Giff Johnson

Trump meets FAS ‘family’

Trump meets FAS ‘family’

GIFF JOHNSON President Hilda Heine joined with Palau and Federated States of Micronesia presidents in a historic meeting with President Donald Trump Wednesday (Majuro date) at the White House — the first time the three presidents from the freely associated states have met an American president as a group. In lead up meetings with Interior […]

‘He was Kewan Jela’

‘He was Kewan Jela’

GIFF JOHNSON A local man who transformed the nature of Marshallese political debate has died in Honolulu at the age of 56. Arthur Kaylor Laukon became the key manager of the Marshall Islands Facebook page Kewan Jela, which was founded in September 2013 to stimulate debate on a variety of Marshall Islands issues. The site […]

TB screening in high gear

TB screening in high gear

GIFF JOHNSON In five weeks of the TB/leprosy screening program, one-third of Majuro’s population has been checked, putting the Ministry of Health and Human Services on track for completing the screening of 26,000 Majuro residents by September. The screening also confirms predictions health officials made before the start of the program on June 12 that […]

Ramping up access to health

Ramping up access to health

GIFF JOHNSON An event of importance took place Tuesday this week as a group of nurse practitioners graduated following an 18-month course run by the Fiji National University. It was a groundbreaking course in more ways than one. First, the 12 nurse practitioners who graduated will dramatically increase the pool of local primary health care […]

Major fisheries facility proposed

Major fisheries facility proposed

GIFF JOHNSON Pacific International Inc. is proposing a major land reclamation project as part of developing a wide-range of on-shore facilities and services to support fishing vessels in Majuro. The plan was outlined by PII Manager Bobby Muller at a public hearing sponsored by the RMI EPA Monday held at Marshall Islands Resort’s Lomalo Room. […]

$60m for RMI denial rights

$60m for RMI denial rights

Journal 11/5/1977 P1 Demand $60M for denial rights By Giff Johnson Several major issues highlighted the first round of renewed Micronesia-US negotiations over the future political status of Micronesia. In a key development, the Micronesians presented a proposal to the US demanding specific compensation for denying the more than three million square miles of ocean […]

Likiep life is slow and easy

Likiep life is slow and easy

Journal 7/11/1975 P1 No decision yet as deadline nears With the announcement last week by the Marianas delegation to the Micronesian Constitutional convention that they would indeed participate in the ConCon, the question of the Marshalls delegation suddenly became a more spotlighted arena. On July 7, Representative Ataji Balos said in Majuro that no final […]

Teenager confesses to murders

Teenager confesses to murders

GIFF JOHNSON Police apprehended late last week a teenage suspect in the double murder in Laura two weekends ago. According to officials involved in the investigation, the 16-year-old suspect confessed to police, with his mother present during the interview with police. The suspect was released after 24 hours as required by the RMI Constitution in […]

Big bucks team meets in Majuro

Big bucks team meets in Majuro

Ministers from the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) launched their 12th annual meeting in Majuro Wednesday. President Hilda Heine recognized the organization for growing fisheries revenue of members nations from $60 million to nearly $500 million in seven years. She urged the fisheries leaders not to be complacent because of PNA’s success, but instead […]