Journal 12/17/1976
P12 Five had cancer As many as five Marshallese taken to the US for thyroid surgery over the past 20 years were found to have cancer according to Dr. Brown M. Dobyns. Dobyns, who made five trips here, noted the victims were exposed to radioactive iodine in runoff catchment water for drinking. Dobyns made the statement concerning the number of cancer cases during an interview with United Press International last June as three Marshallese radiation victims were admitted to Cleveland Metropolitan General Hospital for surgery. At that time a 37-year-old man and two women, aged 57 and 37 were admitted. In 1972 a 19-year old Rongelap youth named Lekoj Anjain died from leukemia caused by the same radiation accident that occurred in 1954.
Journal 12/20/1991
P1 Marshalls’ epidemic controlled The Marshalls may no longer be the leading contender for the dubious title of “syphilis capital of the world” according to the results of the recently completed nationwide syphilis screening and treatment program. Aggressive action by Health Services coupled with community cooperation appears to be bringing under control a problem that was once at epidemic proportions. A total of 11,513 people living in Majuro and Ebeye were screened in a five-week period by teams of Health Services staff. The screening confirmed 218 new cases of syphilis, or about two percent of the population. This compares favorably to the six to seven percent level documented during the first nationwide screening program in 1989, said Peter Bien, who coordinated the campaign for Health Services.
P9 Foreign Ministry expects embassy opening soon Once the recruiting of permanent staff is completed for the Marshalls’ embassy in Japan, new ambassador Kinja Andrike will leave for Tokyo to officially open the embassy. Foreign Secretary Jiba Kabua said that Tommy Kijiner, Jr. is in Tokyo working on staffing and other matters. He said that the requirements for the Tokyo embassy were “90 percent complete”. As soon as the Tokyo embassy opens, Ambassador Larry Edwards and his wife, first secretary Neijon Edwards, will depart for Beijing where they will officially open the Marshall’s first embassy in China, Kabua said.
P24 Tamaki Myazoe dies in Majuro Tamaki Myazoe, one of the first Marshallese to work for the Americans after World War II, died last week just a month short of his 71st birthday. Tamaki spent nearly his whole working career in the public works department; first for the US Navy, then the civilian Trust Territory administration, and finally for the Marshall Islands government.
Journal 12/22/2000
P1 Kili’s Johnson challenges Note Kili/Bikini/Ejit Mayor candidate Johnny Johnson, who lost to Eldon Note by 11 votes, has challenged Note’s victory on the grounds that he was not eligible to run as a candidate from Kili. But the Attorney General’s Office this week responded to the complaint by recommending that the election results be certified by the Electoral administration. In a letter filed Friday with the Electoral Administration, Johnson cites the KBE local government constitution, which requires that “the Mayor must be a registered voter of Kili/Bikini” to be qualified. Note was registered to vote in Ailinglaplap, not Kili, at the time of the elections, said Johnson.
P20 Bungitak takes over helm of EPA The RMI EPA board has named John Bungitak to be its general manager. Environmental Protection Authority board chairman Donald Capelle made the announcement on Monday this week. Bungitak is currently the RMI’s banking commissioner. “It was not an easy decision,” Capelle told the Journal of the board’s hiring process. “We received applications from a lot of good people.”