office, Aur Atoll Nitijela candidate Danny Jack is continuing to press his complaint about the validity of the people who nominated incumbent Norman Matthew to stand for the November 19 election. Jack’s campaign chairman Timos Basin sent a second letter of complaint to CEO Carl Alik last week further challenging Matthew’s nomination paper.
Dash-8 landing gear corroded
Air Marshall Islands kept its two month run of bad luck unbroken this week, when mechanics discovered additional problems with the Dash-8. Although the Dash-8 has been grounded since October 10, it wasn’t until Wednesday this week that mechanics found additional problems — corrosion — in the landing gear of the plane, which means the entire landing gear, not just some parts, need to be replaced.
Ghosts haunt the 2007 voting lists
With just over two weeks to go before the November 19 election, candidates are raising concerns about the voting lists containing names that are not eligible to vote. A Majuro candidate told the Journal this week that there are at least seven deceased people listed on the Ajeltake voter list and more than 10 dead people listed on the Delap voting list. The Ajeltake listing includes a number of people who died, including people who have been dead for more than 10 years. Among others who died but who are still listed as currently registered voters for Ajeltake is former Majuro Mayor Tarmile Ishoda. “I’m aware of it,” Chief Electoral Officer Carl Alik told the Journal this week. Electoral staff is attempting to clean up the voter lists as much as possible over the next few days before printing the “master lists” next week, he said.
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Sand, surf not enough to lure tourists
By SUZANNE CHUTARO
Pacific Islands have been counting on their beautiful scenery, white sand beaches and turquoise waters to attract tourists from around the world. But Japan-based travel industry experts say emerging Pacific markets such as the Marshall Islands have to offer more than sand, surf, and in the case of the Marshall Islands, diving, if they expect to attract the hard-to-please Japanese traveler. This is a particularly critical issue for Majuro as it looks to expand the number of charter flights by Japan Airlines. “Generally, the Japanese traveler likes the white beaches because we don't have this in Japan. But at the same time they want to eat good food, do some activities like sight seeing, water sports and some shopping,” says Kazuo Ito, president of JALPak's Micronesia division. Ito says bluntly that if emerging Pacific markets want to compete for the Japanese traveler, they are going to have to look at Japan's current top five travel destinations. The first is China, with 3.8 million visitors. South Korea is second with 2.3 million Japanese. Hawaii attracts 1.4 million Japanese, down from the 2 million-plus tourists who used to travel to those islands.