MALGov proposal for airline ticket tax1
The Marshall Islands Journal —­­­Friday, August 15, 2014
fore MALGov’s Ways and Means
Committee chaired by Aenkan
Councilwoman Betty Imaikta.
A public hearing is scheduled
for August 29 at 10:30 at MALGov City Hall.
Draft ordinance 04-2014 would
establish the local government’s
first tax on airline tickets and
Ebeye’s
Simpson to
star in movie
tours sold on Majuro Atoll. The
four percent gross sales tax “shall
apply to the gross sale price of all
tickets or tours sold by local airline ticket offices, travel agency
offices, or tour operator offices
located on Majuro whether or
not those airline tickets or tours
are for travel from the Marshall
The
Islands to some foreign destination or for travel originating totally outside of the RMI to the
Marshall Islands…so long as the
purchase originates from within
Majuro.”
Draft ordinance 05-2014 would
increase tax on gas purchases
from the current five cents to
seven cents per gallon. The ordinance notes that Kwajalein Atoll
Local Government maintains a
10-cent per gallon tax. While this
level of tax would be “too much
of a burden on the general population on Majuro, the Council believes that a slight increase in the
Continued page 2
Marshall Islands
$1 on
Majuro
ISSN: 0892 2096
Majuro Atoll Local Government is proposing to raise tax on
gasoline and to institute a new
four percent tax on all airline tickets and tour sales.
The tax increases are detailed
in draft ordinances 04-2014 to
amend the 1992 General Revenue
Tax and 05-2014 to amend the
General Revenue Tax that are be-
Page 7
Ring puts out a call for Cinderella
V7AB local radio broadcaster William Ring has a way of brightening
people’s lives. Take, for example, his
lost and found announcement Mon-
day morning: “Alright if you left half of a
slipper in a taxi, we have it in our studio,”
William said. “The slipper looks exactly
like that one Cinderella left.”
Driver and passengers burst out laughing, except the photographer — he got off
at the studio and took a quick snapshot of
the slipper. Photo: Hilary Hosia
Tuna stock shock
The shocking news from this
week’s fisheries meeting in Majuro: bigeye tuna stocks have
dropped to just 16 percent of
their original population because
of over-fishing. Yellowfin tuna is
on the way to a similar fate, with
under 40 percent of its “biomass”
left as record-setting volumes of
tuna continue to be hauled out of
the Pacific waters.
Pacific fisheries managers, tuna
industry officials and scientists
have been meeting in Majuro
since last week for the 10th Western and Central Pacific Fisheries
Leaders angry at Asian fleets: P2
Commission’s (WCPFC’s) Scientific Committee session where
they have received “the most
complete stock assessment to
date,” according to fisheries scientist John Hampton of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community
(SPC).
But serious gaps in the data
raise uncertainty about the status
of tuna stocks. Could bigeye and
yellowfin— both staple fish for
global sashimi markets — be in
worse shape than scientists report?
The lack of tuna catch data
from longliners operated on the
high seas by Japan, S. Korea, Taiwan and the People’s Republic of
China has become a big problem,
with island fisheries leaders complaining loudly and forcefully
that these nations need to follow
the lead of the United States in
providing this information.
Scientists and fisheries managers generally agree that to be
healthy and to support the fishing
industry for the long-term, tuna
stocks need to be around 50 percent of their original population.
Today, bigeye is far below this,
in danger of being fished to extinction, and yellowfin is moving
into the danger zone. Skipjack remains relatively healthy at about
50 percent, but Hampton and
Marshalls fisheries director Glen
Joseph warn that none of these
stocks can stay healthy with the
current heavy levels of fishing.
Joseph adds that while the Parties
to the Nauru Agreement (PNA)
have implemented many conservation measures to reduce the
stress on tuna stocks, distant water fishing nations — particularly
those whose fishing is focused
on the high seas — are not doing
their part.
Greenpeace New Zealand repContinued page 2
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2
Friday, August 15, 2014 — The Marshall Islands Journal
Stardom
4 Wisdom
Perfect RMI Riddles were
this week received from Herman Lee-Enos, Larry of SV
Tribute, Helber Namna, Diane
Myazoe, and Dante Dela Vega,
so their names will go into the
August hat for a pizza from
Flame Tree. To join the competition, fill in the puzzle on
page 8 and fax it (625-3136),
email it ([email protected]),
or bring it (back road, Uliga)
to the Journal by 5pm Tuesday. Good luck!
Footnote: Apologies from
the Head Riddle to Dante, who
sent in a perfect puzzle last
week, but was denied his Stardom for Wisdom acknowledgement in the Journal.
‘All sales to
need records’
From page 1
gasoline tax is justified.”
The ordinance provides that
“the wholesaler shall be responsible for the collection of
the gasoline fuel tax from the
retailers or buyers at the time
of sale.”
Gas sold to the RMI government and MALGov, and for
use in the outer islands is exempt from MALGov’s gas tax.
A third tax initiative aims
to help MALGov get a handle
on businesses that are operating on a cash basis in the capital. Draft ordinance 06-2014
would require all businesses
to maintain records of sales
and other business activities.
