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Friday, October 3, 2008
| Fuel ordered The Marshalls Energy Company has placed an order for fuel to be loaded in S. Korea about October 10 to arrive in late October. About $2.5 million remains due for the last shipment, which is expected to be paid partially by MEC/KAJUR and the national government. The deadline for payment is October 6. Funding from sources in the recently passed FY09 budget is expected to supplement MEC/KAJUR revenue to meet the total due, according to Chief Secretary Casten Nemra. American dream A new group of 26 Marshallese were scheduled to leave Majuro Wednesday night for hotel jobs in America. Job recruiter Russell Langrine said 18 are going to New Orleans and eight to Orlando, Florida to Marriott Hotels in both locations. He said hotels that received the first groups of about 70 Marshallese earlier this year are satisfied and want more. He said that US employers are asking for another 100 workers later this month. Mobil drops gas 62 cents Mobil has dropped its price to local gas stations 62 cents since July 25 — when fuel prices in Majuro first began dropping in response to world market price reductions. Majuro pump prices peaked at $6.89 per gallon in late July before Mobil began dropping its wholesale price to dealers. This week, gas ranged from $6.29 to $6.35 per gallon at the four local stations. Keating stresses strong RMI ties US Pacific Commander Admiral Timothy Keating made his first visit to Majuro last Thursday, meeting with Acting President Christopher Loeak and the Cabinet over lunch. The several hour visit to Majuro was made “to recommit to the people of the Marshall Islands our clear, concise, and relentless commitment to the Compact of Free Association, and to assure the people here that our principal for reason for existence — to defend our homeland — applies equally to the Marshalls,” Keating told the Journal following his meeting with Ambassador Clyde Bishop and the RMI Cabinet. |
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E-mail: |
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Phone: |
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Fax:
(692) 625-3136 |
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Mail:
PO Box 14 Majuro, MH 96960 Marshall Islands |
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In Person:
On the ocean road behind Formosa in Uliga, Majuro |
By GIFF JOHNSON
Confusion reigned in Nitijela debate Monday over aid being sought from Japan to support multi-million dollar projects in the RMI. Government and opposition leaders traded shots over planned projects that have been sidelined in favor of new priorities of the government. But no definitive priority list was offered by government officials during Monday’s debate. Acting President Christopher Loeak confirmed in his comments that outer islands ships are now a top priority for the RMI government. In April, President Litokwa Tomeing made a state visit to Japan and presented a list of three priority projects to Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) officials for consideration. The list was headed by a water reservoir project, which was to be switched from Majuro to Ebeye, making it a new project. Second on the list was funding for a new USP campus in Majuro and the third item was support for outer island runway improvements. According to Japan Charge Dr. Kazuyuki Ohdaira, following receipt of this list in April, the Japan government repeatedly requested more detailed information from the RMI government, including budget estimates, which is a required step in the JICA process, but no follow up information has been provided by RMI to date. Until this information is received, JICA cannot move forward on these projects, he indicated. But a new development has further delayed Japan funding of projects here. Chief Secretary Casten Nemra confirmed to the Journal this week that late last month, the Cabinet revised the project priority list to be proposed to Japan for funding consideration. He said that ships to improve outer island service is now number one, and renewable energy is the second priority. This is followed by the water reservoir project for Ebeye and the USP campus. Ohdaira told the Journal Wednesday he had been informed verbally of these changes by RMI officials but has not received the information in writing. “We’re waiting for written information on this,” he said.
Confusion reigned in Nitijela debate Monday over aid being sought from Japan to support multi-million dollar projects in the RMI. Government and opposition leaders traded shots over planned projects that have been sidelined in favor of new priorities of the government. But no definitive priority list was offered by government officials during Monday’s debate. Acting President Christopher Loeak confirmed in his comments that outer islands ships are now a top priority for the RMI government. In April, President Litokwa Tomeing made a state visit to Japan and presented a list of three priority projects to Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) officials for consideration. The list was headed by a water reservoir project, which was to be switched from Majuro to Ebeye, making it a new project. Second on the list was funding for a new USP campus in Majuro and the third item was support for outer island runway improvements. According to Japan Charge Dr. Kazuyuki Ohdaira, following receipt of this list in April, the Japan government repeatedly requested more detailed information from the RMI government, including budget estimates, which is a required step in the JICA process, but no follow up information has been provided by RMI to date. Until this information is received, JICA cannot move forward on these projects, he indicated. But a new development has further delayed Japan funding of projects here. Chief Secretary Casten Nemra confirmed to the Journal this week that late last month, the Cabinet revised the project priority list to be proposed to Japan for funding consideration. He said that ships to improve outer island service is now number one, and renewable energy is the second priority. This is followed by the water reservoir project for Ebeye and the USP campus. Ohdaira told the Journal Wednesday he had been informed verbally of these changes by RMI officials but has not received the information in writing. “We’re waiting for written information on this,” he said.
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A US Department of Interior report issued Friday describes health services in the Marshall Islands and other US-affiliated islands as being near a “total breakdown.” The report says Majuro Hospital is not properly handling dangerous hospital wastes, medical records management remains problematic, training opportunities for staff are limited, and hemodialysis treatment is not provided despite diabetes being the number one cause of sickness in the country.
The three-page report on Majuro Hospital that is included in the DOI report on all of the US-affiliated islands focuses heavily on the waste management problem, with photos (similar to ones that been printed in the Journal over the past two years) that show the problem of bags of waste piled high.
The three-page report on Majuro Hospital that is included in the DOI report on all of the US-affiliated islands focuses heavily on the waste management problem, with photos (similar to ones that been printed in the Journal over the past two years) that show the problem of bags of waste piled high.
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