EVE BURNS Japan Embassy kick started the year with many completed projects and more on the way. Ambassador Tanaka Kazunari handed over four boats to Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) General Manager Moriana Phillip last Thursday. The boats are 37 feet long. Witnessing the ceremony were Minister in Assistance to the President Bremity Lakjohn, Auditor General […]
The new Cabinet lineup was confirmed Monday. It features a mix of Nitijela Members, and demonstrates how President Hilda Heine and her core supporters reached out to newly elected Members as well as those from islands that would normally be considered aligned with the Kabua traditional leadership in order to form the new government. Members […]
Journal 5/13/1983 P1 Senator Jeton Anjain resigns as Health Services minister Minister of Health Services Jeton Anjain Tuesday submitted his resignation from Cabinet citing a conflict of interest to his Rongelap constituents because of 177 (nuclear claims) issues. Anjain said his loyalty goes first to his people and then to the government. P9 First grads […]
GIFF JOHNSON The big news coming from several hours of meetings on Pohnpei Monday between US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and President Hilda Heine and leaders of the FSM and Palau is Pompeo’s announcement that negotiations to extend Compact funding agreements have begun. The post-2023 period, when US grant funding for RMI and FSM […]
President Hilda Heine removed Senator Mike Halferty from her Cabinet last Thursday. The removal of Halferty took the form of a memo from the President titled: “Revocation of appointment and vacation of office by Minister.” The brief memo signed by the President stated that by the power vested in her by the RMI Constitution, “I…do […]
HILARY HOSIA Six senators are backing a move to resurrect postal ballots through Nitijela Bill 91, which was scrutinized during a public hearing broadcast live on national radio V7AB Tuesday from the Nitijela Conference Room. Last year, Nitijela voted to eliminate postal ballots. The termination of postal ballots has caused a ruckus among Marshallese living […]
HILARY HOSIA Here is more proof basketball is king in the Marshall Islands: when the Arkansas dream team paid a courtesy visit to the President’s Office last week, they were greeted by Acting President Mattlan Zackhras and Ministers Brenson Wase, Alfred Alfred, Jr, Thomas Heine and Kalani Kaneko — former basketball players in their younger […]
The Marshall Islands entered its third week with no ability to produce regular passports this week. It has been issuing temporary travel documents that US Homeland Security approved for use about a week after the initial problem with the RMI Attorney General’s office passport machine developed in mid-February. At Nitijela Monday, Ujae Senator Atbi Riklon […]
The new members of the President Hilda Heine’s Cabinet took the oath of office Monday during a swearing-in ceremony administered by District Court Presiding Judge Milton Zackios at the International Conference Center. The ceremony took place following President Heine’s submission of nominations to Speaker Kenneth Kedi for appointment as Ministers of the Cabinet, pursuant to […]
GIFF JOHNSON Marshall Islands political leaders continue to astound and confound the nation as a leadership battle plays out in Nitijela. From last week’s election of the Speaker and Vice Speaker by one faction and the President by another, to Monday’s inauguration of a Cabinet with two key ministerial posts missing, political leaders continue their […]