The legislation will strengthen
MALGov’s Finance Department’s ability to audit local
businesses and to level the
playing field so that all companies doing business are paying
taxes equitably.
US hailed as being a
compliant fishing nation
Western Pacific fisheries managers expressed anger Tuesday
that four Asian nations have refused to provide tuna catch data
critical for scientists studying the
long-term viability of stocks that
in 2012 produced a record-setting
catch valued at $7 billion.
Island fisheries officials are
meeting with industry representatives and scientists who are presenting stock assessment reports
to the Western and Central Pacific
Fisheries Commission’s (WCPFC’s) Scientific Committee in a
meeting that wraps up this week in
the Majuro.
Japan, S. Korean, Taiwan and
the People’s Republic of China
— all members of the WCPFC
— have not provided operational
catch data that scientists and fisheries managers in the region say
is crucial to producing accurate
stock assessments. Scientists told
this week’s meeting that bigeye,
a tuna prized in the Asian sashimi
markets, is overfished with only
16 percent of its original population size left, while yellowfin tuna
is under 40 percent of its original
biomass.
“One of the obligations that all
members signed up to when they
joined the WCPFC was to provide
full catch and effort data on the operations of their fishing vessels in
the convention area,” Tiga Galo,
a Tokelau Island fisheries department official who is chairing the
Forum Fisheries Agency’s Science Working Group, said Tuesday in Majuro. “Yet, here we are
10 years down the track, and there
are still four Asian (members) that
are hiding behind the temporary
deferment that allowed them time
to amend their domestic regulations — laws that might techni-
Longliner
rules need
updating
From page 1
Tiga Galo, FFA
Science Working
Group Chair.
cally prevent them from supplying
this operational data.” She said the
United States has already amended its domestic legislation in order
to provide the catch data required.
“We need to narrow the uncertainty (in stock assessments),” said
Marshall Islands fisheries director
Glen Joseph. Joseph and Galo
said the lack of data from the four
Asian nations is a major problem.
“This creates an uncertainty about
our own resources that affects food
security, sustainable development,
and our survival,” Joseph said.
We’d like to have a commission-wide picture of stocks, but
we only have half the picture and
are guessing about the other half.”
Operational catch data is crucial
for improving the accuracy and re-
resentative Karli Thomas, in
Majuro for the meetings, said
that conservation action needs
to be two-pronged:
• Use of fish aggregation
devices (FADs) should be
eliminated because their use is
resulting in heavy and unsustainable catches of tuna.
• The longline fishing industry, which is largely based
on high seas fishing, needs to
be reformed, with the requirement that longliners off-load
tuna in port and not on the
high seas.
liability of fisheries stock assessments, Galo said.
Fisheries scientist John Hampton of the New Caledonia-based
Secretariat of the Pacific Community, which coordinates stock
assessments for the WCPFC, said
the lack of this data, mostly from
longline fishing vessels that fish
on the high seas, is a gap in the
research.
“This is the most complete stock
assessment to date,” he said of the
report being delivered in Majuro
this week. “But it could be better
if we are provided with longline
catch data.”
“By refusing to provide operational data, these nations are forcing us to cut their fishing effort in
order to minimize the risk of over-
fishing,” said Galo.
She made it clear that the main
problem is on the high seas. “Pacific island countries supply operational data to the Commission
on all the tuna fishing vessels
that they license to fish in their
national waters, whether foreign
or local,” she said. “But Pacific
island nations cannot collect data
for Asian vessels operating on the
high seas if they are not licensed to
fish in Pacific island EEZs and not
obliged to provide ‘port-to-port’
data. This is a particular problem
with longliners. Many only fish
on the high seas and are not responsible to any Forum Fisheries
Agency members — only to the
Commission and their flag state.”
Greenpeace New Zealand representative Karli Thomas, who is
attending the meeting in Majuro,
said the longline industry needs to
be reformed. “Closing high seas
pockets to fishing by longliners
and banning high seas transshipment of fish (as has been done
with purse seiners) will make a
huge difference),” she said.
Joseph said a big push will be
made at the annual meeting of the
WCPFC in December to resolve
the problem of lack of tuna catch
data.
“We have a problem with longline fishing on the high seas and
their obligation to provide data,”
he said. “We are going to get this
data in 2015.”
Galo said the Asian countries
should follow the lead of the United States, “which used to have domestic legal impediments, but is
now in full compliance with their
data obligations to WCPFC.
“Quite frankly, we think these
other countries are just making
excuses.”
Fishing meeting
a financial bonus
Majuro had the enjoyable experience of not being able
to provide hotel accommodations for all the visitors present in the capital during the first week in August. While we
are not over flush with rooms, when you add the potential
you come up with a solid number that ain’t shabby.
Starting off with 150 scientists and fisheries managers
on island for the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries
Commission’s 10th Scientific Committee Meeting dramatically increased the IQ estimation of the local population.
