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FRIDAY, September 4, 2009
Just hours before
Tuesday’s
deadline to cut
dialysis and
chemotherapy treatment
for Marshallese and
Micronesians, Hawaii State
officials announced a plan to
continue both services. But the state’s
action was followed quickly by US District
Judge Michael Seabright issuing a temporary
restraining order against the state Tuesday
(Wednesday Majuro), requiring it to continue providing
medical care for Micronesians until a decision on the case is made. The next hearing in the case is set tfor Oct. 19.
Continued below.
Marshallese and Micronesians, including Elma Coleman (second left), protest outside the Hawaii State Capitol earlier this week.
Feds may pick up Hawaii health bill
This Week's
Inside Stories
Fish HQ to
be in Majuro
Plans for establishing a new fisheries headquarters in Majuro by next year are on track, said MIMRA Director Glen Joseph, who is in Papua New Guinea this week discussing details of the plan with fisheries bosses from seven other Pacific islands. The eight “Parties to the Nauru Agreement” control the ocean area where most of the $4 billion worth of tuna is caught each year and are flexing their muscles to get a larger share of the tuna “pie.” To move this plan forward, the PNA nations — RMI, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea — agreed earlier this year to set up their first secretariat, and agreed to Majuro’s offer to host it.
Navy ship
brings doctors, engineers,
vets to Majuro
US Navy and an international team doctors, nurses, technicians and engineers will hit the ground running to provide 12 days of humanitarian services to people in the Marshall Islands starting Monday. The US Navy vessel Richard E. Byrd arrives at Kwajalein Monday, and will drop off a large contingent for health clinics, and water-related building projects at Ennibur and Ebeye islands. Helicopters will also deliver medical teams to Mejjato and Ebadon islands on September 16 and 17. On its way to Majuro, the ship will stop by Ailinglaplap and Jabot, where helicopters will deliver medical teams to conduct community clinics with Ministry of Health counterparts, who are taking the opportunity to get immunizations to these outer islands, said Lt. Cdr. Jason Patterson, the office in charge of the Navy’s advance planning team that is in Majuro now.
All Mike action
Get ready for great fishing this Saturday and Sunday as Majuro hosts the 17th Budweiser All-Micronesia Fishing Tournament organized by the Marshalls Billfish Club. Last years’ winner, Team Pohnpei #1 (Alex Tretnoff and family) reeled in the record-breaking Pacific Blue Marlin, a huge 794 pounder, on the second day of the competition to beat Team Marshalls, and continue their winning streak of six tournaments in a row.
Diagnosing the hospital's problems
An incinerator for Majuro Hospital is expected to be in operation this week — nine months after it was initially set up. The incinerator, located past the airport, will attempt to burn the backlog of medical wastes that have piled up for several years, overflowing from containers and at Majuro Hospital’s compound. The waste has generated complaints in the community as well as RMI EPA pollution citations. The Ministry of Health purchased an on-island generator two weeks ago to power the incinerator, and an AC Construction crew was at work from last week fixing the site for the generator, with MEC electricians expected to hook it up this week.
(From top picture) Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle’s senior policy analyst Linda Smith and state Department of Human Services director Lillian Koller met with members of the Micronesians United group earlier this week, pledging no one who needs chemotherapy or dialysis will be left out by the switch to a new “basic” insurance program, which began Tuesday this week, reported the Honolulu Advertiser. Koller said the state of Arizona recently won a consent decree from the federal government that acknowledged dialysis should be considered an emergency service. The federal government agreed to reimburse Arizona for the cost of dialysis provided to legal immigrants dating back to 2007. Koller said Hawaii will file a claim based on the same argument and stands to be reimbursed about $3 million for providing dialysis to Micronesian migrants in 2007 and 2008. The reimbursement would pay the cost of dialysis for another two years.
Following two rejections by the Cabinet, the High Court is again searching for judges to fill the three vacant seats on the Traditional Rights Court. The TRC handles land and
Traditional Rights Court awaits appointments
recommended judges, indicating it wanted additional names to consider, said Ingram. In response, the High Court publicly advertised the positions in April. In May,
title disputes, and has not functioned since the beginning of this year, when the terms of the judges expired. One local attorney called it “a very unusual situation” that the TRC has been without judges for this long, adding that no land cases are moving forward and scheduled trials are being postponed. In December 2008, the Judicial Service Commission — Chief Justice Carl Ingram, the Attorney General (then Filimon Manoni) and Maria Fowler — recommended to Cabinet that it reappoint the three existing TRC members: Chairman Berson Joseph, and Judges Botlan Loeak and Kalemen Jinuna. Cabinet considered the appointment recommendation in March, but did not take action to approve any of the vvthe Judicial Service Commission resubmitted recommendations to Cabinet that included the three sitting judges whose contracts had expired as well as alternate candidates who had responded to the advertisements. Instead of its earlier deferral action, this time the Cabinet rejected the three existing judges and did not approve any of the alternates, which has forced the High Court to do another round of publicly announcing the availability of the TRC positions. Ingram said last week he expects to convene soon a meeting of the JSC, which now includes Acting AG Melvin Narruhn, to consider new applicants and to make a new recommendation to Cabinet so the TRC can be returned to functioning status.
Beautify the islands... Keep trash off the streets & beaches.
Poison candy burned
Ebeye Public Health staff worked with Triple J Ebeye to identify Melamine-tainted “White Rabbit” candy at the store, and to destroy it to protect the public.
Bungitak hires lawyer
The Cabinet has approved the RMI EPA’s plan to hire its own lawyers to prosecute polluters and other environmental wrongdoers. EPA General Manager John Bungitak said Tuesday the agency is working on a contract to hire local attorney James McCaffrey, who is expected to be on the job by next week.

