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Friday, September 12, 2008
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No fish zone
sets RMI pace
Rongelap Atoll Local Government (RALGov) Council has taken a significant conservation step by passing a resolution establishing a 50-mile restricted fishing zone around the atolls of Rongelap, Ailinginae, and Rongerik. The RALGov action supports RMI’s participation in the Micronesian Challenge, a regional effort at long-term conservation and environment preservation of the region’s resources.
Tomeing to USP
President Litokwa Tomeing left Majuro Monday this week for Honolulu and then Fiji.
He is to be sworn in as the new Chancellor for the University of the South Pacific in a ceremony at the Suva USP campus on Friday this week, according to Acting President Christopher Loeak.
Kedi, Ading
back bill 1756
A resolution endorsing US Senate bill 1756 was introduced by a dozen senators into Nitijela just before Nitijela recessed for three weeks. Resolution 18 states the Nitijela’s support to the US nuclear-related legislation, and also calls on the RMI government to express its support to the US Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
Council allows luxury yachts to dive at Bikini
Bikini Atoll will remain closed for “normal” tourism operations during 2009, but high-end yachts are being allowed for a free to visit on a case-by-case basis. Bikini liaison Jack Niedenthal, following recent Kili/Bikini/Ejit Local Government Council meetings on next year’s budget, made the announcement. “The Council made this decision due to the ongoing reliability issues with our local airline, Air Marshall Islands, and because the rise in the world price of fuel has (boosted) operating expenses beyond our means,” he said.

Phone:
(692) 625-8143
(692) 625-8146
Fax:
(692) 625-3136
Mail:
PO Box 14 Majuro, MH 96960 Marshall Islands
In Person:
On the ocean road behind Formosa in Uliga, Majuro
Papayas help 'Save the Mule'
By STEVE WHY
Taiwan Ambassador Bruce JD Linghu presided Monday morning over a “papaya handover” outside of the Taiwan Embassy in Long Island. About 200 seven-week old papaya seedlings, grown at the Taiwan Technical Mission in Laura, were handed over to staff of Marshall Islands Conservation Society (MICS) to assist in the “Save the Mule” protection program. This is the second shipment from Taiwan’s Laura farm. Mule like to eat papaya leaves as well as the sweet Mejwan or seeded breadfruit. MICS’s Doane Trevor has been working with landowners on Majuro’s small northern islands for nearly a year now to help replant the preferred foods of Mule, the endangered Micronesia Imperial Pigeon.
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Digicel wants RMI
Digicel Chairman Denis O’Brien flew in to Majuro Sunday on his jet with top company executives to meet with President Litokwa Tomeing and members of his Cabinet — demonstrating Digicel’s interest to get into the Marshalls’ market. O’Brien and the government leaders huddled at Long Island Restaurant for a 90-minute get-together before the Digicel group took off to continue its island-hopping. O’Brien, ranked “number two” this year in Pacific Magazine’s annual Pacific “Power 10” listing, was here to lend weight to Digicel Pacific’s pitch to get government approval to provide competition in the cell phone sector. With him was Digicel Pacific CEO Vanessa Slowey, chief legal counsel David Dillon, and several board members. Tomeing, who earlier expressed concern to the Journal over the poor quality of NTA-provided cell phone services, told the Digicel group that he was delighted with their visit and hoped that it would lead to improvements in telecommunications in the RMI. “We believe that broad use of cell phones is the first step to an information society,” O’Brien said. The Digicel founder said that the company has reduced cell phone costs by more than 40 percent in Samoa, the first Pacific market it entered.
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Capital building crumbles
By GIFF JOHNSON
In the wake of evacuation of the capital building’s fourth floor, Public Works engineers are urging immediate evacuation of parts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the third floor because of unsafe building conditions. In a report to Public Works Minister Kejjo Bien Tuesday this week, structural engineer Lizardo Remojo recommended bluntly that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
“Minister’s office and reception area is to be vacated immediately.” He also “strongly discouraged” continued use of the Foreign Affairs conference room and lounge. His comments were based on a visual assessment of the third floor ceiling that was made last Friday and Saturday. While urging that staff stop using the minister’s room and reception area and the conference room and lounge, he said the third floor hallway “is safe for use at the moment.” Public Works is recommending immediate short-term maintenance of the corroded metal floor plates and the “disintegrating (falling apart) floor slab,” as well as longer-term retrofitting design changes. Remojo told the Journal that he and Public Works engineers are doing a floor-by-floor inspection and hope to finish the entire building before the end of this month. “The Cabinet wants assurance the building is safe,” he said. “If workers need to vacate (for safety) we will tell the Cabinet.” He explained that officials moved from the fourth floor to give Public Works engineers total access to do a complete inspection.
Journal 9/71
Journal 9/83
P1: Micronitor News and Printing Company had a happy mail call Wednesday night with a check from the Trust Territory government for $25,000. Sources at the local newspaper were at a loss to explain why the government would send them $25,000… “There are so many businesses receiving
P1: The total votes cast so far (on the Compact of Free Association) is 5,923. 3,474 Aet (yes) and 2,449 Jab (no). 58.7 percent Aet. The Marshallese students outside the Marshalls voted 116 Aet and 52 Jab. Ujae voted 80 Aet and eight Jab. P1: Wotje Senator Litokwa Tomeing said the Coalition leaders including Kwajalein leaders who are now on
Majuro will meet today to talk on their plans. He said most likely they will discuss what option is there if the Compact wins.
P7: A new youth correctional center is being built at the Majuro police station. The remodeling achieves a 10-room center with beds and toilet facilities of its own, according to Police Chief Dan O’Dell.
government subsidy in the TT now that maybe the government has gone ahead and made things automatic,” said Joe Murphy, editor of the paper. “Of course this could all just be a mistake because the name on the check said ‘Micron Inc.’ But if the government doesn’t contact the paper within the next couple of weeks I’ll cash the check and take a much-needed vacation to Indonesia or something…This just goes to show you how the dollar is devaluing. Couple of years ago this paper wouldn’t have been worth $5,000.”
Journal 9/98
P1: Marshall Islands President Imata Kabua derailed a vote of no confidence scheduled for Monday when he and his supporters walked out of parliament in protest of Speaker Kessai Note’s decision that the vote be taken by secret ballot. Opponents of the President were unable to muster a quorum of 17 members to continue the session, and the Speaker called a recess until Thursday. Note vowed that at the next meeting of Nitijela, the no confidence vote will be by secret ballot, not an open roll call, as demanded by President Kabua.
P5: The Deloitte and Touche team from Saipan won this year’s Mobil All-Micronesia Fishing Tournament in Majuro, unseating the Palauans who have held the title for two years in a row.