Add in the hosting of many teachers from the outer islands
along with the numerous church delegations and summering visitors coming to the capital to celebrate kemems or
participate in large family reunions, you combine into a
so-called tourist presence easily surpassing 1,000 souls.
And don’t forget the many fishermen on the ships in the
lagoon. Majuro was in full bloom this summer, a fact that
should give us all a good reason for happiness.
The Marshall Islands Journal —­­­Friday, August 15, 2014
3
Participants in the ITU workshop.
ITU aims
for better
net access
A workshop on National Broadband
Policy was conducted for various ministries and other relevant stakeholders
earlier this month. Chief Secretary
Casten Nemra opened the workshop
on behalf of the government and welcomed officials from the International
Telecommunications Union (ITU) to
the RMI.
Participants were from the Ministry
of Education, Health, CMI, Nitijela,
and the Marshall Islands Telecommunication Authority (MINTA).
ITU officials stressed the importance of access to Internet broadband.
Secretary of T&C Phil Philippo talked
on RMI’s broadband aspirations. NTA
General Manager Tommy Kijiner, Jr.
was also a featured speaker.
During the public consultation, ITU
and T&C were able to visit and discuss
strategies with MINTA, the Ministries
of Education and Health, and College
of the Marshall Islands on what will be
their part in formulating a broadband
roadmap for the RMI. Most importantly, ITU was able to provide briefings for the President, Cabinet and the
Nitijela.
The in-country visit provided insights on how to develop a National
Broadband Policy for RMI and offered
a clearer direction on where government wants to target the RMI’s fiber
optic capability, said Philippo. He noted that the submarine fiber optic cable
arrived in the Marshalls in 2009.
ITU objectives, through a Broadband Commission for Digital Development, are to make broadband
universal, affordable, connectable at
home, with the result that people can
get online. ITU is promoting these
goals even to the remote islands of the
Pacific and is committed to connecting
people and protecting and supporting
everyone’s fundamental right to communicate, said Philippo.
ITU and T&C agreed that RMI will
undertake efforts to move forward
with the next step for the RMI National Broadband Policy. “The visit
complements the National ICT (information communication technology)
policy and covers the need to roll out
the roadmap for RMI’s broadband,
which spans all other sectors of society including education, health, and
agriculture,” he said.
Kostka wins Pacific
award for Challenge
The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat
(PIFS) and Conservation International (CI)
presented the annual Pacific Oceanscape
Leadership Award to Willy Kostka (pictured)
of the Micronesia Conservation Trust at the
Pacific Oceanscape Leaders Reception last
week in Palau.
CI-New Zealand’s Sue Taei said the selection of Kostka was largely due to his work to
create and finance the Micronesia Challenge,
a major conservation initiative in the north
Pacific.
“Willy Kostka’s inspiring work to help
sustainably finance the national protected
area networks in Palau, the Marshall Islands
and the Federated States of Micronesia has
changed the way we approach protected areas
on islands and coastal seas in Micronesia, and
inspired similar challenges in other parts of
the world, including the Caribbean,” she said.
“Although the Micronesia Challenge is in
many respects about ‘the money’ — funding
for protected areas — Willy never made this
its prime focus. Instead, he made it about ‘Pacific-way’ welcoming all to support this huge
effort.
Micronesia leads the world today in national protected area networks and their sustainable financing, in no small part due to Willy
Kostka of the Micronesian Conservation
Trust.”
Kostka is from Pohnpei.
The question of the week
In replying this week to an article referencing VAT by Mayor Mudge Samuel, Finance
Secretary Alfred Alfred, Jr. wrote: “We have a
severe problem with tax compliance and our
tax base continues to shrink. The proposed
consumption tax provides the solutions need-
ed to resolve these.” Question: Can the Ministry of Finance provide an example showing
how adoption of a consumption tax will improve tax compliance and solve the problem
of a shrinking tax base?
Secretary Alfred comments, P23.
Rock sad to leave Jaluit
A veritable firestorm of controversy developed
in the social media sector of communication this
past week as the
literati of Jaluit
took to expression
of their disdain at
having their community featured
as a sole-source
rock stocking enterprise.
What triggered
the blast of bombast was the photo, on the front
page of the Journal, of a rather large rock that
was stuffed into a bag of copra that was intended
to add weight to the bag and, by extension, result
in more money for the producer.
Kunar Bungitak expressed the sentiment that
Jaluit
people
should stop buying the newspaper because
the paper tells
lies in saying
Jaluit
alone
stuffs rocks. All
in all, we found
ourselves overwhelmed by the
plethora of comments posted to
vilify and electrify.
And to the elocution suggesting the Journal
unfairly singled
out Jaluit for denigration, we assure there was no
intent to such unsavory an undertaking.
The rock speaks for itself. It asked if it would
be possible to have EPA return it to Jaluit. “I love
Jaluit and miss it terribly.”
First Lady
speaks
at peace
summit
First Lady Lieom Anono
Loeak participated as guest
of honor and keynote
speaker at the World Summit on “Peace, Security,
and Human Development”
that was held August 9-13
in Seoul, Korea.