Journal 9/5/1970

Journal 9/2/1977
P8 Major legislation passed by the Congress of Micronesia in its recent session included a bill to establish a 200-mile economic zone. Despite opposition from many Congress members who termed the measure a “sellout” to the US, the bill passed August 24. The US, as
P1 Congress of Micronesia Representative Ataji Balos expressed strong disfavor at the recent Trust Territory appointment of Walter Ownbey as Acting District Administrator Representative to Ebeye. “Ownbey doesn’t get along with the people of Ebeye,” said Balos. “During the return of the people of the Mid-Corridor islands last April, Ownbey sided with the Army and
administering authority, twice vetoed similar attempts to create a 200-mile zone. The subject has proven so sensitive to the United States that status negotiations were bogged down for more than a year in addition to the CIA issue (Editor’s note: the CIA ‘bugged’ Micronesian negotiators and paid a high-level Micronesian to report on developments on the Micronesia negotiating team) which further complicated the stalled negotiations. The bill to create the 200-mile zone incorporates substantial amendments, which were proposed by the US.
The people of Yap want the unity of Micronesia “at any cost,” Senator John Mangefel told the Senate August 26. Mangefel, in a statement which he entitled “From Yap with Love, for all Districts,” told the Congress that “because of all the many sentiments for and against the word and concept ‘unity,’” he would like to substitute the word “Love” for the word “Unity.”
the people haven’t forgotten that.”
P2 The study of the Marshallese land tenure laws of Arno Atoll being made by anthropologist-to-be Mike Rynkiewich is close to completion. According to Ine, Arno-based Rynkiewich, a recent consultation with Dr. Robert Kiste, an anthropologist who has done fieldwork with the ex-Bikini people of Kili island, indicates that enough background work has been done on Arno to provide a basis for a doctoral thesis. He expects to have his thesis published sometime next summer by the University of Minnesota.
P2 Congress of Micronesia Rep. Heinrich Iriarte (Ponape), in remarks as the COM third regular session closed, said he feels the only political status which will allow Micronesia to retain its culture, identity and character is independence. He warned of “the great danger here is that Micronesians will become too comfortable with the large American budget and the standard of living, and will gradually become so dependent on the US that we will assume the commonwealth role we now so strongly oppose.”

Journal 9/4/1992
P1 Fourteen years after the Bikinians were evacuated from their home because of high levels of radiation, US scientists say that it is now safe for them to return to Eneu Island, one of two main islands in the northern atoll. The revelation came during meetings on Bikini over the weekend. But the Bikinians are treating this “very startling announcement” with skepticism, said Jack Niedenthal, the Bikinians Trust Liaison. “To be safe,” said Bikini Mayor Tomaki Juda, “we want a declaration from the US government that it is safe to return and other scientists to review the data. We’re being very careful.”
P1 Marshalls’ Finance Minister Ruben Zackhras introduced the fiscal year 1993 national budget to Nitijela this week. The budget plan calls for spending $65.3 million, a 10 percent cutback in line with the phase-down of funding from the Compact. Health is getting $4.6 million and Education $6.5 million.
P9 New legislation to regulate, inspect and license local commercial and pleasure boats was introduced into Nitijela by Transportation Minister Kunio Lemari. “This bill will provide the Minister of Transportation with the authority to monitor the safety and seaworthiness of vessels operated exclusively within the waters of the Republic.”
P15 The Bank of Marshall Islands has grown and gained customer confidence during its 10 years of existence because people see the bank has a solid financial foundation and Marshallese realize they need their own bank, Manager Patrick Chen told the Journal on the 10th anniversary of the bank.
P17 US disaster relief in the wake of Tropical Storm Zelda and Typhoon Axel brought $15 million to the Marshall Islands, according to FEMA officer in charge in Majuro. FEMA is now winding down its Marshalls’ disaster relief effort more than eight months after it began.
P19 Construction work on the new National Telecommunications Building is moving ahead at a brisk pace by McConnell Dowell. The two-story structure is expected to be completed early next year.