Journal 5/31/1985 P1 Rongelapese clash with US ambassador The verbal sparring between US officials and Rongelap Atoll leaders escalated this week when the US ambassador to the United Nations charged that the nearly completed evacuation of Rongelap was instigated by outsiders who were misleading the islanders about radiation contamination on the atoll. Ambassador Harvey Feldman […]
Journal 5/24/1985 P1 Critical committee OKs Compact “Obviously the Compact is moving along and with key high level people in the US administration and Congress supporting it, chances are looking good it will be approved this summer,” states US Department of State Status Liaison Officer for the Marshalls Mike Senko answering Journal questions. On May […]
Journal 5/17/1986 P1 New hospital won’t fix healthcare “Don’t get seriously ill in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. It could be the last thing you ever do,” is the lead on a feature story in the Honolulu Advertiser about Majuro hospital. Are people exaggerating the problems when they criticize the old hospital and don’t […]
Journal 5/10/1985 P1 Compact hits minefield In a statement that did not mince words, a key US Congressman whose endorsement of the Compact of Free Association is considered essential to its passage asserted that “it is not in the best interests of the US to approve the Compact without change.” House Interior and Insular Affairs […]
Journal 5/3/1985 P1 Rongelap radiation danger exaggerated? With the Rongelap Atoll evacuation day fast approaching, US government officials have suddenly begun to pooh-pay the islanders’ fear of continued radiation exposure, arguing that the atoll is safe for habitation. “We see no radiological or medical reason to move,” said Andy Wilson, a US official who has […]
Journal 4/26/1985 P1 Airline shake-up Air Marshall Islands has its fifth manager in as many years, the board of directors announced Friday. Pilot John Slattebo has taken over the reigns of the airline from Tim Smith, who resigned last week after little more than a year as manager. P11 Protect tax payer, not incompetent workers […]
Journal 4/19/1985 P1 Kiribati angling for Russian fishing money Negotiations for Russian fishing rights in Kiribati are advancing, despite the concern expressed by at least one prominent South Pacific leader. Kiribati President Ieremia Tabai said recently his government viewed the negotiations with the Soviet Union strictly from an economic point of view. “Naturally we want […]
Journal 4/12/1985 P1 Big bucks loans spark hot debate A special session of the Nitijela was called last Friday to approve a series of loans totaling more than $8.5 million that the RMI is arranging for the purchase of new airplanes for Air Marshall Islands, the proposed milk factory, and fishing and cargo boats and […]
Journal 4/5/1985 P1 Schools face hard facts The Marshall Islands “have inherited a solid base on which they are building their national educational systems,” said the State Department in recent Congressional testimony. Despite this optimistic assessment, local educators and administrators are beset with an education system that has the highest high school drop out rate […]
Journal 3/29/1985P1 Fire destroys KITCO By Bill Graham Another historic Pacific retail landmark passed into history March 25, the victim of a devastating fire. Like MIECO here in Majuro, whose collapsed roof several years ago led to its eventual razing, and like the True Trading Company in Moen and the Western Carolines Trading Company in […]