The World Summit was
organized and sponsored
by the Universal Peace
Federation, an NGO in
Special Consultative Status
with the Economic and Social Council of the United
Nations. Delegates from 70
nations attended the summit, including women leaders, parliamentarians, and
current and former heads of
state and government.
The First Lady delivered
her statement on August 10.
She was accompanied by
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Foreign Service Officer
Rina Keju, and Protocol
Consultant Neijon Edwards.
4
Friday, August 15, 2014 — The Marshall Islands Journal
Sudden outbreak of
suicides hits Majuro
An apparent jurisdictional
question has developed between national and local police
over the issue of following up
and investigating an apparent
suicide of a 55-year-old Korean
resident of Majuro identified as
Mr. Kim.
According to hospital officials, Kim’s body was delivered
to the hospital Saturday after
the apparent suicide. He is said
to have lived in the Jable area of
Rairok with his wife Maria.
Local police indicated to the
Journal they were aware of the
incident, and had responded after being notified of the death
over the weekend.
But when they arrived, the
body had already been taken
to the hospital by family members.
Local police said they were
not positioned to further investigate or provide details because
suicides fall under the jurisdiction of national police — who
told the Journal Wednesday
they were unaware of the reported suicide.
Need to halt tragic trend
SELINA LEEM
Aluka Rakin
“It seems like it doesn’t stop,”
Aluka Rakin, director of Youth
to Youth in Health/Jodrikdrik nan
Jodrikdrik ilo Ejmour, says when
asked about the recent suicide occurences. “It is something we need
to look at seriously. It doesn’t stop,
especially on the youth level.”
The two young boys who committed suicide recently sparked
concern from community members as such a tragedy they never
would have predicted. Rakin is
finding a way to bring youth into
YTYIH to make them feel important.
“We will talk to them, asking
them what they are thinking or
trying to say, we will make them
feel like they belong because most
youth do not feel like they belong.
They are isolated and frustrated
because no one is looking their
way or looking after them.”
Rakin advises family members
to talk and observe each other
in order to be on the same page.
“A youth’s speech is a give-away
of what’s going on in that child’s
mind. It gives off signs of whether
they are depressed or happy or a
bit of both. Listen carefully to
them and observe them.”
High school student dies
Patrick Lang, an upcoming senior at Northern Islands High School in Wotje, died Saturday
around midnight by committing suicide in Ajeltake. The 19-year old was rushed from Ajeltake
on a police vehicle and was transferred onto the
Laura ambulance before arriving at Majuro hospital late Saturday/early Sunday.
A nurse from the Laura dispensary confirmed
that the boy had what appeared to be marks
from a noose on his throat.
Sad death
Hollywood icon Robin Williams’
(pictured) sudden death this week sent
shockwaves across the globe, touching fans worldwide. The 63-year-old
was found dead in his California home
Tuesday. Journal staff on their favorite
Robin Williams’ movies:
“My favorite of Robin was Ms.
Doubtfire. The movie had a great message.” —Brett Schellhase.
“Flubber. It’s entertaining and nice.”
— Joelee Anni.
“I liked him in his serious role in
Patch Adams.” —Darren Lanki.
“The TV show Mork and Mindy. It
was insane.” —Karen Earnshaw.
“He was great as Peter Pan in Hook.”
—Isaac Marty.
“Best wake up call: Good Morning
Vietnam!” —Hilary Hosia.
“I liked him in all his movies — always entertaining. He will be missed.”
—Suzanne Chutaro.
The Marshall Islands Journal —­­­Friday, August 15, 2014
5
6
Reactions continue in N-case against nine nations
Friday, August 15, 2014 — The Marshall Islands Journal
Tony
deBrum
RMI awarded prestigious
international peace prize
The International Peace Bureau announced
last week it will award its annual Sean MacBride
Peace Prize for 2014 to the people and government of the Marshall Islands for courageously taking the nine nuclear weapons-possessing countries
to the International Court of Justice to enforce
compliance with the Non-Proliferation Treaty and
international customary law.
RMI argues that the nuclear weapons-possessing countries have breached their obligations under Article VI of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) by continuing to
modernize their arsenals and by failing to pursue
negotiations in good faith on nuclear disarmament.
Nowhere are the costs of a militarized Pacific
better illustrated than in the Marshall Islands, said
the organization.
“The country is burdened with some of the
highest cancer rates in the region following the 12
years of US nuclear tests,” the International Peace
Bureau said. “Yet it is admirable that the Marshall
Islanders in fact seek no compensation for themselves, but rather are determined to end the nuclear
weapons threat for all humanity.”
The world still has approximately 17,000 nuclear weapons, the majority in the
USA and Russia. Presently there are nine nuclear weapon states, 28 nuclear alliance states, 115
nuclear weapons-free zone states plus 40 non-nuclear weapons states.
The International Peace Bureau said it hopes to
help draw attention to the aim of the various court
cases on this issue by awarding the Sean MacBride Peace Prize to the Marshall Islands.
