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See page 17
The
1
Friday, April 3, 2015 • Volume 46, Number 14
Rosalie:
Court
abused
power
In an appeal to the RMI Supreme
Court, Assistant Attorney General
Rosalie Konou accused the High
Court Chief Justice of “abusing”
his discretion in a citizenship case,
while opposing attorney Witten
Philippo called Konou’s presentation “unprofessional.”
Konou appealed Chief Justice
Carl Ingram’s ruling rejecting her
motion for a stay on giving Laureanso Sampang his citizenship
while an appeal of the ruling in
Sampang’s favor is pending with
the Supreme Court. Konou contends that Sampang’s citizenship
should be put on hold until the Supreme Court makes its ruling on
the appeal. She said she provided a
written brief to support getting the
“stay” and Philippo provided none,
“yet the denial order of the court
favors (Sampang).”
She claims the Supreme Court
should maintain the status quo
pending its ruling on the citizenship issue because Sampang will
not suffer from not getting his
citizenship immediately, while the
RMI will be subject to damage if it
has to issue a passport to him. “The
court abused its discretion in its denial order against (the RMI’s) stay
motion,” she said.
But in an opposing brief, Philippo said Konou doesn’t give any
reasons or reference any facts to
support the government’s position
that a “stay of judgment is necessary or reasonable,” and urged the
court to deny the appeal.
Addressing Konou’s point that
he did not submit a brief, while
she did but the court ruled in favor
of Philippo’s client, Philippo said:
“These allegations are unsubstantiated, not supported by reference to
any evidence, and unprofessional.”
Philippo told the Supreme Court
that Konou did not offer any new
reasons to support her appeal of
the High Court decision, and added
that the High Court’s findings are
“reasonable and sound.”
Rosalie: ‘I should have won
twice.’ Story page 2.
Marshall Islands
ISSN: 0892 2096
Olai is
Palau
envoy
to EU
$1 on
The Marshall Islands Journal —­­­Friday, April 3, 2015
Majuro
Happy 70th Mike!
Kwajalein Iroij and Senator Mike Kabua
celebrated his 70th birthday last weekend with
a big bash at Kwajalein. Dressed for the occasion, hundreds of residents joined in the party.
See story on p21. Photo: Hilary Hosia.
RMI: Greenpeace
criticism is unfair
The environment group Greenpeace has stepped up pressure on
the RMI government to take action to revoke licensing of oilrigs
drilling for oil in the Arctic that
are presently flying RMI flags.
During the past few days,
Greenpeace’s vessel Esperanza
has been following the Shell oil
drilling rig Transocean Polar
Pioneer that has been voyaging
through RMI waters on its way to
Alaska in preparation for drilling
in the Arctic this summer.
“Greenpeace is shining a light
on the corporate villains who are
greedily perpetuating climate
change and ignoring the devas-
Increased pressure to
drop rigs from registry
tating consequences,” said the
organization. “Science tells us we
cannot afford to burn fossil fuels
already in our reach and if we
want to stay below two degrees
warming, Artic oil is off limits,”
said Australian Zoe Lennox who
is on the Esperanza.
But Marshall Islands Foreign
Minister Tony deBrum says the
Greenpeace attack is unfair and
de-registration won’t help. He
told Radio Australia it’s primarily
the responsibility of the shipping
industry to regulate itself, and
Marshall Islands is pressing the
International Maritime Organization to respond more effectively
to climate change.
“We believe strongly that the
Marshall Islands should distance
itself from the oil industry, partic-
ularly in the Arctic, and that such
an action would strengthen your
case in climate negotiations,”
said Greenpeace Australia Pacific CEO David Ritter in a letter
last week to RMI President Chris
Loeak. He provided an eightpage briefing paper titled, “The
Marshall Islands and Big Oil:
Climate change and oil spills.” It
focuses on oilrigs that are flagged
by the RMI’s ship registry, the
third largest in the world.
Ritter recognized the RMI
government for being “admirably
outspoken” on climate issues at a
global level. But, he added, “We
Continued page 2
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2
Friday, April 3, 2015 — The Marshall Islands Journal
AG lodges appeal against Jack’s candidacy
The Attorney General’s office on Thursday lodged an appeal of the High Court’s
ruling in favor of Jack Niedenthal’s constitutional right to stand for Nitijela election.
The appeal, filed by Assistant Attorney General Rosalie Konou, presents two
questions for consideration by the RMI Supreme Court. The questions:
• “Did the High Court err in allowing a
restrictive interpretation of Article II Section 14(2) of the RMI Constitution, particularly the word ‘regulations,’ by not considering the ultimate function of regulating
the election process and therefore failed
to construe Sections 145 (5) & (6) of the
Elections & Referenda Act as containing a
Rosalie: ‘I
should have
won case twice’
“I should have won
the case twice,” said Assistant Attorney General
Rosalie Konou (pictured)
this week. She says she
received an unfair ruling from the High Court,
based on the fact that at
the initially scheduled
hearing in the Laureanso
Sampang citizenship case,
Sampang’s attorney Witten Philippo didn’t show up, and at the
second hearing, he didn’t file a brief
to argue any issues in the case, which
was the AG’s attempt to put Chief Justice Carl Ingram’s ruling in favor of
Sampang on hold pending an appeal
to the Supreme Court.
“I should have won when he didn’t
show up and there shouldn’t have
been a second hearing,” she said. The
AG’s office objected to the granting of
citizenship to Sampang, claiming that
he violated Immigration requirements
and did not properly meet residency
requirements for citizenship.
“It’s like two runners in a race
scheduled for 7am,” she said. “Only
one shows up, the other loses.”
She said the government is attempting to define “residency” for
the purposes of citizenship, and has
established an R1 visa
through which aliens
can apply to meet the
residency requirements
of the Constitution,
which lists three years
as one of the requirements to meet for citizenship by registration.
The government position, she said, is that
years spent here on an
employment contract should not be
credited as meeting “residency” requirements for the purposes of citizenship. She said the government’s point
is that aliens need to apply for an R1
visa to get on a citizenship track. “The
Cabinet has approved a method for acquiring residency, but the court is saying, ‘no, the Cabinet can’t.’” She said
there are lots of citizenship cases using
only employment years to meet the
Constitution’s residency requirement.
But, she said, “the Cabinet is saying
employment years don’t count.”
This is “a compelling interest of the
government and the court should carefully scrutinize this,” she said.
Konou said the Chief Justice “will
get mad at me (for questioning the ruling), but it was him and me only in the
courtroom. I should have won.”
regulatory function?”
• “Did the High Court err when it determined the issue of ‘jowi’ as an additional
qualification of candidates beyond the
intent of the Constitution, by concluding that, it is not the Nitijela, who should
decide who should qualify to stand for a
Nitijela seat within constitutional frame-
work, commands or authority and within
any realized national compelling interest?”
High Court Judge Dinsmore Tuttle ruled
that the Constitution does not make a distinction between natural born and naturalized citizens, and Niedenthal met all Constitutional requirements to be a candidate
for Nitijela.
