Journal 9/26/1980
P1 Dependence or independence? President Amata Kabua in a radio interview September 16 Sid he believes the US wants to keep the Marshalls dependent. “It is now very clear that the US wants to keep us in a state of begging.” Reacting to US blocking of the Japanese satellite communication offer and perhaps the English power plant, Kabua said: “The negotiations are coming up and I need assistance from the people, opinions of people, are we going to remain as beggars, or are we going to struggle and work hard for these goals — power, water, communications, things needed for economic development?”
P4 Bomb lawyers here The Marshall Islands Atomic Testing Litigation Project opened its Majuro office in the RRE office building earlier this month. The Project is an association of private lawyers who are pooling their resources to litigate claims resulting from nuclear testing in the Marshalls. The principal attorneys are Robert Cowan, Gordon STemple, and Jeffery Jefferson.
P6 Pinho now makes blocks Kirt Pinho is now making concrete blocks. Two styles of decorative blocks as well as four and six inch blocks are available.
P8 Smith to manage Marshalls’ newspaper The independent/Journal this past week was fortunate in obtaining the services of Dan Smith as its managing editor. He first came to the Marshalls in 1967 with the Peace Corps and at that time was instrumental in setting ups what became the widely disseminated Micronesian News Service.
P11 Ten city homes down High winds and rain on the morning of September 18 blew down more than 50 tents in the Tent Cities. Many residents took refuge in the government building at Mieco Beach. Others moved in with relatives, to classrooms or to the Youth Center. Social Services cooked one meal for the refugees later in the day. By the 19th most people had moved back to their tents, but there were still about 50 people in the government building.
P12 New budget Finance Minister Atjang Paul disclosed that the FY1981 budget to be submitted to Nitijela in mid-October will have a ceiling of about $16.4 million.
P16 Litokwa fishes for planes, ships Senator Litowka Tomeing left for the US last week to escort back a replacement Spicewind airplane for the coast lost at Like recently. Spicewind owner Tomeing Heltera said the new plane was scheduled for delivery prior to the Likiep landing mishap. Spicewind intends to bring a fleet of fishing boats, longliners and trollers.
Journal 9/27/1996
P1 Landowner fed up with lagoon trash A major Majuro landowner, addressing a meeting of the national parliament Monday, issued a stern warning to residents on his land about continued disregard for calls to halt the disposal of trash in the island’s lagoon. Pointedly setting aside the fact that he is President of the Marshall Islands, Amata Kabua said that he has taken to the air five separate times to urge residents of Majuro to stop the practice of lagoon disposal.
P6 Nitijela address poor relations at Kwajalein Discrimination at Kwajalein against Marshallese employees at USAKA was a hotly bandied potter during Thursday’s Nitijela back and forth. Brought in to public scrutiny was the action of certain contractors at Kwajalein, termed by Finance Minister Rubin Zackhras as “marok rebin.” Senator Lai Taft of Kwajalein pointed out that the problem of discrimination against Marshallese was not just a problem to be dealt with by Kwajalein representatives.
Journal 9/28/2007
P1 Jim’s the new judge The chairman of the Nuclear Claims Tribunal, Jim Plasman, has been approved as the new Associated Justice for the High Court, replacing long-time Majuro resident Judge Richard Hickson, who is leaving Majuro at the end of November.
P2 Nitijela’s swift okay of $123m budget The $123 million FY 2008 budget sailed through Nitijela last Friday. In one of the shortest review periods in years, the budget was passed with only minor revisions one week after it was introduced.