GIFF JOHNSON Another extremely low-turnout vote for an important election was the highlight of Friday’s election for an upcoming constitutional convention. There were virtually no lines at any polling station in Majuro during the morning Friday. And it did not pick up appreciably in the afternoon. This was a sign of the low-voter interest in […]
GIFF JOHNSON Having lived here for a very long time — since before anyone ever heard the name National Telecommunication Authority — I thought I’d pretty much heard it all when it comes to phone and internet disruptions. Take your pick: Power outages, salt corroded copper phone lines, trucks and bulldozers driving over underground junction […]
The handover of new water storage systems for public schools in Ajeltake, Woja and Laura last Thursday has come none too soon, Education Commissioner Dr. Natalie Nimmer told the people assembled for the ceremony at Ajeltake Elementary School. With lower levels of rain forecast for the RMI starting this month and onward into 2027, the […]
GIFF JOHNSON Anytime there are westerly winds, Majuro’s downtown area can expect to take a hit. The overnight Sunday into early Monday winds ramped up quickly, turning the normally placid DUD lagoon area into a boiling caldron of waves that upended boats, tore vessels off moorings, and beached several craft. But it wasn’t only on […]
GIFF JOHNSON Landfill work ongoing between Katoj Park and the airport terminal is to create space for a new parking lot at the airport and also to realign the road. The land reclamation by Pacific International Inc. at the lagoon side of the approach to the airport dovetails with the work that was launched two […]
GIFF JOHNSON The latest audit of the College of the Marshall Islands — the fiscal year 2023 audit — was completed and submitted to the US federal government last Thursday. It is nearly two years late, auditors questioned over $1.2 million in spending by the college, and for the second year in a row, the […]
GIFF JOHNSON President Hilda Heine on Tuesday this week signed an executive order declaring a “state of emergency for Ebeye,” enabling a fast track RMI government response to last Saturday’s devastating fire on Ebeye. The fire left over 100 homeless and destroyed two major businesses on the island. As it did in the wake of […]
GIFF JOHNSON A new national strategy to reduce non-communicable diseases in the Marshall Islands was recently approved by government. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) — which include diabetes and high blood pressure — arguably account for most of the illness and early deaths facing Marshallese. Health Secretary Francyne Wase-Jacklick underlined the urgency of action to reverse the […]
Majuro received almost 50 percent more rain during May than the long-term average, according to the National Weather Service. A total of 15.22 inches of rain were recorded. This compares to the average for May of 10.71 inches. This high volume of rain was caused in part by two heavy deluges on May 13 and […]
GIFF JOHNSON As Air Marshall Islands new Cessna SkyCourier goes into regular service soon, it will be limited by one major factor: The lack of paved runways on the outer islands. It will be able to service Kwajalein, of course, and Jaluit and likely Wotje. But until more runways are paved, the plane’s service will […]
