Journal 4/6/1982
P6 Yap Governor: Development a matter of survival Yap Governor John Mangefel declared last week that emphasis would shift to economic development as his administration’s number one priority. “The state of Yap, like the rest of the FSM, needs economic development: not as a matter of principle or because ‘it would be nice’ but as a matter of survival,” Mangefel said. He suggested bold steps such as: stress the importance of vocational education or education which is practical; and re-educate people that the current standards by which people measure their worth in the community — a truck, a speed boat and electricity consuming appliances — are measurements of a developed country, not a poor state like Yap.
P8 US Congress on expectations “There are a lot of unfulfilled expectations in the Trust Territory for which the US Government must take responsibility. Self-reliance and economic development are commendable concepts, but they cannot be discussed seriously until we are farther along in providing these areas with the basic necessities essential to their day-to-day functioning.” — Report by Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, proposed FY1983 budget.
Journal 4/8/1994
P1 MAGNIFICENT! A 24-karat performance by RMI athletes nets 3rd in gold medals. “Nobody considered the Marshalls a threat to win,” said track coach Kirt Pinho as the third Micronesian Games ended. “It was Guam, Saipan and Palau. But after the second day, people added the Marshalls. The Marshalls captured fourth place in overall medals with 47. In the gold column it came in third behind only Guam and Palau. The Marshalls wrestling and weightlifting teams garnered 27 medals and two trophies in a superb performance. Marshalls’ swimmer Andrea Lindborg of Kwajalein was named the most outstanding woman athlete of the 1994 Micronesian Games for winning nine medals, including five gold.
Journal 4/8/2005
P2 12 homes destroyed A huge fire ripped through the former Coast Guard section of Ebeye Island last Thursday, leaving dozens of people homeless. The fire destroyed 12 homes, the residence for six expatriate nurses working at Ebeye hosital, and the RMI Ministry of Finance’s office.
P3 RMI soldier hit by bomb in Iraq The first Marshall Islander to incur serious injury in Iraq was flown to the United States for emergency medical treatment last weekend. The injury to Paul Lejjena, a staff sergeant in the Army’s 1/41st Infantry Division based in Fort Riley, Kansas, is the first for Marshall Islanders serving in the US Army in Iraq. Aenet Rowa, who runs the popular website Yokwe.net, reported the incident.
P4 Finance says farewell to Kumtak, Lanwi The Ministry of Finance recognized two of its longest-serving employees during a lunch at the Long Island Restaurant Monday. Chief of Procurement and Supply Laurence Kumtak started with the Trust Territory government on August 8, 1960. Treasury Chief Samuel Lanwi joined the government October 1, 1964 at the then-Department of Finance. Both continued when it became the RMI government in 1979. Both have official packed their belongings after more than 40 years of service.
P16 Is MOE aiming too high? An effort to upgrade public school teachers with $8.5 million in US government funding is falling far short of goals set by the Ministry of Education. The teacher quality grant program has been beset by problems, has seen fewer than 50 percent of the target number of teachers attain two-year degrees from CMI, and has led to WASC criticism of CMI’s participation in the teacher upgrade program. MOE’s aim is to have more than 250 currently working teachers gain their AA degrees from CMI, a goal that requires more than 50 to graduate each year. But in 2004, only 28 graduated and just 19 are scheduled to graduate next month for a two-year total of 47 — far short of the more than 100 needed to meet the goals set for this two-year period.