Taiwan donates buses to Ebeye
Kwajalein schools on Ebeye are to receive two school buses donated by Taichung City
Government in Taiwan. RMI Ambassador to Taiwan Phillip Kabua and Mrs. Kabua were
at the recent donation ceremony with officials from Taichung City Government in Taiwan.
Five die in Greenpeace requests
Chuuk Cat to RMI government
3 typhoon
From page 1
A category three typhoon ripped
through Chuuk state in the FSM over
the weekend, reportedly killing five
people and causing widespread damage.
Typhoon Maysak is reported to be
building in strength as it heads on a
track for Yap, where it was expected
to hit at mid-week. FSM President
Manny Mori said Monday a ship
with relief supplies was getting ready
to depart Pohnpei for Chuuk.
are deeply concerned that the Marshall Islands risks being
associated with oil companies like Shell and Statoil that
continue to profit from climate change and threaten not
only the Arctic — home to unique wildlife, endangered
species — but global communities like our own.”
Greenpeace asked the RMI to:
• Revoke registration of the Transocean Polar Pioneer
and Transocean Spitsbergen from the RMI ship registry.
• Publicly announce RMI disapproval of Shell, Transocean and Statoil oil drilling plans in the Arctic and reaffirm your global commitment to combating climate
change.
• Review the RMI’s flag state responsibilities and applicable laws and regulations in relation to different risk
levels associated with vessels on the RMI registry.
For updates on the voyage of the oilrig Polar Pioneer
through the Pacific: https://www.savethearctic.org/en/live/
The Marshall Islands Journal —­­­Friday, April 3, 2015
Top FSM official faces
theft, tampering charges
FSM Secretary of Transportation,
Communication
& Infrastructure Francis Itimai was charged Friday in
Pohnpei with seven criminal
counts that say he manipulated FSM government and
Micronesian Shipping Commission funds for personal
benefit.
The FSM Attorney General’s office charged Itimai
with conflict of interest, falsification, tampering with
a witness, theft, attempted
theft, criminal mischief and
unauthorized possession or
removal of property.
These violations are said to
have occurred in 2013 when
Itimai was both FSM Secretary and Chairman of the Micronesian Shipping Commission (MSC), the agency that
regulates shipping for Palau,
FSM and RMI and has been
repeatedly criticized by private sector representatives for
ineffective performance.
During a trip from Pohnpei
to Yap in May 2013, he asked
for a travel extension that
would have cost $982, but
FSM President Manny Mori
did not approve amending his
travel allowance, according to
the charges. He then obtained
$926 from the MSC through
a letter stating that his FSM
travel would be amended.
When he returned to Pohnpei,
he went to the MSC office,
saw a world map on the wall,
and took it, the charges say.
He then got an invoice from
MSC for $926 for the world
map that was paid from the
Maritime Operations Revolving Fund, which the charges
say was supposed only to be
used for operation and maintenance of the Caroline Voyager field trip vessel.
After his Yap trip, he submitted a voucher to the FSM
Department of Finance for
the extended dates the President had previously rejected,
the charges say, adding that
Finance corrected the amount
to the originally scheduled
dates. Shortly thereafter, the
FSM National Public Auditor
launched an investigation.
Late in 2013, MSC issued
a receipt for the $926 for a
cash payment Itimai made as
“reimbursement” for the advance from MSC.
An initial hearing was
scheduled for mid-week in
the FSM Supreme Court.
3
Japan Emperor
to visit Palau
The Emperor of Japan is making his
first visit to Palau next week, which includes a visit to Peleliu, site of fierce
battles between Japanese and American
forces during World War II.
President Chris Loeak will be joining
Palau President Tommy Remengesau, Jr.
and FSM President Manny Mori in Palau
in welcoming Emperor Akahito and his
wife. Loeak is expected to be in Palau
from April 6-10.
Court issues 2
restraint orders
Acting President helps bless lounge
Acting President Wilbur Heine attended the
blessing ceremony of a new doctors’ lounge
and medical equipment at the Ministry of
Health this week.
Acting President Heine emphasized on the
important role of doctors and extended appreciation for their long hours and dedication in
providing patient care. Health Minister Phillip
Muller thanked all who have provided helping hands to the hospital, particularly volunteers, with renovating the lounge and keeping
the hospital clean. Acting Secretary Mailynn
Lang conveyed appreciation to the Cabinet
for their continued support to the Ministry of
Health.
Photo: Denise deBrum-Reiher.
In a two-week period, the High Court
has issued two temporary protection
orders responding to domestic violence
complaints.
On Friday, Judge Dinsmore Tuttle responded to a domestic violence petition
by issued a temporary protection order
directing Alex Milne to stay at least 200
feet away from the Rita home where his
wife and two children live.
Tuttle said the temporary order would
stay in effect until April 2 when a hearing is scheduled to hear testimony from
all concerned and to decide if the order
will become permanent.
Capelle case moves into top gear
Judge Dinsmore Tuttle rejected Joranson Capelle’s motion to
dismiss murder charges, but set
the case on a fast-track based on
Capelle’s complaint that the Attorney General’s office was violating his right to a speedy trial.
Capelle was originally charged
with “manslaughter” and other
assault charges last September
for allegedly murdering one man
and assaulting a woman in the
Alwal area of Rita. He was to go
to trial early last month.
But the week before the trial,
the AG’s office dismissed the
case, and then the following
week re-filed a criminal complaint elevating the charge to
“murder.”
Capelle’s attorney Chief Public
Defender Russell Kun filed a mo-
tion to dismiss, which the AG’s
office disputed. At last Wednesday’s hearing Tuttle dismissed
the motion, but said she would
expedite the case “to honor Mr.
Capelle’s right to a speedy trial.”
At the hearing on March 25,
Tuttle offered to conduct the
preliminary hearing the following day. Capelle accepted by the
AG’s office said it has an essen-
Mudge: Airline tax still
stands despite statement
Majuro Mayor Mudge
Samuel (right) expressed
surprise at the statement
by Minister Tony deBrum
reported in last week’s
paper that MALGov’s airline tax is not in effect.
MALGov announced
that the four percent tax
on airline tickets sold in
Majuro went into effect
the first week of January,
following approval by the
RMI government.
But Foreign Minister
deBrum told last week’s
Chamber of Commerce meeting at Monica’s that he had been instructed by the
President to inform MALGov that the local tax was null and void.
Mayor Samuel couldn’t believe it, and
said Friday neither the minister nor any-
one else from the government had informed
him of this development.
“It was signed by the
Minister of Internal Affairs on December 4,
2014 and okayed by the
Attorney General,” said
Samuel.
“Have they terminated Minister David Kabua from the Cabinet?”
he asked.
The mayor said MALGov held a public hearing, got the endorsement of the Attorney
General, Minister Kabua signed off approving the local ordinance, and it was
implemented in January.
“The left hand doesn’t know what the
right hand is doing,” the mayor said.
tial witness in Hawaii. So Tuttle
scheduled the preliminary hearing from this week Thursday to
allow time for the witness to arrive to provide testimony.
If the court finds “good cause”
to proceed to trial, the trial is set
for April 6. Capelle has waived a
jury trial, so would be tried before Judge Tuttle if the case goes
to trial.