The prize ceremony will take place in Vienna
in early December at the time of the international
conference on the humanitarian consequences
of nuclear weapons, and in the presence of RMI
Minister of Foreign Affairs Tony deBrum and other dignitaries. Since its inception in 1992, many
eminent peace promoters have received the Sean
MacBride Prize, although it is not accompanied by
any financial remuneration.
Response rules
The Marshall Islands has until next Thursday, August
21, to file a response to the US government’s motion to
dismiss the RMI lawsuit in US federal court. The lawsuit
seeks a judgment finding the US is in violation of nuclear
disarmament provisions of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty (NPT). The US Justice Department must then respond by September 8. The lawsuit will then go for its first
hearing before a federal district court judge on September
12 in San Francisco.
India refuses to
attend ICJ talks
in
The
Hague
Who is McBride?
Sean MacBride (right)
was an Irish government
minister, a prominent international politician and a
former Chief of Staff of the
IRA in the 1930s.
Rising from a domestic
Irish political career, he
founded or participated in
many international organizations of the 20th century, including the United Nations, the
Council of Europe and Amnesty International, according to
Wikipedia, the internet-based information page.
He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1974, the Lenin Peace
Prize for 1975–1976 and the UNESCO Silver Medal for Service in 1980.
The International Court of Justice has set deadlines for
the RMI, England, Pakistan and India to file legal papers
in the RMI’s legal challenges against these three nuclear
nations.
The Marshall Islands instituted proceedings against the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, India and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan alleging breaches
of obligations relating to the cessation of the nuclear arms
race at an early date.
India refused to participate in an ICJ-scheduled meeting with Marshall Islands representatives Foreign Minister
Tony deBrum and Phon van den Biesen on June 11.
Five days prior to the meeting, the Indian ambassador to
The Netherlands wrote the court that, “India . . . considers that the International Court of Justice does not have
jurisdiction in the alleged dispute.” The day before the
scheduled meeting, the ambassador told the ICJ that, “India regrets to inform (the Court) that it will not be able
to participate in the proposed meeting” to be held by the
President with the representatives of the Parties.
Despite the refusal of India to attend, the ICJ president
met with the RMI representatives. The ICJ said it needed
to resolve the jurisdiction issue before proceeding to the
merits of the matter. It set December 16 as the deadline
for the RMI to file pleadings on jurisdiction of the court to
hear the RMI complaint against India, and gave India until
June 16, 2015 to respond.
Pakistan also contends the ICJ has no jurisdiction and
should dismiss the RMI claim, but officials from the Islamic Republic met with RMI and ICJ representatives on
July 9. Pakistan official Moazzam Ahmad Khan, told the
court that, “Pakistan is of the considered opinion that the
ICJ lacks jurisdiction . . . and considers the (RMI) Application inadmissible.” He asked the court to dismiss the
RMI’s application.
To address the jurisdiction issue, the court gave the RMI
until January 12 next year to file its legal brief, and Pakistan has until July 17, 2015 to reply.
England, according to information available on the ICJ
website, did not lodge an immediate objection to the jurisdiction of the court. RMI and UK officials met with ICJ
representatives in June and agreed that the RMI would
present its case to the court by March 16 next year and the
UK will have until December 16, 2015 to respond.
The Marshall Islands Journal —­­­Friday, August 15, 2014
7
Ebeye’s Korok to star in film
After a year of searching for a
Marshallese man to play the lead
in a new film about the Marshall
Islands called Fall Out, writer/director Vilsoni Hereniko has chosen Simpson Korok, a resident of
Ebeye.
Simpson will play Rujen Keju,
a 45-year-old man who works at
the missile base on Kwajalein
who eventually becomes a leader
in “Operation Homecoming,” an
actual event that took place in
1982.
Fall Out is based on the awardwinning novel ‘Melal’ by Robert
Barclay. The novel, and the film,
is set on Ebeye, Kwajalein, and
Tar Woj, as well as the surrounding ocean.
Simpson was born on Ebeye
and has lived there since birth.
His father is from Enamat in
Kwajalein and his mother is from
Utrik Atoll. He has a 16-year-old
daughter, a son who is 15, and
twins who are nine.
Simpson’s grandfather had 13
children, including his father. All
of them were relocated from Enemat to Ebeye in the late 1960s
because of missile testing. Simpson said his family, along with
others in the mid-corridor islands,
relocated to Ebeye because the
Fall Out to be made on Kwaj
Ebeye’s Simpson
Korok, who has
been chosen to play
Rujen Keju in the
film Fall Out.
‘From a
very young
age,
Simpson
has
dreamed of
becoming
an actor.’
American Navy promised them
free housing, electricity, clothing
and food, as well as possible employment on Kwajalein.
In 1982, the year the movie
Fall Out takes place, Simpson
said that he and his brothers, sister and their children returned to
Enemat to occupy the island from
June to August to protest missile
testing which had forced them to
relocate to Ebeye. He loved be-
ing back in Enemat with its lush
vegetation of pandanus, breadfruit, and lots of coconut trees as
well as white sandy beaches and
a sea teeming with fish. He said
he really liked being on Enemat
because he could fish everyday as
well as plant food crops. Besides,
his great grandfather was a landowner of Enemat.
