DUD shuns RepMar audit

Journal 9/6/1985

P1 DUD shuns RepMar audit RepMar is taking the DUD Municipal Council to court because the local government has refused to open its books to government auditors. Earlier in the summer, Minister Kessai Note directed the Auditor General to inspect the DUD Council’s books as a precursor to joining the Laura and DUD councils into one Majuro Atoll local government. The audit was ordered to investigate “the affairs of DUD Municipal Council for alleged breaches of the law and irregularities and mismanagement,” said the Attorney General’s office petition to the High Court.

P1 Yokwe Ron Levy The remains of Ron Levy, general manager of Robert Reimers Enterprises and a longtime resident of the Marshall Islands, are due to arrive Majuro September 6 on Air Micronesia. Word of Levy’s death was received this past weekend from Seattle, Washington, where he had been undergoing a complicated form of treatment involving a bone marrow transplant from his brother. The radical treatment was necessary because Ron was suffering from leukemia. Ron came to the Marshall Islands in the late 1960s as a Peace Corps Volunteer and began working at the Reimers’ business when the firm was located in the boat pool area in Delap. During this early period he also taught business courses at Marshall Islands High School. Levy was assistant general manager for Reimers in the period during which the firm relocated to its present site in the heart of downtown, and with the departure of Powell Mikelsen, the original general manager, Ron assumed the post. That assumption of responsibility proved to be extremely fortunate for the Reimers business as during the intervening 15 years, Ron captained the enterprise into a multi-million dollar conglomerate encompassing inter-island shipping, retailing, wholesaling, insurance agency, office rental and even construction. The remarkable aspect of this tremendous undertaking was the fact that Ron maintained a high degree of cordiality and openness with competition and government representatives alike, no mean feat given the smallness of a community such as Majuro and the fact that many individuals around him were involved in either one or the other side of the protracted political tug of war that has characterized the Marshalls during the past two decades.

Journal 9/5/1997

P1 Jean Marie is AG Jean Marie Tonyokwe became the first Marshall Islander to hold the post of Auditor General when she was officially confirmed this week. President Kabua, Speaker Kessai Note, Council of Irooj Chairman Kotak Loeak and most of the members of the Nitijela were present for the ceremony.

P5 Coincidence How’s this for a string of coincidences? Last Saturday, Nuclear Claims Tribunal Chairman Oscar deBrum went fishing with Willy Reiher, Edinal Jorkan and Joe Murphy. When getting ready to boat up, Oscar’s wife told the other boat guys to be sure to get Oscar back early because it was his birthday and they had a surprise party planned. The funny thing was, it turned out that it was also Murphy’s birthday, August 30. So the foursome went out lagooning, had some fun fishing and got back on time. Then, Murphy and Reiher stopped off at the MIC for a beer and were joined by Herbert Shoniber. In passing, Herbert mentioned, “You know, it’s my wife’s birthday today.” So Murphy expressed surprise about this fact and decided to have a beer to celebrate the coincidence. But he had to leave the bar soon after because he had to go to the wedding reception for Bermen Laukon and his new wife Erine at the Yamaguchi Stone House. While sitting at the bride and groom table, Bermen says: “You know Murphy, this isn’t just my wife’s wedding but it’s also her birthday.” Now just try to beat that!

P12 Hawks survive Jets scare The Bank of Marshall Islands tournament produced a week of exciting basketball in Majuro, with the Rita Hawks claiming the first BOMI Cup and the $500 first prize by beating the Jets.

Journal 9/5/2008

P4 Kramer: Help us fix RMI problems Local residents aired numerous concerns to top national police officials — from slow police response to alcohol abuse by teenagers — at public meetings around Majuro last week. Organized by Justice Minister David Kramer, the six meetings from Monday through Saturday spanned the atoll from Rita to Laura, giving local residents a chance to make complaints and offer suggestions.

P17 Pohnpei again! Pohnpei’s Alex Tretnoff’s massive record-breaking 794-pound marlin helped to make the Budweiser 16th annual All Micronesia Fishing Tournament the most successful competition ever in terms of big fish. The previous record for a fish caught in a Majuro tournament was a 719-pound marlin caught by Kyle Aliven in July 2001.

<p>[jetpack_subscription_form title=“Subscribe” subscribe_button="Sign Me Up" show_subscribers_total="1"]</p>