4
Friday, April 3, 2015 — The Marshall Islands Journal
MIMRA, PNA push tuna action
Islands
aim to
control
FADs
The Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA)
are gearing to launch the
first-ever fish aggregating
devices (FAD) registration and tracking trial next
year. This follows extensive evaluation by PNA
officials and development
of technology that allows
for establishing a functional management system for FADs.
PNA estimates that at
least 30,000 FADs are in
central and western Pacific fishery waters. “On
any one day, 6,000 FADs
are in active use by purse
seiners,” said PNA Commercial Manager Maurice
Brownjohn. A limited trial
that tracked 11 FADs last
year demonstrated that
tracking works, he said.
The PNA annual meet-
‘On any one day,
6,000 FADs are
in active use by
purse seiners.’
—Maurice
Brownjohn,
PNA Commercial
Manager
ing held in Yap the second
week of March discussed
the planned roll out of the
FAD tracking plan and
also reviewed a proposal
to begin charging daily
fees for FAD use in 2016.
Management of FADs offers an opportunity for
limiting their use, which
is another conservation
option that could be used
in place of — or to reduce
— the current four-month
moratorium on FAD use.
“We can link fishing
boats to FADs and can
count their interactions,”
said Brownjohn. It’s like
counting fishing days for
vessels, which is the basis of PNA’s successful
Vessel Days Scheme. The
combination of on-board
observers and computersatellite technology available can show if vessels
are setting nets around
FADs, and how many
FADs individual purse
seiners are using.
“We are now able to get
some grasp on the FAD issue,” said Brownjohn.
The Pew Charitable
Trusts and the World Wildlife Fund have been supporting the FAD tracking
pilot project, including providing satellite time for the
first 12 months of the new
program.
Sam Lanwi and Marmar Lejjena
at the Fisheries workshop.
Focus on tuna control
Pacific fisheries officials may have
spent five days last week in debate about
what’s happening to stop illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in
the Pacific Ocean, but their minds were
never far from the rehabilitation and recovery efforts taking place in Vanuatu.
In Monday’s opening moments of
the Forum Fisheries Agency workshop,
delegates observed a minute’s silence to
remember those who lost lives and livelihoods when Cyclone Pam turned from
Solomon’s waters in mid March and cut
its deadly, category-5 swathe through
neighboring Vanuatu.
Following that sombre opening note,
delegates from all 17 FFA member nations got into a week of discussing progress, challenges, and future directions
around Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) for the Pacific fishery.
Representing the RMI at the Honiara
meeting was MIMRA Deputy Director
Samuel Lanwi, Jr. and RMI Sea Patrol’s
Helmar Lejjena.
Delegates ended the week with a formal closing event hosted by FFA Director-General James Movick, which was
followed by a fundraising appeal led by
FFA’s social club members to go towards
assisting recovery for Vanuatu.
A raffle and silent auction for a long
list of donated prizes from across the region will go towards purchasing water
and basic food items to be included in
relief containers being shipped to Vanuatu.
The fundraiser supported by the regional participants during their closing
function will also supplement clothing
and household items collected from FFA
staff and families in the last two weeks.
The Marshall Islands Journal —­­­Friday, April 3, 2015
5
6
Friday, April 3, 2015 — The Marshall Islands Journal
Former Japan Ambassador Kazuhiko
Anzai (center
left) and President Chris Loeak
(center right) with
government VIPs
at the handover
ceremony at Public
Works.
Photo: Joelee Anñi.
Loeak digs the latest gift from Japan
The Japan government handed
over nearly $2 million worth of
heavy equipment to the Marshall
Islands government last Thursday.
President Chris Loeak was on
hand to receive the eight new
excavators on behalf of the government from outgoing Japan
Ambassador Kazuhiko Anzai at a
handover ceremony at the Ministry of Public Works.
The excavators are part of a
grant donation offered by Japan
under the Non-Project Grant Aid
for the Provision of Industrial
Products.
President Loeak expressed appreciation to former Ambassador
Anzai and the government of Japan for the assistance provided to
the Marshall Islands, particularly
toward infrastructure development.
President Loeak noted that the
excavators were manufactured in
East Japan which suffered significant damage from the Great East
Japan Earthquake and Tsunami.
The grant not only contributes to
the social and economic development of the Marshall Islands but
also to the restoration of East Japan.
In addition to the excavators,
the Marshall Islands will also
receive four wheel loaders from
Japan that are expected to arrive
next year.
Witnessing the handover were
traditional leaders, members of
Cabinet and Nitijela, Speaker
Donald Capelle, and officials
from the President’s Office, Office of the Chief Secretary, the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the
Ministry of Public Works, and the
Japan Embassy.
The Japan Embassy said the
grant is designed to support social
and economic development in the
RMI. According to Public Works,
some of these excavators will be
deployed in Majuro and some in
outer islands including Wotje and
Jaluit. In addition to the excavators, the RMI Government will
receive four wheel loaders to be
used for public works. These
wheel loaders are expected to arrive within a year.
The Marshall Islands Journal —­­­Friday, April 3, 2015
7
8
Friday, April 3, 2015 — The Marshall Islands Journal
The RMI Riddle No. 550: Sponsored by CopyMasters
ACROSS
3. Seize ... with understanding?
8. War.
9. Loved.
10. Reef.
11. Neat.
12. Irritating sensation.
13. Palm product.
15. SP spot.
17. Relative.
20. Sophomore or freshman.
21. Blessed being.
22. Branch, green, or oil.
23. Layperson.
24. Step.
26. Italian author Luigi
Pirandello wrote: “A fact is
like a sack: It won’t stand up if
it’s -----. To make it stand up,
first you have to put in it all
the reasons and feelings that
caused it in the first place.”
28. Loved being dedicated?
31. Wound with a knife.
33. Murphy or Mason.
34. Reduce to powder.
35. Carafe or decanter.
36. Votes into office.
37. Sweet stuff.
DOWN
1. Top spot in Philippines.
2. Remain in place.
3. Night clicker.
4. Cool gear! (3,12)
5. NP spot.
6. Patrick and Matiti’s workplace. (abb.)
7. Writing tool.
13. Sweet sauce for pudding.
14. Taught.
15. Bird beds.
16. RRE home.
18. Brittle.
19. Opposition.
25. Body art.
27. SP spot.
29. Rims.
30. Senior.
32. Wash tub.
33. Army vehicle.
Answers to Riddle No. 549
Ebeye hospital staff get
critical life saving updates
Majuro hospital nurses visited Ebeye to conduct Basic Life Saving
course (one week) to Leroj Kitlang Hospital staff, including nurses,
janitors and administrators. Photo: Hilary Hosia.
Note: (abb.) = abbreviation
(3,4) = indicates the number
of letters in words.
Jorrean ko nae
kora ro ilo RMI
Juon jonak eo ekabulonlon ej walok ikijien jonan jorrean nae kora ilo Marshall
Islands ear walok ilobulej ilo nememe in
juon ripoot eo im raar kenono kake ilo New
York City wiik eo lok.
