Dust off and move forward

Dust off and move forward

GIFF JOHNSON The day after last week Tuesday’s fire consumed Nitijela, parliament staff were already setting up the ICC conference hall as a temporary Nitijela meeting space. Monday this week, the Appropriations Committee, with Chairman Jack Ading at the helm, completed the final series of FY2026 budget hearings from the ICC meeting location. Nitijela staff […]

PII hits the Bikarej beach

PII hits the Bikarej beach

Pacific International Inc. (PII) mobilized for a significant outer island construction project earlier this month. A PII construction crew has set up shop at Bikarej Island in Arno Atoll to begin construction of a long-awaited boat channel project. Bikarej, which sits at the northwest corner of one of the biggest atolls in RMI, is a […]

Nitijela rebuild fast-track

Nitijela rebuild fast-track

GIFF JOHNSON Tuesday morning, while the fire still burned at Nitijela, the RMI Cabinet held an emergency meeting at the MIMRA headquarters conference room to discuss its response. By mid-afternoon, President Hilda Heine had issued a short statement posted to the President’s Office Facebook page describing the situation and the government’s next steps. President Heine […]

Taiwan provides $7.2m

Taiwan provides $7.2m

Republic of China (Taiwan) Chargé d’Affaires Hank Liu presented a check for $7,240,455 to Foreign Minister Kalani Kaneko on August 22. The funding is Budgetary Support to the RMI government for 2025 under the annual financial assistance from the government Taiwan to the Marshall Islands. At the presentation, Chargé Liu reiterated Taiwan’s longtime commitment to […]

Loeak funeral to start in RMI

Loeak funeral to start in RMI

Six Marshallese pallbearers carried the casket of Iroojlaplap Christopher Jorebon Loeak into historic Central Union Church in Honolulu, where a memorial service was held last Saturday for the former President. Hundreds of Marshallese packed the church for the service, including current President Hilda Heine and First Gentleman Tommy Kijiner, Jr. The remains of the late President […]

Atlan mutes Mili senator

Atlan mutes Mili senator

Journal 8/19/1982 P1 US compact negotiators called amateursLawyers for the Marshall Islands Atomic Testing Litigation Project are extremely critical of the way negotiations have been handled for the Compact of Free Association and the settlements offered their clients, victims of US nuclear testing in the 1940s and 1950s. “The negotiations were handled by a bunch […]

Copra set to dip in 2025

Copra set to dip in 2025

GIFF JOHNSON It would take a Herculean effort by the Marshall Islands Shipping Corporation and copra makers to hit the 7,000 ton mark by the end of the fiscal year September 30. Four weak months of copra deliveries to the Tobolar Copra Processing Authority in Majuro put the nine-month total tonnage at 4,480 tons, according […]

EY team trains accountants

EY team trains accountants

A team from the Ernst & Young audit company hit town last week to run a one-day accountability workshop with Marshall Islands government finance-related staff from multiple ministries and agencies. The program, held at the Marshall Islands Resort’s Melele Room, was packed with participants who heard from top EY audit executives with updates on government […]