Betel nut ban in US, Guam

tw-pic-10-7Journal 10/8/1976

P3 Ponape prepares for new Micro capital A Special Joint Task Force was created in Ponape to study and make recommendations as to where the site of the new capital of Micronesia should be located. Bermin Weilbacher, Acting District Administrator for Ponape, in a “District Message” to the Ponape District Legislature, urged the legislators to initiate study of not only the future site of the capital but “also to study the economic and social impacts” which could result in the relocation of the capital of Micronesia from Saipan to Ponape.

P6 Betel nut banned in US, Guam The traffic of betel nuts in the US is prohibited, according to William Hill, US Food and Drug Administration. He said betel nuts are prohibited because their prolonged use has been linked to cancer of the mouth and throat.

Journal 10/11/1991

P1 Chamber debates nutrition, tax law It was the biggest turnout ever at a Majuro Chamber of Commerce meeting as 52 members and observers, both Marshallese and expatriates, met at the Yacht Club. The Nutrition Committee report drew by far the most attention. President Jerry Kramer reported on the activities of the Nutrition and Children’s Council, a committee established by the Cabinet on which he is a member representing the Chamber. “Less than 10 percent of kids here have normal nutrition, according to World Health Organization standards,” said Kramer, “which causes, among other things, scarring of eye tissues because of Vitamin A deficiency. This condition affects 70 percent of Marshallese school children.”

P3 President returns after triumphant trip to UN President Amata Kabua, tired but happy, returned to Majuro Saturday from New York on AMI’s DC-8. The President had addressed the General Assembly of the United Nations on the admission of the Marshall Islands as a member state of the UN the previous week. He felt happy and satisfied with the events of the past two weeks. “We presented ourselves well and our words were accepted by the members of the United nations,” he said.

P12 Auditor General issues final report on FY1990 Retiring Auditor General Brian Riordan’s two-volume report to Nitijela was released to the public this week. A sample of highlights: Air Marshall Islands had total revenue of $4,691,178. Expenses were $9,836,252, however, which gave AMI a net loss of $4,757,798; M&D Fishing (RMI joint venture with purse seiner Koorale) lost $1,204,295.

P12 Rongelap people, Senator Anjain win prestigious Right Livelihood Award Senator Jeton Anjain and the people of Rongelap have been chosen to share one of three “1991 Right Livelihood Awards” with two Polynesian anti-nuclear activists.

Journal 10/13/2000

P2 $7M owed in unpaid taxes Marshall Islands businesses and government agencies owe Social Security an estimated $7 million in unpaid tax contributions. MISSA Administrator Saane Aho said a major push to collect past due taxes is starting. About 330 businesses and government agencies in Majuro and Ebeye are currently delinquent.

P3 US agent checks out forged passports The attempt by several Chinese nationals to enter the United States through Majuro last month may have been a test of local immigration and airline officials by sophisticated criminal rings in Asia that are forging the selling US passports, according to a State Department official. David Zebley, vic-consul of the US Embassy in the Philippines, came to Majuro last week to investigate the case involving a group of Chinese who were caught using forged American passports.