Itok wot jen ripoot eo ear jede jen ippen
Internal Affairs Assistant Secretary Molly
Helkena ilo juon ien kwelok an United
Nations ilo New York wiik eo lok, jemlok
in ekabulonlon ej ba bwe iturin lok jonan
in jiljilimjuon kora jen ibwiljin kajojo 10
kora ro, ilo Marshall Islands, rej jorrean
jen kemtak enbwinier ak jen latibnol, eo
im bonbon kein rej walok imejen lalin enwot bonbon ko emoj kabini. Bonbon kein
remaron in ke jiban tok Marshall Islands?
Menin ear unin kenono eo in ilo New York
wiik eo lok.
Bonbon ko an juon ekatok raar bar boklok nan United Nations Headquarter eo ilo
juon iaan ien kenono ko, ikijien aer kejerbal bonbon ko nan iuun maanlok abonono
ko rejelet jimwe ko iumin sexual im reproductive health, ak jimwe nan ejmour ilo
sexual im reproductive health.
“Kimar lukkun bulon kin jonan lon kora
ro rej ione jorrean imoko imoer,” Helkena
ear ba, ikijien ekatok in im mottan wot jidrik renaaj kadriwoje tok, eo im ear komman jen Kien eo kab drouluul in kora ro
Women United Together Marshall Islands,
iumin jiban ko bareinwot jen United Nations Population Fund eo (UNFPA) ekoba
Australian Department of Foreign Affairs
im Trade bareinwot.
Lal ko jet ilo Pacific in rej kio bar komman ejja kain ekatok rot kein wot, ilo an
bar walok ejja kain melele rot kein ie, ko
im rej rome tok menin kenono jab in ilo
an jab kanuij in lap tobrak ej komman jen
ippen ri komman kien ro, kora in ear ba.
Melele ko relon lok jen kar moka, rej
itok jen ekatok ko einwot ilo ekatok eo an
Marshall Islands, ekoba jen jikin ko jet ejjab ekka kar ebbok melele jene, ri kapeel
ro ilo kwelok eo raar ba. Kajjitok eo in ej
ekijkan ad maron kejerbale melele kein
nan tobare aikuij eo an ro relukkun in jedmatmate jorrean jab in.
Ukot melele kein remool nan jino makitkit kein ej aban eo in.
“Melele ko rejjab bed wot ijo im ijien.
Aurok eo in ej ekijkan ad maron kejerbali,
ewi wawein ad melele, ta ko jen kommani,” UNFPA Deputy Executive Director
Kate Gilmore ear ba, eo im ear kobalok ippen Helkena kab ro jet.
Cynthia Summers, vice president eo an
Guttmacher Institute eo, ear kwalok kin
melele in. “Elap wonmanlok iumin year ko
rej kab jemlok lok, botaap ej lap wot kota
eo ikijien jorrean in.
Ewor 225 million kora rejjab konan
bororu, ijoke rejjab kejerbal kein bobrae
ko. Im jen 125 million kora ro rej keotak
kajojo year otemjej, 54 million rej entan
jen jabwe takto im jikin takto, 43 million
rej keotak ilo imon takto ko rejjab emman,
im 33 million ejjab emman jikin takto ko
an ninnin rej bed ie. Im laajrak in endrein
an jab bojrak.”
Jorrean eo ejjab kinke ejabwe melele,
ijoke edrik makitkit en ej komman. “Men
kein rejjab nomba wot,” Helkena ear ba.
“Melele kein rej ikijien jet armij kin bwebwenato ko aer remaron kwalok nan yuk.”
The Marshall Islands Journal —­­­Friday, April 3, 2015
9
10
Friday, April 3, 2015 — The Marshall Islands Journal
AROUND TOWN
A big turnout of local business people and government representatives was a highlight of last week’s
Marshall Islands Chamber of Commerce meeting
held at Monica’s second floor location at The Pub.
Sponsored by the RMI Office of Commerce and In-
vestment, the Chamber meeting was presented with
a draft of the new “universal form” that puts all national and local government information requirements in
one document to streamline the process of setting up
a new business in the RMI. Photo Suzanne Chutaro.
Winner of Stardom 4 Wisdom
The Riddle No. 549 proved a little
tough for some of our regular puzzlers, but three cheers go to two
people who turned in perfect crosswords: Arlendo AP, Becky Lathrop, Team Tazz and Capt. Catalina Rick, and Bonny Taggart.
In March, the winners of Stardom for Wisdom were: Bonny Taggart, Dante Dela Vega, Helber
Namna, Diane Myazoe, Herman
Lee-Enos, Becky Lathrop, Team
Western Union Galz, Tazz Clark,
Mickey John, Kubaak Mayn, Lar-
ry of the yacht Tribute.
The names went into the hat and
reporter Isaac Marty plucked out
the winner of a Flame Tree pizza,
which is — ta-da — Dante, who
can pick up his gift certificate at Micronitor.
‘It is used by almost a tenth of the world’s population. It gives people a buzz equivalent to six cups
of coffee and is used variously as a symbol of love,
marriage and a cure for indigestion and impotence.
But it is also leading tens of thousands to an early
grave. The culprit? The humble betelnut.’
—From a BBC news report titled,
“Asia’s deadly secret: The scourge of the betelnut.”
Betelnut drought
Majuro is feeling the result of the big Typhoon
Maysak that is wreaking havoc in the FSM.
United Airlines was forced to overfly Pohnpei twice in the past week and the lack of inbound air service from the capital of the FSM
has caused most stores in Majuro to run out of
betelnut.
Chewers and reformed chewers told the Journal that the shortage caused a run on the few
stores that still had supplies, with the price of
betelnuts in some stores jumping from 25 cents
a nut to $1.
Local betelnut chewers, meanwhile, substituted chewing tobacco, with stores reportedly
doing a brisk business in “dip” sales.
Another impact of Typhoon Maysak was the
cancellation by USAID of the planned launch
Monday of grants for both Rongelap and Namdrik when US officials in Pohnpei were unable to
travel to Majuro to be part of the event.
FSM
b’ball
folk on
the way
According to a local
guy who was in Pohnpei
last week, the Pohnpei
men’s basketball team
that is heading to Majuro
in 10 days is working out
in daily practices.
“They said they don’t
want to lose,” was the
comment made. A Pohnpei team played in the
13th BOMI Ralik Ratak
Shootout two years ago
and lost in the semifinals, coming in fourth
place.
This time around,
they’re aiming for a better result. The tournament with Pohnpei, Kiribati, Majuro and Lae
opens at CMI’s SSG
Solomon Sam Memorial
Sports Center on Monday April 13.
Coulda been worse
“Huh?” said LaJimma as he sat
having lunch in his blue taxi in the
parking lot of Payless. He was just
finishing a busy morning of ferrying well over a hundred passengers from here to there and back
again.
He exhaled leisurely, forcing himself to relax, but he was
suddenly drawn taut: next to his
parked taxi a woman was looking
at the white mess in front of her.
It was a smashed-open milk carton, and fully half of its contents
had become a tiny lake of white
liquid. “Ahhh!” said the woman in
anguish.
LaJimma felt sorry for the wom-
an, and he could see the tears
starting down her cheek. He decided to make her feel better. “You
got no reason to cry. It could have
been beer.”
“What?” said the woman.
“I said it could have been beer,”
repeated LaJimma. “Are you deaf
or something.”
