Journal 9/25/1981
P1 Reagan approves Compact US President Ronald Reagan approved the draft Compact of Free Association September 22, according to a special radio broadcast by President Amata Kabua. Government sources said Scott Stege, Trust Territory liaison officer on Kwajalein, phoned with the news.
P2 Nitijela debates co-pilots Debate on Air Marshal Islands ensued during one of the committee reports. The R&D Commission recommended that Bill 13 (to request AMI to provide a co-pilot in each of its aircraft) be filed. Mili Senator Alee Alik asked what will happen if a lone pilot has a heart attack while flying and everyone dies. He asked how the insurance works in such situations. Minister of Public Works Kunar Abner explained that although there are no co-pilots, there are Marshallese flight attendants who, though not trained to be pilots, could still land the plane if there was an emergency.
P8 Mack wants protection for women Arno Senator Katib Mack said he introduced Bill No. 15 to protect the Marshallese women from being ripped off by non-Marshallese husbands. The bill would require double signatures on checking accounts where one of the spouses is non-Marshallese.
Journal 9/24/1993
P4 Boral-MEC grand opening was a gas A grand opening celebration attended by many island dignitaries, including President Amata Kabua, was held in favor of the new Boral-MEC Gas compound located in Delap Monday evening.
P5 No big thing! We had a curious piece of information cross our bow while socializing this past Monday at the Boral-MEC grand opening festivities. Some made the comment that the deluge of rain on the grand opening was a good omen. MEC General Manager Billy Roberts gave a skeptical look at the comment and confided he didn’t know about that but he had a suggestion for an even better omen. “You see that facility there, across the street?” he asked, pointing to the power plant. “Just this week, the President announced that we are completely subsidy free. Now you want to know our secret? We never had a grand opening!”
P6 Public attitudes are changing A 26 percent decrease in the number of births from 1988-1992 demonstrates “that public attitudes are changing and our (health) programs are working,” Minister of Health Evelyn Konou told a ministerial meeting on population and sustainable development in Vanuatu earlier this month.
Journal 9/17/2004
P2 Lomor brings guys in for cocaine trials Ten Ebeye men were brought to Majuro Tuesday on the Lomor patrol vessel and Air Marshall Islands to be held for High Court trials. Most are charged with cocaine possession and/or distribution.
P4 Lawyers butt heads after MEC cuts off plant power A court hearing Monday on MEC’s power cutoff to the PMOP tuna plant turned into a shouting match between the attorneys, forcing the normally mild-mannered Judge Richard Hickson to admonish the two adversaries to “settle down.” PMOP attorney John Masek argued that PMOP would lose $1 million if power were not restored and it served the public interest to keep the jobs for the 700 plant workers. MEC attorney Dennis Reeder tried to show that PMOP was not meeting the terms of a promissory note signed with MEC to pay off a back debt.
P30 Solar makes sense On Mejit, at least half of the 74 households and six public service buildings will be equipped with solar units funded by the French government as early as December.
P32 Are you aware? That it’s time to get physical, as Lani Kramer has opened a new gym above the old Gibson’s Long Island Express store, it’s open 24-hours a day and according to member No. 1 Francine Ross, the workout space has “millions of equipment.”