The Asian Development Bank and the RMI government signed off last week on the bank’s largest-ever grant to the Marshall Islands. The $52.5 million grant will be focused on fresh water, sanitation and solid waste management improvements on both Majuro and Ebeye. The largest portion of the grant will be directed toward Majuro Water and […]
HILARY HOSIA The long-awaited “Enra Bwe Jen Lale Rara” universal payment update was shared by President Hilda Heine during the opening of Nitijela Monday. The universal compensation scheme would provide money to Marshallese individuals as announced by President Hilda and her Cabinet early this year. The “Enra” plan, which is know internationally as a universal […]
Taiwan Ambassador Steve CC Hsia donated $40,000 to the government of the Marshall Islands last week for aid to Arno and Ailinglaplap atolls that were hit by strong waves last month. Hsia said the contribution is to be divided equally between the two atolls to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to the two atolls affected by […]
GIFF JOHNSON Offshore storm surges supercharged waves Saturday night, causing flooding and some damage at Roi-Namur Island in Kwajalein Atoll, resulting in evacuation of 80 people from the island. Flooding caused by the waves also hit an airport at Ailinglaplap Atoll, leaving rocks, coral and debris in their wake that will keep the runway closed […]
The new administration of President Hilda Heine announced two weeks ago that it was intending to declare a state of emergency for the power situation in Majuro. This week, several days after President Heine highlighted the power problem in her inauguration speech at Nitijela Monday, the government moved ahead with this plan. “We are now […]
HILARY HOSIA Action speaks louder than words. This seems to be the marching order for President Hilda Heine and her Cabinet following a one-day visit to Kili Island last Friday. That day before, Thursday, the Heine administration declared a state of emergency to address the immediate needs of the Kili community, which has been experiencing […]
The new Cabinet lineup was confirmed Monday. It features a mix of Nitijela Members, and demonstrates how President Hilda Heine and her core supporters reached out to newly elected Members as well as those from islands that would normally be considered aligned with the Kabua traditional leadership in order to form the new government. Members […]
GIFF JOHNSON The first order of business for President Hilda Heine’s new government is expected to be declaring not one, but two states of emergency: One for Kili Island, where “people are starving,” according to one Cabinet minister; the other order to put focus on Majuro’s power crisis. These moves were in the discussion stage […]
GIFF JOHNSON In the still preliminary and unofficial vote tabulation, Majuro Mayor Ladie Jack was outpolling main challenger Margaret Alee Bigler by more than two-to-one and three of the four incumbent Majuro Nitijela members were showing the highest numbers. Incumbent Stephen Phillip and candidates David Kramer and Yolanda Lodge-Ned were locked in a battle for […]
GIFF JOHNSON We don’t use the word “resurrection” lightly. But in the non-religious sphere of the Marshall Islands, we believe it is fitting to use that term for two events that took place largely out of the view of most local residents in Majuro. Twelve-and-a-half-years after the roof collapse halted use of the ECC national […]