The Marshall Islands Journal —­­­Friday, April 3, 2015
AROUND TOWN
Look ma! No pilot
A Pohnpeian family recently was
shocked to witness the erratic flight
of a pilotless helicopter descend from
above their land to crash and burn behind their house with no apparent explanation for the incident.
The Tropic Helicopter, according to
Kaselehlie Press, was observed buzzing up and down by witnesses driving
near the residence of the Semens’
family in Nahnpohnmal. Finally, the
craft crashed near a cookhouse on the
Semens’ land and burst into flames.
Pohnpei police were quickly on the
scene to douse the fire.
The explanation for this bizarre incident was that the helicopter unexpectedly became airborne while mechanics
were working on the craft and turned
on the main motor. Fortunately, no one
was injured in the incident, but shock at
the unexpected wild behavior of a flying machine won frontpage coverage
from KP.
It’s hard to miss the unique sign in front of Port
Authority’s building at Uliga Dock. Photo: Isaac Marty
Celebrating our
islands in Honolulu
The Honolulu Museum sponsored a
Celebrate Micronesia program of art
and cultural exhibitions that wrapped
up last week, and the last day was a
humdinger of art-making demonstrations, food, dance, spoken word, a
fashion show, coconut-husking contests, and films.
The Marshalls was well represented
with eight club booths (see above),
many selling crafts, and a big RMI
consulate exhibit. Local resident Dan
Smith’s suggestion to the amimono
makers: Put your name and atoll on
your work with a little tag. Makes it
more valuable and easier to sell!
11
12
Friday, April 3, 2015 — The Marshall Islands Journal
Opinion page
Send letters to PO Box 14, Majuro, MH 96960 or email journal@ntamar.net
Don’t get sick
on outer islands
Consider this observation by a doctor visiting one of
our outer atolls earlier this month and seeing a woman
with severe gangrene in her foot. The observation: the
woman’s condition is “what you’d see in a place with no
medical care.”
While most attention (and criticism) has been focused
on shortcomings at Majuro hospital — lack of medications, supplies, medical staff, and so on —collateral damage, so to speak, affects the outer islands. The shortages
in Majuro mean our remote atolls end up going months
without essential medicines that harm people’s health that
is dependent on such things as regular use of diabetes
medications. While we in Majuro can walk into the MediSource pharmacy or to Majuro Clinic to get a prescription
filled if the hospital is out, outer islanders have no such
luxuries.
The decline in availability of medicines on the outer
islands is another negative that will encourage people to
leave their homes for Majuro or beyond.
Microcosm of global migration
Kim Wall (foreground) takes a
shot of fellow journalist Coleen
Jose at the top of Enewetak’s
Runit Dome with an Enewetak
resident. Photo: Hendrik Hinzel.
KIM WALL,
COLEEN JOSE,
and HENDRIK HINZEL
Locals call it “the tomb.”
Equipped with Geiger counters,
facemasks, cameras and a drone, we
climbed on top of 4,700 cubic meters of radiologically contaminated
debris, adrenaline-rushed with uncertain risks. Between us and an array of radioactive isotopes, 18 inches of cracking concrete surrounded
by a moat of high tide. Meanwhile,
reports had told us the lagoon and
sands surrounding the dome were
already more toxic.
Enewetak — site of 43 atmospheric bomb tests, including the
first-ever hydrogen bomb — isn’t easily accessible. All in
all, we spent ten long days aboard the Lady E, the quarterly government supply ship, before a tropical welcome
of coconuts and leis on the docks.
Our three-person team had flown into Majuro from New
York to report a multimedia series on the consequences of
climate change and a still potent US nuclear legacy in the
Marshall Islands a few weeks earlier. Underpinning our
reporting is a simple question: why are Marshallese leav-
ing their home islands? In Enewetak, the timing was perfect: arriving just on time for Liberation Day and Typhoon
Bavi, we were reminded of the atoll’s unique and underreported history as the storm surge washed up gasmasks
on the shores.
As we arrived, people had been without food for weeks.
Because of the Lady E’s delay, many survived on coconuts and flour, awaiting the “supplemental” food program,
which makes up the bulk of the Enewetakese diet. After
The Marshall Islands Journal
Phone: (692) 625-8143/6 • Fax: (692) 625-3136 • email: journal@ntamar.net • www.marshallislandsjournal.com
Editor.......................................................... Giff Johnson
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Advertising Assistant................................ Darren Lanki
Assistant Production Specialist....................Joelee Anni
Reporter/Photographer.................................Isaac Marty
Reporter/Photographer............................... Hilary Hosia
Garbonzo Bean Counter....................... Karen Earnshaw
Basic Advertising Rates are for display ads, camera ready
copy: $5.85 per column inch. All material must be received by
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the week prior to publication for full page ads). All ads
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Please mail your letters to the above address, fax them to (692)
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The Marshall Islands Journal is a dual language, once a
week publication of the Micronitor News & Printing Company.
It has been the newspaper of record for the Marshall Islands
since 1970. Subscription Rates are $87.00 per year for the
print edition sent U.S. first class mail to U.S. domestic mail
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decades in exile because of the
atomic tests, the community had
returned in 1980 following an ambitious scraping of the island’s top
soil layer.
The land resettled on no longer fertile, and the majority of the
atoll’s 40 islands now off-limits
(and an additional two vaporized), a subsistence lifestyle was
destroyed. Today, only three of the
atoll’s islands are deemed habitable.
About a quarter of the island’s surface is made up of a
gigantic US-built air strip, fit for bombers and jumbo jets,
though Air Marshall Islands hasn’t flown to Enewetak in
years. A single landline and a modem, turned into a wifi
hotspot used by the entire island, embody the isolation,
becoming the only — painfully slow — connection to the
outside world. Relics of World War II lay desolate around
the lagoon: a Japanese bunker, a stranded German ship and
an anonymous rusted tank washed over by the waves.
Enewetak became an unlikely brick in the great geopolitical scrambles of the Cold War when it fell into American ownership following the defeat of the Japanese in
1944. For the population — about a hundred — it became
the beginning of decades of exile and displacement. As
we try to understand the complex push-and-pull factors of
inter-island and global migration, Enewetak seemed the
perfect starting point.
Our multimedia project, set for publication in American
and European outlets later this year, seeks to tie together
untold Marshallese stories on the islands as well as within
the growing diaspora. Next stop: Hawaii and Arkansas.
We are an international team (Germany, Sweden and
US/Philippines) based in New York, staying in Majuro until early April. Our reporting is funded by the GroundTruth
Project and the Society of Environmental Journalists.
Have leads, ideas or stories for us? We would love to hear
from you! Email us at GroundtruthRMI@gmail.com.
The Marshall Islands Journal —­­­Friday, April 3, 2015
13
14
Friday, April 3, 2015 — The Marshall Islands Journal
Trafficking problem
gets on RMI agenda
“Trafficking in persons is
a new issue to the Marshall
Islands,” said Acting Chief
Secretary Justina Langdrik
at the launch of a two-day
workshop on trafficking
in persons that took place
last week at the Marshall
Islands Resort’s Melele
Room.