Simpson and his brothers left
Enemat in August of 1982 to re-
turn to school in Majuro but the
rest of family remained until October of the same year. They returned to Ebeye after successful
negotiations between the Kwajalein landowners, the Marshall Islands government, and the American military that ended the sail-in
protest.
Simpson is now a security
guard at Ebeye Public Elementary School. Prior to this he worked
on Kwajalein managing a vending machine for 11 years.
From a very young age, Simpson has been fascinated by movies and has always dreamed of
becoming an actor. His favorite
movie stars are Tom Cruise, Harrison Ford, and Clint Eastwood.
His favorite movie is Air Force
One.
Simpson first heard about Fall
Out from his supervisor, Deo
Keju, who asked Simpson and his
co-workers if anyone was interested in auditioning for a movie
that will be set on Ebeye. Simpson had no hesitation in saying
“yes.” Deo took a video of Simpson reading a few pages from the
screenplay and sent it to Honolulu.
The director’s interest in Simpson’s performance from this video led to another audition via the
Internet, with Simpson in Ebeye
and Vilsoni in Honolulu, but the
poor reception made it impossible
to tell whether or not Simpson
could portray the lead character
in Fall Out convincingly.
Vilsoni decided to audition
Simpson in person and flew to
Ebeye in early August, where
he spent a week auditioning and
spending time with Simpson. By
the end of the week, Vilsoni said
he knew that Simpson could play
the protagonist in Fall Out convincingly and offered Simpson
the role of Rujen Keju, making
Simpson’s dream of one day becoming an actor closer to being
realized.
Fall Out is being developed
with the support of the Motion
Picture Association Asia Pacific
Screen Academy Film Fund.
Vilsoni said he hopes to go
into production in July next year,
with plans to film on location in
Kwajalein Atoll. For more information, http://fall-out-the-movie.
com as well as the movie’s Facebook page, falloutmovie1.
8
Friday, August 15, 2014 — The Marshall Islands Journal
The RMI Riddle No. 517: Sponsored by CopyMasters
ACROSS
1. Woven bags.
5. Laura worker.
10. Ascended.
11. Diplomatic mission.
12. Fisheries folk. (abb.)
14. Lab to make changes in on
Aur?
15. Guy.
17. Nuclear affected atoll.
19. English playwright Oscar
Wilde wrote: “Children ----by loving their parents. After a
time they judge them. Rarely,
if ever, do they forgive them.”
21. Auto.
22. Veggie.
23. Vast expanse of wet stuff.
24. Kwaj spot.
25. Fishing accessory.
26. Patrol boat.
28. Fractions of a face.
30. Construction chap.
31. Fuel vessels.
33. Missile.
34. Set in order.
DOWN
2. Our airline. (abb.)
3. Imata or Mike.
4. Restaurant. (4,5)
6. MOH auto.
7. Stream of light on wide
fish?
8. Swindle.
President Chris Loeak and International Police (Interpol) Secretary
General Ronald Nobel.
9. Thyme or rosemary.
13. Legendary sea creature.
15. Island knife.
16. MOH worker.
17. Class, deck, or atmosphere.
18. Expertise.
20. Power maker.
27. Extra.
28. SP spot.
29. Nut’s exterior.
30. Flame Tree or Jakaro.
32. Breakfast treat.
Answers to Riddle No. 516
A T
D
A
E X H
P
I
A T T
R
I
T
N A
P
H
S
O C T
T
I
O U T
S
C
C H
O L
A
A U
N
A C
H
P
U R
B
O
O P
T
L I
O
A N
L S
D E
I C E
S T
L E
E
A
K S
P R
S
B R A V O
U
M
I
S T O O L
A
U S
P I
T
A
N E
T R
M E C
T S
H E
G R E E
O
Q
P
T T U C E
H
A
A
I N T E R
C
E
L
M
S
R A T E
T
S
S
P
P
C T U R E
H
R
A
O O P E R
O
L
S
L P E D
Note: (abb.) = abbreviation
(3,4) = indicates the number
of letters in words.
RMI joins the
Interpol ‘team’
International Police (Interpol) Secretary
General Ronald Nobel and RMI President
Christopher Loeak signed an agreement
Monday that will ease the movement of
Interpol officers in and out of the Marshall Islands to carry out law enforcement
work.
With the agreement in place, RMI will
now recognize and accept Interpol’s travel
documents — allowing holders visa-free
entrance upon arrival in the RMI.
Nobel, who was in Majuro for the first
time, noted that since his arrival he’s been
greeted warmly and hospitably by the
people of the Marshall Islands and while
he was delighted by the hospitality he
cautions that our welcoming island atmosphere can make RMI an easy target for
criminal activity.
President Loeak told Nobel “the RMI is
a small country that lacks sophistication in
terms of criminal investigation and equipment.”
