John Silk

Nitijela covers wide ranging issues

Nitijela covers wide ranging issues

Late last week and early this week, Nitijela covered a wide range of territory in the daily sessions.Among topics addressed:• President David Kabua is concerned about heavy out-migration to the US by Marshallese. In comments to Nitijela last Thursday, the President pointed out the latest census shows that every populated island in the RMI has seen […]

Tuna CEO meets President Kabua

Tuna CEO meets President Kabua

New PNA Office CEO Dr. Sangaa Clark, her husband Les Clark and MIMRA Director Glen Joseph made a courtesy call on President David Kabua and his Cabinet members earlier in the month. The RMI is playing two roles in relation to the Parties to the Nauru Agreement, said Joseph: As a member of the PNA […]

Kabua’s Cabinet shakeup continues

Kabua’s Cabinet shakeup continues

President David Kabua nominated Ebon Nitijela Member John Silk to Cabinet Tuesday, and Speaker Kenneth Kedi confirmed the nomination late Tuesday afternoon. This is the President’s second appointment of a former opposition Nitijela Member to his Cabinet, a development that largely blurs political lines in Nitijela, giving the President wide latitude to choose from the […]

Nitijela backs RASAR plan

Nitijela backs RASAR plan

The Nitijela adopted a resolution in support of the Rongelap Atoll Special Administrative Region (RASAR) late in the evening March 20, the night it wrapped up the first session of 2020. The resolution declares that “Nitijela views with favor the idea of creating a special administrative region on Rongelap Atoll in order to promote investment […]

Nitijela passes many bills

Nitijela passes many bills

Before wrapping up its final session in late September and dissolving, Nitijela passed a number of bills. These include: • Postal Services Amendment Act. This clarifies roles of the board and Minister responsible, as well as strengthening “the appearance of the independence of the (Postal) Authority,” according to the bill’s summary. • Import Duties Amendment […]

Hilda reels in climate aid

Hilda reels in climate aid

At the margin of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIFS) Leaders meeting last week in Tuvalu, President Hilda Heine met with Jerry Velasquez, Director of the Green Climate Fund’s Division of Mitigation and Adaptation. The meeting was to discuss the on-going GCF program, in particular the Water and Coastal Adaptation Program in the Marshall Islands. President […]

RMI canoes feature in Forum talks

RMI canoes feature in Forum talks

KELLY LORENNIJ The Micronesian region is transitioning to sustainable ocean transport for inter-island services, a move that is spearheaded by the Micronesian Center for Sustainable Transport that is based in the University of the South Pacific in the Marshall Islands. The Center’s Michael Traut outlined the steps that are being taken to make this transition […]

Talks to extend Compact $$ start

Talks to extend Compact $$ start

GIFF JOHNSON The big news coming from several hours of meetings on Pohnpei Monday between US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and President Hilda Heine and leaders of the FSM and Palau is Pompeo’s announcement that negotiations to extend Compact funding agreements have begun. The post-2023 period, when US grant funding for RMI and FSM […]