She added: “The RMI
recognizes the need to address trafficking in persons
and therefore a taskforce
has been established.”
Spearheaded by the International Organization for
Migration through funding
by the US government, the
two-day trafficking in persons workshop brought together key government departments such as Immigration, the Attorney General’s
Office, police and legislative staff from Nitijela to
learn about the issue of human trafficking and review
existing legal frameworks
and formulate mechanisms
to respond to possible sce-
Photos: Suzanne Chutaro.
narios of human trafficking
and assisting victims.
Langidrik praised the
participants of the workshop and organizers saying,
“trafficking in persons is
not acceptable and it must
be stopped if it is happening and proactive measures
need to be in place to protect people’s constitutional
right to live freely.
“This is a new issue we
have just become aware
of,” said Langidrik. “ We
know it’s happening but we
don’t know how to address
it — thus this training.”
Echoing Langidrik’s sentiments, US Deputy Chief
of Mission Norman Barth’s
remarks at the opening
ceremony focused on the
complexities of not only
addressing trafficking in
persons but identifying it.
Trafficking in persons is
best described as a crime
that preys on vulnerable
people of society — those
looking to better their economic opportunities. Too
often when thinking of
trafficking in persons most
Representatives from numerous RMI
government ministries and departments
joined in a two-day trafficking in persons
awareness workshop held at the Marshall
Islands Resort earlier this month. The
program was led by the International
Organization for Migration.
people assume prostitution.
However, Barth, points out
that it also preys on people
looking for a better life for
themselves and their families.
For example, people
who take jobs in foreign
countries only to have their
passports and freedom
taken from them upon arrival. This is an example of
forced labor and involun-
tary servitude. “Trafficking
in persons is complicated
and hard to see where it is
taking place,” he said. “The
terrible truth is it is happing
in all countries. Part of the
fight, even if we can’t see
it, is for all countries to join
together and for each country to establish legislation
to say trafficking in persons is illegal and we stand
against it.”
Judge rejects murder case
dismissal, sets quick hearing
Judge Dinsmore Tuttle rejected Joranson
Capelle’s motion to dismiss murder charges, but set the case on a fast-track based
on Capelle’s complaint that the Attorney
General’s office was violating his right to
a speedy trial.
Capelle was originally charged with
“manslaughter” and other assault charges
last September for allegedly murdering one
man and assaulting a woman in the Alwal
area of Rita. He was to go to trial early this
month. But the week before the trial, the
AG’s office dismissed the case, and then
the following week re-filed a criminal complaint elevating the charge to “murder.”
Capelle’s attorney Chief Public Defender Russell Kun filed a motion to dis-
miss, which the AG’s office disputed. At
last Wednesday’s hearing Tuttle dismissed
the motion, but said she would expedite
the case “to honor Mr. Capelle’s right to a
speedy trial.”
At the hearing on March 25, Tuttle offered to conduct the preliminary hearing
the following day. Capelle accepted but the
AG’s office said it has an essential witness
in Hawaii. So Tuttle scheduled the preliminary hearing from this week Thursday to allow time for the witness to arrive to provide
testimony.
If the court finds “good cause” to proceed
to trial, the trial is set for April 6. Capelle
has waived a jury trial, so would be tried
before Judge Tuttle if the case goes to trial.
The Marshall Islands Journal —­­­Friday, April 3, 2015
15
16
Friday, April 3, 2015 — The Marshall Islands Journal
A large number of senior RMI government staff engaged in a recent
workshop at the Public Service Commission on drafting and implementing government policies. The workshop was led by Dr. Desmond
Amosa (pictured at back, below). Photos: Hilary Hosia.
RMI workers
focus on policy
Thirty senior public service officials
recently attended a workshop on Policy
Analysis conducted by Dr. Desmond
Amosa, an advisor for capacity development and training. Administrative support
was provided by the Public Service Commission.
The workshop targeted senior public
servants who are responsible for conducting public policy and providing implementation advice. It was an opportunity
for government workers to discuss gaps in
policy analysis and to identify approaches
that can add value to the process.
The discussions focused on concepts
and fundamentals of policy analysis; approaches for conducting policy analysis;
and policy analysis: styles, values, and
ethics. “A good policy analyst is one who
is able to articulate how he/she arrived at
a conclusion and that the aim of the workshop is to continue to develop the capacity
of senior public officials who are involved
in the process,” said Amosa. “In essence
it adds value to the analysis and gives decision makers a good platform for better
decision making.”
Ken Anitok, Assistant Commissioner said, “I only wish the this TrainingWorkshop on Policy Analysis should have
come much sooner, it would have helped
us amend and correct and create our many
public policies which today still need to
be given proper analysis and utilization.”
Jaan in jiban jen US ejino
jiban ruo brojaak ilo Majol
USAID Pacific-American Climate Fund
eo enaaj jinoe ruo grant ak jaan in jiban ko
nan brojaak in wonmanlok ko nan RMI in
ilo naaj Monday, March 30 raan.
Climate fund in enaaj lelok jaan nan
project in Aquaculture Technologies eo
an Marshall Islands ak (ATMI) ekoba nan
Namdrik Atoll Development Association
eo (NADA).
Climate fund in an USAID enaaj jiban
lok jerbal in taap eek ko an ATMI, eo im
ej ejaake juon jekjek eo eoktaklok im ebar
drelon kilen oktak nae ukoktak in mejatoto
nan jukjuk in bed ko ilo Majuro, im tokelik ilo naaj Rongelap en, bwe ren jela kilen
taap eek. NADA ej lorlorjake an komman
taap dri, ak pearl ko ilo Namdrik, ilo aer
jibarbar nan kelaplok jerbal in nan jino wia
kake nan likin.
Men kein renaaj grant ko imaan tata renaaj itok nan RMI jen jaan in jiban in ekaal
jen ke ekar jino jutak ilo year eo lok.
The Marshall Islands Journal —­­­Friday, April 3, 2015
Olai appointed Palau
ambassador to the EU
Ngedikes Olai Uludong is Palau’s new ambassador to
the European Union and Climate Change.
Uludong, who formerly worked for the RMI EPA, was
unanimously endorsed by Palau’s Senate for the post.
President Tommy Remengesau, Jr., nominated Uludong
in February saying the dual role position would allow Palau to work closely with European Union and international
organizations providing support to developing countries
for climate change adaptation methods.
She is the first Palau representative for climate change.
She was the Lead Negotiator for Alliance of Small Islands State (AOSIS) on climate change under Nauru’s
chairmanship that ended last year.
Ambassador Ngedikes Olai Uludong.
RMI goal to lead
way on emissions
The RMI intends to be one
of the first small island countries to submit its Intended
Nationally
Determined
Contributions (INDCs) to
the United Nations Framework Committee on Climate
Change (UNFCCC). Even
though the Marshall Islands
is a negligible emitter of
greenhouse gas emissions, it
is important to show climate
leadership in the period
leading to the Paris conferDolores deBrum Kattil assists Minisence later this year, said the
ter Tony Debrum at the consultation.
