Leaders sign plan of action

RMI leaders, seated from left, Minister Amenta Matthew, President Hilda Heine, and Marshall Islands Mayors Association President Ota Kisino sign the Leadership Conference joint communique as national and local leaders look on. Photo: Hilary Hosia.
RMI leaders, seated from left, Minister Amenta Matthew, President Hilda Heine, and Marshall Islands Mayors Association President Ota Kisino sign the Leadership Conference joint communique as national and local leaders look on. Photo: Hilary Hosia.

Marshall Islands Mayors Association President Ota Kisino joined President Hilda Heine and Internal Affairs Minister Amenta Matthew in signing a joint communique from the recently completed Leadership Conference spelling out seven areas for follow up action. The joint communique is the first in the 16 years of this annual event.

The key areas identified for action will come as no surprise: Education, health, air and sea transportation, communications, outer island funding, infrastructure development and other government services.

The three-page joint communique highlights areas for action to improve services to and quality of life for residents on the outer islands. The communique says that the MIMA executive will meet with both the Public School System and Ministry of Health to follow up the discussions during the Leadership Conference with the goal of making “memorandums of understanding” with the two government ministries focused on addressing needs in these areas.

One of the areas for action is the three funding streams available to local governments: Grant in Aid, Outer Island Economic Development Fund, and Local Government Fund. The joint communique says changes will be made to make it easier for local governments to access funding. It also endorses a five percent allocation from the Economic Development Fund to MIMA to facilitate its activities.

Over recent past years, mayors have complained about lack of national government follow up on resolutions adopted by MIMA.

Read more about this in the July 29, 2016 edition of the Marshall Islands Journal.