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 The final unofficial election results were issued by the Electoral Administration Tuesday December 12 this week, confirming that 13 Nitijela seats will change hands. Most postal absentee votes either didn’t arrive in time or were rejected for technical reasons, muting their impact. It appeared that only one Nitijela race — Likiep — was […]
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 […]
JESSICA STONE* Congress is reviewing a proposal from President Joe Biden to create new security guarantees for three Pacific Island states: the Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau. If Congress passes the Compacts of Free Association by September 30, they would provide billions of dollars of economic and security assistance for the nations and would deny […]
GIFF JOHNSON and HILARY HOSIA Last week’s signing of an MOU for the Compact of Free Association was momentous for the Marshall Islands and the United States, coming less than a year since RMI Foreign Minister Kitlang Kabua took up her post and US Special Envoy Joseph Yun was named by President Biden to head […]
The Joint Economic and Financial Accountability Committee (JEMFAC) held its annual meeting through a brief virtual call between the RMI and US members August 31. Representing the RMI was the newly appointed JEMFAC Vice Chairperson Foreign Minister Kitlang Kabua and Finance Minister Brenson Wase were joined by Ambassador Gerald Zackios and representatives from RMI Compact […]
GIFF JOHNSON The President of the Pacific nation whose nomination for the Secretary General post became a flashpoint for the possible breakup of the Pacific Islands Forum has said not only does he not want the Micronesia area nations to pull out of the Forum, he wants current Secretary General Henry Puna to stay on […]
Journal 5/23/1986 P1 Judge to police: Clean up your act The High Court put the police department on notice that it better get its act together or face severe penalties. Chief Justice AD Tennekone’s sharp criticism was triggered by what he said has been a consistent pattern of police being unable to get prisoners to […]
Following the hotly contested Pacific Islands Forum election for a new Secretary General last week — in which Micronesia’s candidate Ambassador Gerald Zackios lost — the Marshall Islands and its four neighboring nations have thumbed their collective noses at the Forum, saying they are all pulling out of the premier regional body. The move, approved […]
GIFF JOHNSONThe five Micronesian leaders have drawn a line in the sand over their support of the nomination of Marshall Islands Ambassador Gerald Zackios to head the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. Palau and the FSM have taken the lead, saying if the Forum does not support the Micronesia area nominee, they will consider pulling out […]
