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 […]
GIFF JOHNSON An emergency medical situation the first week of September involving a patient from Mili Atoll with dengue fever has increased concern at the Ministry of Health and Human Services about a possible resurgence of the illness on the outer islands — in line with an uptick of cases in Majuro in recent weeks. […]
GIFF JOHNSON A live-streamed concert from the Marshall Islands Saturday featured top bands in the Marshall Islands and Solomon Islands star Rosie Delmah joining to uplift spirits of Marshall Islanders devastated by coronavirus in the United States. At Friday’s Nitijela (parliament) session, Foreign Minister Casten Nemra delivered a somber report on the impact of Covid-19 […]
GIFF JOHNSON Cocaine packages on the beach. An incursion by a foreign yacht related to possible drug activity. A bloody trail leading into the island. This information — or something close to this — rolled into Majuro law enforcement authorities from Tobal, Aur on August 12. MIPD quickly put together its Sea Patrol crew, pulled […]
GIFF JOHNSON Thinking outside the box is second nature to Six9Too Productions head honcho Daniel Kramer. Concern about coronavirus forced cancellation of Kramer’s much-anticipated spring break and summer concerts. But there are always opportunities and Kramer is gearing for a big, live-streamed concert aimed primarily at Marshallese living in the United States. Kramer sees it […]
GIFF JOHNSON The polio epidemic in the Marshall Islands 57 years ago offers a cautionary note in today’s coronavirus world. A total of 194 Marshallese and two Americans experienced some level of paralysis and 11 Marshallese died on 10 of 22 populated atolls. The polio epidemic here happened eight years after a vaccine for the […]
GIFF JOHNSON Leaders of nuclear test-affected atolls described their first meeting as a group with US Ambassador Roxanne Cabral late last week as “productive and positive.” Coupled with a meeting the nuclear atolls had with President David Kabua earlier last week, they feel there is momentum building for dignified solution to the US nuclear weapons […]
GIFF JOHNSON The US Army Garrison, Kwajalein Atoll had its first long-distance brush with coronavirus when one of the 15 base workers scheduled to return this week tested positive for Covid-19 in Honolulu prior to departing for Kwajalein. Contract tracing by Army authorities identified three others in the intending repatriation group to have had contact […]
Tuna transshipment in Majuro during June saw a big rebound from May, but the numbers remained low by the standards of the past two years. A total of 11 tuna transshipments by purse seiners to carrier vessels in the lagoon and unloadings (tuna off-loaded at the dock for local processing or shipment via freezer container) […]
GIFF JOHNSON The coronavirus has turned into the perfect storm for thousands of Marshall Islanders living in the United States. Since March, Marshallese have experienced extraordinary Covid-19 infection and death rates in many American states. “The most vulnerable people in the United States in almost every state where there are large numbers of Pacific islanders, […]