With the agreement now in place Loeak
said he’s encouraged by the potential of
further information exchange and work
with the Interpol to address criminal activity that occurs on the island.
“We look forward to exchange and
work with Interpol,” said Loeak.
According to Nobel, this strengthened
relationship between the RMI and Interpol
can lead to future training opportunities,
including the possibility of sending RMI
officers for training at the Federal Bureau
of Investigation Academy and RMI hosting a maritime anti-pirating workshop.
During Monday’s signing, Foreign
Minister Tony deBrum acknowledged that
RMI’s ports are known to be “porous.”
But, he said, RMI is a willing partner
when it comes to addressing international
criminal activity.
“We are willing and have the capacity
to perform with adequate means,” said deBrum acknowledging RMI’s partnership
with the US, Australia, New Zealand and
the Sasakwa Foundation when it comes
to maritime surveillance. “We are a reliable partner and you can call on us when
in need.”
Monday’s signing adds the RMI to 73
countries worldwide that accept Interpol’s
travel documents.
RMI joined Interpol in 1990 — when
President Loeak was then the Minister of
Justice. Interpol provides RMI assistance
with information and technical support on
international crime across borders giving
officials’ access to Interpol’s data base
and verification of travel documents in the
event a passport is stolen or forged.
Since March of 2013, the Pohnpei-based
Migrant Resource Center has been providing orientation classes with islanders migrating to the US. According to Kaselehlie
Press, a main focus of information provided is of an anti-human trafficking nature.
The presented course in the subject spans
two and a half days. More than 250 individuals have taken the orientation program
and some of the participants are reported
to have written back to the migrant office
to praise their training and to express appreciation. Obviously, the RMI itself has
many individuals facing relocation out of
the island to the US whether for school,
work, or as family assistance workers. Perhaps we should entertain such an orientation program here.
‘We are willing and
have the capacity to
perform with adequate
means. We are a reliable partner and you
can call on us when in
need.’
Human trafficking class
The Marshall Islands Journal —­­­Friday, August 15, 2014
‘Veto, yes;
Veto no!’
All-time
record
at CMI?
College of Marshall Islands is
expecting as many as 374 new students, the largest new enrollment in
the history of CMI, according to college officials. The new development
is proof more students are being accepted into college. The college expects its total enrollment, combining
continuing students with the new enrollees, to go over 1,000.
The figure is subject to change
because a few last minute students
turned in applications during the orientation Wednesday morning.
“They came in during orientation
time and begged to be in,” Dean of
Student Services Rachel Salomon
said. “We allowed them to go through
the orientation and if we have space
we’ll let them in. If not, they’ll be on
the waiting list for next semester.”
MISSA bill
to slash
$$ benefits
If you are a current recipient of Social Security benefits and you are not ready
for a substantial financial
‘Ouch!”, you better do something, for MISSA has pending legislation coming up
for consideration by Nitijela
which will represent a loss of
more than one-fifth of your
monthly check. For example, if
you now receive $500 monthly, your new checks will be
made out for $390. That’s a $110 cut in your monthly income. But a cut in benefits is not the only anticipated impact on program participants: the age a worker qualifies to
receive benefits is taking a substantial jump too. According to Bill Joseph, deputy administrator for MISSA, the
new qualifying age for retirement will go from 60 years
old to 65, and the amount of tax taken out from your income will shoot up from the current 14 percent to 18 percent. Additional requirements for qualification in the system includes the way so-called customary adoptions are
registered. Such new adoptions will have to be filed with
official documentary supporting proof of relationship, not
simply verbal assertion as is the case at present.
Nitijela looks to reconvene this month with opening of
the session set for August 18. The legislators have the option to modify items in the designated bill (Bill No. 43),
so do realize that there may be differences between what
is submitted and what is finally passed. MISSSA maintains
that the difficult adjustments in both benefits and deductions are necessary to provide for the financial sustainability of the system. As one MISSA official commented, “It’s
better to have something rather than nothing.”
9
Above, CMI’s student body
leaders and student ambassadors helped new students during
the orientation Wednesday
morning at Sergeant Solomon
Sam memorial basketball facility. Left, survivor of the bridge
accident Almira Bourne (right)
was one of the new students.
An undeniable fracas played out in the
FSM during this just completed July, an indication of a substantial gap between the Office of the President and the FSM Congress.
What transpired is rather simple to present:
Congress passed a slew of legislation to fund
a wide ranging number of so-called “social
projects.” Involved in the equation was $5.1
million, an amount significantly reduced to a
relatively modest $260,000 when, according
to Kaselehlie Press, President Mori vetoed
a majority of the items funded by the $5.1
million.
The president allowed the $260,000 to
fund expenses of the just completed Micronesia Games only. He described the vetoed
projects as poorly though out and hastily put
together with little hope for sustainability.
The president explained that while funding requests from the Executive Branch are
scrutinized, congressional projects are routinely passed with very little study.
Despite President Mori’s veto, the congress organized a session to consider his
veto and they vetoed his veto. The $5.1 million is still alive and kicking.
