Alvin Jacklick

Toxic fish focus of JCM talks

Toxic fish focus of JCM talks

GIFF JOHNSON Chemical contamination of fish at Kwajalein Atoll “is a public health concern of epic proportion that we cannot take lightly,” Kwajalein Senator David Paul said in advance of this week’s annual RMI-US military consultation in Majuro. Paul and other RMI officials called for action on the contamination issue at the Joint Committee Meeting […]

Casten wins close Nitijela vote

Casten wins close Nitijela vote

The Nitijela elected the youngest and only the second commoner as President Monday morning. By a narrow vote, new Senator Casten Nemra (left), 44, defeated seven-term parliament veteran Alvin Jacklick, 17-16, demonstrating  how evenly divided the 33-seat chamber is. Nemra’s election reflects brilliant maneuvering in the lead up to Monday’s election by members of the […]

Casten Nemra new RMI President

Casten Nemra new RMI President

The Marshall Islands parliament elected its youngest President, and only the second commoner to hold the head of state position, Monday morning in Majuro. The narrow vote for newcomer Casten Nemra, 44, who defeated seven-term parliament veteran Alvin Jacklick, 17-16, demonstrates how evenly divided the 33-seat chamber is. Nemra’s election on his first day in the […]

Alvin to PSC: Wait for us

Alvin to PSC: Wait for us

An opposition senator has taken the unprecedented action of asking the Public Service Commission to wait until a new government is installed before making more appointments to high-level government posts. Kwajalein Senator-elect Alvin Jacklick wrote PSC Chairperson Marie Maddison Monday saying he respected the independence of the PSC from Cabinet under the Constitution but asked, […]

Loan to pay loan

Loan to pay loan

GIFF JOHNSON The Marshall Islands government was forced last month to take out a bank loan to meet a $1.2 million loan payment to the US Rural Utilities Service for the National Telecommunications Authority. Despite it being early in the new fiscal year, a cash flow shortage prevented the Ministry of Finance from making the […]

Kwajalein is key battleground

Kwajalein is key battleground

GIFF JOHNSON Elections here difficult to predict. While we’ve seen community discontent expressed in various ways concerning declining government services over the past few years, this discontent at the national level doesn’t necessarily translate to votes at the atoll level, which are usually according to family ties. Then there is a potentially huge offshore vote […]