President’s Office. A new
agreement aimed at curbing
emissions and responding to
climate change is expected to be adopted at worked in the Office of the President, was
the Paris session.
welcomed back to RMI, as facilitator of
After its pledges at Copenhagen in 2009, the consultations. Kumar, who led the cliRMI championed the Majuro Declaration mate change efforts in Fiji last year as its
and committed to reducing its emissions by director and has been following the inter40 percent by 2020. The INDCs will demon- national negotiations, is familiar with the
strate how the RMI can reduce the emissions UNFCCC decisions on INDCs and its imfurther by 2025 and beyond in its efforts to portance in respect of the new Paris agreeclose the “emissions gap.” According to the ment. He stressed that the preparations of
UN Environment Program’s Gap Report, INDCs from small island countries will also
major reductions in emissions and a non- encourage other countries, particularly the
carbon development pathway are needed if large emitters, to make ambitious pledges to
the temperatures are to be contained within reduce emissions.
1.5 or 2 degrees centigrade. The Alliance of
From his discussions with relevant RMI
Small Island Sates, which includes the RMI, officials and a preliminary examination of
is demanding temperatures be contained to the data, Kumar stated that RMI was on
less than 1.5C, recognizing the vulnerabil- course to realize significant reduction in its
ity of many small islands and threat to their emissions through the deployment of revery existence.
newable energy sources such as solar phoLast week, the RMI government, led by tovoltaics and increased efficiency gains on
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, organized a supply and demand side. He said the docuconsultation on INDCs that brought together ment will be revised as new data becomes
key the Chief Secretary’s Office, Office of available and more investment is made in
Environmental Planning and Policy Coor- the energy sector. The meeting suggested
dination, Ministry of R&D’s Energy Plan- that while “mitigation” should remain the
ning Division, Ministry of Finance, EPPSO, primary focus for RMI’s INDCs, it was imMarshalls Energy Company, Chamber of portant to make reference to the RMI’s conCommerce, non-government organizations, tinuing need for adaptation measures to deal
and others. Foreign Affairs Minister Tony with the growing impacts of climate change.
deBrum underscored the RMI’s commitKumar congratulated RMI for its leaderment to addressing greenhouse gas emis- ship on climate change at the international
sions. He emphasized a “whole of govern- level. “The voice of the small island counment” approach and urged coordination, tries need to be raised at every opportunity
collaboration, and cooperation. “You repre- and RMI had been steadfast in this.”
sent the elite talents in this country,” he said,
It is expected that RMI’s INDC report
“and it behooves you to take ownership and will be submitted to the UNFCCC June sescontribute effectively to a good outcome.”
sion in Bonn, Germany after it is endorsed
Dr. Mahendra Kumar, who previously by Cabinet.
17
18
Friday, April 3, 2015 — The Marshall Islands Journal
Delap musicians hit
high note in Hawaii
Majuro’s Bunin No’n
Likiej Music Matter Program Director Carton Keju
and staff member Tashi
Ram are currently attending a six-week music program at Chuck James Music Studio in Hawaii.
These two men are like
any typical Marshallese
musicians who learned
music by ear but never took
music classes.
The Music Matter program aims to use music to
attract out of school youths
by teaching them music
and life skills as an alternative to substance abuse.
Keju and Ram are talented
but didn’t feel complete not having
received proper music training, and
not being able to read notes.
Hawaii musician Chuck James is
teaching the two at his program in
Hawaii.
“He was really surprised and impressed to see how talented they are
being able to compose music with-
Carton Keju (left) and Tashi Ram
are mid-way through a six-week
music training program with Hawaii
musician Chuck James (center).
out knowing how to read notes,” said
Julia Alfred Director Designee of the
Single State Agency (SSA) that funds
the music program.
Besides learning notes, they will
learn piano, guitar and violin.
“The Music Matter program requested SSA for assistance to find a
music school and I was able to con-
nect them to Chuck James and escorted them to Hawaii to meet him and set
up their training program,” she said.
“They will finish their training program April 30 and return to strengthen and continue to develop the Music
Matter music school in Delap. “
This program is funded by the SSA
bobrae project funds.
The Marshall Islands Journal —­­­Friday, April 3, 2015
19
JumPing fOr joY in EBeYe
Dometo Mino enjoys a spirited game of jump rope with new friends near
Queen of Peace Elementary School on Ebeye, Kwajalein Atoll.
Photo: Hilary Hosia.
WhO uSed thE
Open Mike @ Coop?
Majuro Coop middle school
students hosted an Open Mike
night at the school cafeteria last
week.
Performances included comedy skits, dancing, ukelele playing and singing, a piano recital,
a fashion show and displays of
artwork and photos by the students.
The performers are all students in the new Performing Arts
program that the school rolled
out this semester.
Right: Magdalene
Johnson strums the
ukulele and sings solo
“Love the way you lie” as
Mimi Wang holds the mike
for her. Below: Sixth and
seventh grade boys act
out a comedic news-hourgone-bad skit.
Three cheers
for Russell!
Russell Langrine was among nine winners
of the Ekiden photo contest announced at
last week’s Japan Embassy reception at
the Melele Room, MIR.
He took the winning photo in the Woja
area. Winning photos can be viewed on the
Japan Embassy’s Facebook page.
Photo: Isaac Marty
20
Friday, April 3, 2015 — The Marshall Islands Journal
The pressure is on Billy
Journal 4/12/1968
P2 Ebeye people to Carlson
About 18 people have already moved to Carlson Island,
across the lagoon from Ebeye. They are raising pigs and
chickens to sell on Ebeye. It
was Hawaii Architects and Engineers recommendation that
Carlson be developed into an
agricultural community.
Under the leadership of Iroij
Albert Loeak, interest was so
great that the people independently decided to settle there.
The plan was for eventually
providing housing for up to
20 percent of the Micronesian
workers on Kwajalein.
P2 Cooking classes
Marshalls Communicaty Action Program is teaching cooking to the women of Rairok.
After its engagement there, the
program will conduct classes in
Rita for 3-4 weeks. Interested
persons should contact Betra
Laipen at the new MCAA offices.
P2 Postal official visits
US Postal Service official
Thomas Downey made these
observation: People in the DUD
area should check the Majuro
PO for mail. Much mail has not
the move following last week’s
groundbreaking ceremony for
a base camp on Eneu Island,
which will be used to launch
the rehabilitation plan.
P3 Jaws bites the dust
What we were saying way back when
been claimed. People in the
outer islands should add the
name of their atoll to the return
address. Many letters cannot
be delivered due to the lack of
the atoll’s name in the address.
P3
The challenges of education
Most any teacher, Education administrator or interested
observer of a district center
school realizes there are many
complex and difficult problems
in our education programs
here.
Not the smallest of these
problems is student discipline.
Walk around any of our public
school after hours and you can
find students drinking, gambling or scribbling filth on the
walls with the destructive disrespect for school that soon
spills over into their classroom
attitudes.
The naïve might wonder
why the students learn and do
these things.
Actually you do not have to
look far to find a reason. In
fact, if you bother to look close
enough, you will too often find
that the persons they see gambling, drinking or passing filth
on campus are the teachers.
What better model could the
students emulate than their
teachers who often do not wait
until after hours for their poker
games.
For those serious readers
who want a deeper analysis, this question: Why do the
teachers drink and gamble at
school?
