HILARY HOSIA
The Marshall Islands Red Cross Society celebrated the opening of its official headquarters in Majuro last Friday. The new headquarters sits between the United Church of Christ and the Courthouse in Uliga.
The MIRCS was initially housed at the Marshall Islands Resort since the government enacted the MIRCS Act in November of 2013. The auxiliary arm of the government then relocated to the Robert Reimers Enterprises compound for several years before moving to the new center last week.
It wasn’t until the extended drought in 2011 motivated the government to focus on establishing RMI’s own Red Cross Society that the process moved into high gear. With the help of the US Embassy, a few locals and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Society, plans were in play to create the MIRCS in 2012.
MIRCS is also looking into purchasing the former center for the elderly adjacent to the new headquarters for additional uses.
The new headquarters is a two-story building designed to temporarily house people in the case of disasters. The center is also equipped with disaster-ready kits. MIRCS President Dr. Alex Pinano and board member Divine Waiti announced plans to deploy disaster-ready containers to the Laura area and to MIRCS sub-stations in the outer islands in addition to its already placed container kits at the headquarters and Uliga Dock.
MIRCS has been vital with the certification of first aid to countless residents throughout the RMI in addition to its humanitarian mission in the RMI.
VIPs joined MIRCS Secretary General Erika Peter in the official ribbon cutting and unveiling of the MIRCS seal in the event.
UCC President Rev. Lawson Matauto presided over the blessing ceremony.