GIFF JOHNSON The ousting Tuesday of President Casten Nemra, only two weeks into his term as President, by a successful vote of no confidence, suggests family ties have trumped customary authority that once dominated Nitijela’s leadership lineup. Dr. Hilda Heine’s election Wednesday — with 24 out of 30 votes — is another unprecedented twist in […]
The Marshall Islands parliament elected its youngest President, and only the second commoner to hold the head of state position, Monday morning in Majuro. The narrow vote for newcomer Casten Nemra, 44, who defeated seven-term parliament veteran Alvin Jacklick, 17-16, demonstrates how evenly divided the 33-seat chamber is. Nemra’s election on his first day in the […]
GIFF JOHNSON As the Marshall Islands heads into the heat of the holiday season, with exuberant celebrations of dance and music ongoing from last week through the first week of January at island churches, another type of frenzy is building in force with a January 4 deadline: Negotiation to form a new government for the […]
