FSM

Why aren’t we healthy?

Why aren’t we healthy?

Journal 1/9/1987 P1 MIATLP launches final assault for ‘nuke money’Attorneys representing Marshallese affected by nuclear testing launched a broadside attack on the United States and Marshall Islands governments position that the Compact of Free Association provides “just compensation” for the taking of lands during the 1940s and 1950s, and contend that the US cannot cut […]

FSM elects President Simina

FSM elects President Simina

Wesley Simina of Chuuk State is the new president of the Federated States of Micronesia. He was elected by the FSM Congress at its first meeting last week following the national election in March. Joining him in the executive branch is Vice President Aren Palik of Kosrae, who continues on from a term started two […]

Code Red: Covid arrives

Code Red: Covid arrives

GIFF JOHNSON This is how the Marshall Islands went from being one of a handful of places in the world to still be Covid-free two-and-a-half-years into the pandemic to joining the rest of the world August 8.Majuro hospital authorities discovered the first “cluster” of Covid positive cases Monday afternoon. Parents brought their 17 and nine […]

Covid is knocking on the RMI’s door

Covid is knocking on the RMI’s door

GIFF JOHNSON With the border opening looming, there is more talk in the community about the arrival of Covid in RMI. There are more questions than answers: Are we ready, will there be lockdowns, will schools be closed? Neighboring FSM opened its borders officially Monday this week — but Covid slipped into Pohnpei and Kosrae […]

Friendly starts to compact talks

Friendly starts to compact talks

GIFF JOHNSON Nearly three years after the first in-person preliminary discussions were held between the US and the Marshall Islands for a third funding agreement in the Compact, negotiations resumed again this week with a two-day meeting at Kwajalein. The negotiations stalled after these first discussions were held in Pohnpei between President Trump’s Secretary of […]

Kedi likes US response

Kedi likes US response

GIFF JOHNSON “On a scale of one-to-10, with 10 being the best, I put my visit to Washington at 9.5,” said Speaker Kenneth Kedi in an interview with the Journal Wednesday this week. The Speaker was in Arkansas at mid-week, following a packed agenda in Washington, DC over several days last week with meetings with […]

MIMRA launches PAN program

MIMRA launches PAN program

EVE BURNS Marshall Islands Marine Resource Authority launched its Protected Area Network (PAN) office last week at International Conference Center. The PAN program vision is for a sustainable and resilient Marshall Islands where natural and cultural resources are effectively managed and conserved for future generations. Their mission to secure and enable mobilization of resources in […]

FSM halts repatriation flights

FSM halts repatriation flights

Due to the rapidly evolving Covid spread in many Pacific island countries as a result of the omicron variant, the FSM government announced this week it was in the “public health interest to delay the forthcoming repatriation flights to the States of Pohnpei and Chuuk, and to cancel until further notice the repatriation flights to […]

RMI vets seek benefit fix

RMI vets seek benefit fix

GIFF JOHNSON Veterans from the Marshall Islands and the other freely associated states, all nations aligned with the US through Compacts, must travel at great personal expense to take advantage of health benefits they earned by their service in the US military. The practical impact of this situation is that most Marshallese veterans are completely […]

PII struggles to get FSM payment

PII struggles to get FSM payment

GIFF JOHNSON Pacific International Inc. received a mediation award in its construction dispute with the FSM government over US government-funded road work it did in Chuuk state from 2009-2013. But the FSM refused to pay the mediation award of an initial $2 million on a total $6 million award. More recently, PII received a $9.5 […]