Journal 7/4/1986
P1 The end of a health era Dr. John Iaman, one of the longest practicing doctors, and certainly the most prominent physician in the Marshalls, officially retired last week. While leaving service with the government, he will continue running his private clinic. Public Health Nursing Director Ruth Harris noted that he used to practice medicine from an old quonset hut in Uliga that served as the main hospital in the 1950s.
P1 It’s fishing time! Almost anytime is a good time to go fishing in the Marshall Islands, but this week promises to provide more action than ever when the Marshalls Billfish Club holds its fourth annual Marshall Islands Fishing Tournament. This year’s tournament is dedicated to the late Atjang Paul, former minister in the Marshall Islands Cabinet, who was also an avid fisherman and longtime member of MBC. A perpetual trophy has been established in Atjang’s honor, to be awarded for the first time this tournament.
P15 Soda and candy diet killing kids In the last year, one doctor has seen so many children die of malnutrition in Majuro that he has lost count of the number. The most recent casualty of the steady stream of malnutrition cases died last week Friday: A four-and-a-half-year-old girl who weighed just 20 pounds. The irony of the most recent death is that the family — as in many of the other malnutrition cases — resides in Laura, where highly nutritious local foods are plentiful. “Once they are sick enough to be hospitalized, even if they survive, the babies will have some residual problems,” said Dr. Rob Williams, a pediatrician at the hospital.
P20 Slugging star Benta Jonaie hit three triples at the recent Saipan fast pitch softball tournament. Benta stayed hot through the Marshalls five games and was voted Most Valuable Player of the tournament.
Journal 7/3/1998
P1 Fishing time Marshall Islands High School senior Amra Paul is this year’s Miss Billfish. She’ll be dockside tis Friday and Saturday to greet returning anglers in MBC’s 16th annual fishing tourney.
P1 More ‘dry’ on the way The most intense El Niño on record is “winding down,” according to weather officials in Guam and Hawaii. While rain conditions have improved dramatically in the southern Marshalls, including Majuro, the most northern islands are expected to continue to be dry for much of the summer.
P3 Still for sale? Cabinet officials have vehemently denied that sales of Marshall Islands passports are continuing, but speculation in the community continues. The government said it halted the program in August 1996. The Public Accounts Committee is working to verify whether or not the sales are continuing. “I’ve received information that the sales are ongoing,” said committee chair Senator Rien Morris.
P3 Sign on the dotted line Rongelap Mayor James Matayoshi and Pacific International Inc. CEO Jerry Kramer signed the contract that will launch the first phase of rehabilitation and cleanup work at Rongelap Atoll. Irooj Mike Kabua, Rongelap Local Government council members and staff witnessed the event.
Journal 7/3/2009
P4 Danz: No ‘initial’ NCT payments The Nuclear Claims Tribunal confirmed what most people know: It is almost broke. In a June 24 order, Tribunal Chairman Greg Danz ruled that there will be no “initial payments” — the first time this has happened since the Tribunal began issuing award payments 1991. The Nuclear Claims Fund was down to $120,852.87 on May 27. The fund started out in 1986 at $150 million.
P25 Marshall Islands has many climate options With rising seal levels and predicted acceleration over the coming decades, is all hope lost for RMI? Not according to Sea Grant coastal expect Murray Ford. “While there isn’t a lot of goods news out there on the climate change front, there is plenty we can do here on the ground before packing our bags and heading off to the USA.” Ford said: “Things like better building standards to plan for sea level rise, coastal planting to reduce erosion, setbacks to keep development away from sensitive areas. Many of the adaptation strategies can be implemented quickly and many require little funding to get moving.”