A simple answer: with the
salaries they earn, they cannot afford the big Friday night
game with the affluent administrative crew.
Journal 4/15/1988
P2 Ball rolling for Bikini
clean up
Bikini’s nuclear clean up is on
A big eight-foot shark was
caught off Majuro lagoon between Retty’s theater and
Chuji’s store last week. Some
enterprising fishermen put intestines from a pig they were
cleaning onto a hook, attached
the baited hook to a float, and
came up with this baby.
Journal 4/9/1999
P3 No go, no flow
Despite tests over the weekend, Majuro’s new fresh water
distribution system is still not
working. Majuro Water and
Sewer Company manager
Billy Roberts said there was
“no significant improvement
in the water pressure to Rita.”
The lack of water pressure
is only one of five significant
problems in the new fresh
water distribution system —
problems that demonstrate
there was no discussion with
local officials knowledgeable
in water distribution prior to
the system being designed,
he said.
Team Riwut
Team Coolers
The Marshall Islands Journal —­­­Friday, April 3, 2015
Mike’s birthday
gifts to Ebeye
Kwajalein Senator Iroij Michael Kabua celebrated his
birthday at his little island half a mile north of Ebeye Saturday. Being a favored chief, many turned up to a hearty
feast, at which time Mike hooked his cellular phone on the
PA system and everyone heard the following from Kwajalein Senator Tony deBrum (excerpts from the phone conversation):
Two new donated buses from Taiwan are on the way
to Ebeye; work on the causeway is set to start in the near
future; more job opportunities will open as the military is
opening up a new site at Roi Namur; two buildings will be
erected at Mid-Corridor weto on Ebeye.
Tony wished Mike happy birthday and congratulated the
people of Kwajalein on numerous future improvements
coming to Ebeye.
Kaisha-Muller switch
The Cabinet recently replaced Marshalls Energy
Company board member Senator Tony Muller with
Hanty Kaisha, son of the late longtime Rita Councilman Jisam Kaisha. There were no other changes to the
board, which is chaired by Public Works Minister Hiroshi Yamamura.
Tony tells world
about sea rise
Foreign Minister Tony deBrum spoke to a Radio New
Zealand International news show on Monday about challenges facing the Marshall Islands.
“The sea is rising around the republic and Foreign Minister deBrum is continuously campaigning at world forums for climate change to be addressed as it threatens the
existence of the islands, with many parts barely a meter
above sea level,” the Radio New Zealand report said.
A question addressed in the interview is, are densely
populated small atolls sustainable?
21
It’s Cooler vs
Riwut at NTA
It’s little league time, with Team
Riwut taking on Team Cooler. The
Jeimata Nokko Kabua memorial softball games are coming to an end. The
first little league exhibition game is
scheduled for this Thursday April 2
at 3pm at NTA Ballfield before the
women’s championship game. The
second exhibition game will take
place Saturday at NTA Ballfield before men’s final game.
3on3 results
The 2015 Veterans “Say No to
NCDs” 3on3 basketball league dribbled into action Tuesday at Lojkar
court. Do It Best beat Warriors, 9-4,
PII Rockcrushers defeated MWSC,
22-12, and Marshall Islands Resort
held off OTEC, 22-19.
Thursday’s games: 6pm MIR v
Warriors, 6:30pm OTEC v Rockcrushers, 7pm MWSC v Do It Best.
The league is sponsored by the Ministry of Health.
Sell more stuff. Advertise!
22
Friday, April 3, 2015 — The Marshall Islands Journal
The Marshall Islands Journal —­­­Friday, April 3, 2015
US Micronesians star in
Fitch, Hezel documentary
Nathan Fitch, a filmmaker and former Peace
Corps Volunteer in Kosrae,
and Fr. Fran Hezel, SJ (pictured), have just completed
a new one-hour video documentary about Micronesians who have resettled in
the US. The video, which
contains short segments on
eight individuals, is entitled
“At Home While Away.”
“We would like to think
of these segments as success stories, educational
and perhaps even inspirational for those who view
them,” said Hezel.
This is not the first video
Hezel has made featuring migrants. Micronesian
Seminar, when he was still
director there, produced a
documentary entitled “Micronesians Abroad” in 2006
and another called “Missing Micronesians” in 2009.
“In these earlier videos we
explored the reasons for
the massive migration from
the islands, surveyed some
of the main destinations,
and showed the challenges
transplanted islanders face
in their new home,” he said.
These videos also portray
some of the creative strategies migrants have worked
out to deal with these challenges. Nathan Fitch, the
filmmaker of this documen-
tary, has produced another
hour-long piece on Micronesians in the military. It
will soon be released under
the title “Island Soldier.”
“At Home While Away”
explores the lives of a few
migrants told in their own
voices. They include men
and women, people from
every state of FSM, longserving military men as
well as civilians, successful
businesspeople and persons
dedicated to serving their
own community.
“At Home While Away”
is on the web at www.
athomewhileaway.org. To
watch some of the earlier
videos on Micronesian migrants, go to new.micsem.
org.
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Friday, April 3, 2015 — The Marshall Islands Journal
Send your hysterical, gripping, or insightful Are You Awares? to journal@ntamar.net
THAT a boy in Arno decided to eat
yeast and shoe polish every morning
and, sure enough, every day he’d rise
and shine?
THAT a guy called George bought
some shoes from a drug dealer in Delap
recently, but poor George is trying to
work out what they were laced with because he’s been tripping all day?
THAT a guy from Likiep went into
Ace Hardware and said he’d like to
buy a sink, so the clerk asked if he’d
like one with a plug and Mr. Likiep responded: “Don’t tell me they’ve gone
electric!”?
THAT many of
the staff at MOH
know the quickTHAT the good thing
est way to a man’s heart is
about
life is that, even if
through his chest?
you’re
not very good at it,
THAT the overweight
you’re
guaranteed at least
psychic in Laura can also
two
certificates
from Minisbe called ‘Laura’s four chin
try
of
Internal
Affairs.
teller’?
THAT a Small Island
THAT a Journal staffer
resident
recently asked a
was asked to describe herhealth
assistant
to give her
self in three words, so she
something
for
persistent
said: “Lazy”?
THAT there’s a few things rotting
away in Delap, including the ECC
and the gabions across the road,
but the US Navy is going to look
after at least one of these?
gument in the Flame Tree ... It was
tense?
THAT the following is an excerpt
from a Kiribati drifter, who landed
on the southern side of Ailinglaplap,
recently: Day 1 Alone, doing well,
mentally sound; Day 12 Met a crab;
Day 24 I have married the crab; Day
31 I have eaten my
wife?
THAT
Kejjo Bien was
wind, so he handed her a
asked
his
opinion
of North
kite?
Korea
and
his
response
was
THAT we’ve been nothat
he
couldn’t
complain?
ticing that lots of people
THAT quite a few Toboin Majuro keep their relar
employees are slightly
ally expensive items in the
addicted
to their company’s
driveway and store a heap
products
...
but it’s okay beof junk in their garages?
cause
they’re
really clean as
THAT Past, Present and
a
result?
Future were having an ar-
ARE YOU AWARE?