A major upgrade to four points of entry into the Marshall Islands has been accomplished, strengthening preparedness against infectious diseases. The initiative supported by the government of Japan and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) partnered with multiple RMI agencies to provide substantial improvements at four main entry points: Amata Kabua International Airport, Ebeye Seaport, […]
GIFF JOHNSON There is a striking development in regards to the fire that destroyed the Nitijela. In the Executive Order declaring a state of disaster issued by Acting President Kalani Kaneko on August 28, two days after the fire, among a list of action directives to government ministries and agencies was the directive to Marshall […]
GIFF JOHNSON After two years of discussion, arguments and debates, two major funding streams under the Compact of Free Association have been approved for distribution later this year. The US-RMI Trust Fund Committee has endorsed releasing $27.7 million for the Individual Support Distribution (otherwise known as the Enra program) and $19.9 million for the Extraordinary […]
GIFF JOHNSON The day after last week Tuesday’s fire consumed Nitijela, parliament staff were already setting up the ICC conference hall as a temporary Nitijela meeting space. Monday this week, the Appropriations Committee, with Chairman Jack Ading at the helm, completed the final series of FY2026 budget hearings from the ICC meeting location. Nitijela staff […]
GIFF JOHNSON Tuesday morning, while the fire still burned at Nitijela, the RMI Cabinet held an emergency meeting at the MIMRA headquarters conference room to discuss its response. By mid-afternoon, President Hilda Heine had issued a short statement posted to the President’s Office Facebook page describing the situation and the government’s next steps. President Heine […]
GIFF JOHNSON It would take a Herculean effort by the Marshall Islands Shipping Corporation and copra makers to hit the 7,000 ton mark by the end of the fiscal year September 30. Four weak months of copra deliveries to the Tobolar Copra Processing Authority in Majuro put the nine-month total tonnage at 4,480 tons, according […]
GIFF JOHNSON The well-known local group AIM Band organized a music camp for a month starting in July. The camp was for children generally in the elementary and middle school age group, with most of the kids in the 8-12 age range. The band members led the music camp three days each week much to […]
GIFF JOHNSON Jo-Jikum’s Climate Adaptation Arts Seminar is into its second week at Marshall Islands High School with nearly 50 young people participating in the program. When the seminar started a week ago Monday, there were fewer than 40. But once things kicked off, and word of mouth and social media posts by youth participants […]
Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine in her keynote speech to the opening of this week’s National Ocean Symposium underlined the importance of conserving and protecting ocean resources for today and future generations. She exhorted participants to take individual and community-level actions to keep the ocean environment healthy. “While the government can set policies, and experts […]
GIFF JOHNSON The END proposals submitted to the US government two weeks ago could bring a windfall of nearly $20 million to 11 local governments this October when the new fiscal year starts. But US officials have already begun seeking clarifications and further details for some of the proposals submitted by the RMI government on […]