10
Friday, August 15, 2014 — The Marshall Islands Journal
AROUND TOWN
IT was
a great
lunch!
A local NTA user was so impressed
with a Sunday afternoon service visit from the IT department to fix his internet modem that he (well, actually,
his wife) gave the NTA guy a plate of
food for a late lunch.
The happiness about the visit was
communicated to NTA boss Tommy
Kijiner via email, since the customer was now back in action, cyber-ly
speaking. “If I knew you were serving lunch, I would have stopped by,”
quipped Tommy. “Well, it was only
baked chicken, rice and carrots,”
said the customer in a modest tone,
“but the rice was mixed brown and
white (it’s our way of getting people
to enjoy brown rice), so at least your
IT guy got some fiber in his lunch!”
Tommy was ecstatic. “Fiber optic
for lunch! What better lunch for a
telecom employee?”
During a break in proceedings at the big fisheries meeting, PNA’s chief executive officer Dr. Transform Aqorau
and MIMRA’s Berry Muller enjoy a cartoon on P12 of the
Journal about fishing days and FADs.
Photo: Hilary Hosia.
Receptionist drops
a bomb on Lajimma
That old man Lajimma was
back bothering the newspaper
this week. His instrument of annoyance was the telephone and,
as he explained, he was worried the government had lost its
mind: “What’s this I hear about
taking the US and those other
nuclear countries to court and
we don’t want money out of it?”
“Yes, Mr. Lajimma. No money
whatsoever. Just the good feeling one gets when one does
something proud and honest for
the benefit of mankind.”
Lajimma was told this in a su-
percilious tone. We train our receptionists well.
The old man then demanded
to know what’s proud and honest about destroying nuclear
weapons. “Can you tell me
that?” he said.
“It means we have values that
transcend money, that’s what.”
she said. Then she added, “I
have to admit I’m somewhat
confused by the strategy, like,
does this mean we’re dropping
the Changed Circumstances
Petition?”
“What’s that?” said Lajimma.
“It means that the money we
agreed to accept for nuclear
damage is too little.
“After we agreed to the
amount, we found out the US
hid a bunch of facts showing
damage was much more than
we thought. So the US should
pay more.”
“Yeah? What did the Americans say?”
“They said they saw our point
and asked us to tell them how
much more we wanted.”
“Really?” said Lajimma.
“Just kidding,” came the reply.
‘Almost
finished’
“We are halfway there!”
Ebeye’s Steve Anitak (left)
and Moneam Anjain wish
to inform their families and
friends at Ebeye that they
are doing their best to complete their Jitok Kapeel program. The duo was spotted
at College of Marshall Islands this week.
Photo: Hilary Hosia
The Marshall Islands Journal —­­­Friday, August 15, 2014
Mother’s
mobile
moment
AROUND TOWN
Uliga’s Ted
Stepp and
frequent
Majuro visitor
and Assumption volunteer
Ann Hannan
pause by the
Lions Gate in
Old Jerusalem, Israel,
to peruse the
Journal on August 10. They
have avoided
violent areas
in the current
PalestinianIsraeli conflict
and pray for
peace in the
region. Around
Israel, much of
life goes on as
usual, though
tensions are
evident.
Email from mother to son: “What happens if you drop an iPhone in the toilet?
Mine is working but kind of slow. Oh, and
it wasn’t that gross.”
Son immediately rings his mother:
Mom, turn your phone off and put it in a
box of uncooked rice, it will help get the
moisture out of the phone.
Mom: Well, I can’t do that right now.
Son: Why?
Mom: Because I’m on the road, I’m on
the way to T-Mobile.
Son: What? What are you going to tell
them?
Mom: I’m going to tell them that I
dropped the phone in the toilet and that I
want another one.
Son: Couldn’t you just wait until I get
there?
Mom: Why?
Son: Because I really want to film that
conversation. Click.
Injin in meme waini
Factoid of the Week: You wanna hear
something to think about? Try this: a kokonut
farmer from Jaluit last week was reported to
the Journal for sticking an 11 lb. rock in a
kobra bag (‘copra’ bags contain only copra;
Kobra bags contain a blend of rock and co-
A catchy phrase that gained fame a few years
ago as the motto of Kwajalein Iroij Imata Kabua
is now back in the news, but with a new twist
unrelated to Kwajalein. The saying — “If not us,
who? If not now, when?” — has resurfaced in
conjunction with the RMI lawsuits against the
pra). Imagine. For an 11 lb. rock, at .23 cents
per pound, the Kobra farmer gets $2.53. He
also gets a chance to wreck a million dollar
copra crushing machine.
Question: Hanging? Stoning? Set adrift
with no sail or paddle? What do you say?
US government and eight other nuclear nations and was reported by Newsweek earlier
this month. Asked why the RMI has filed these
suits now, attorney for the RMI, Laurie Ashton,
asked — just as Imata used to — “If not us,
who? If not now, when?”
Pohnpei’s weed eater
In the time after the Micronesian Games in Pohnpei, while
they were getting ready to return to Majuro, a group of RMI
athletes got together and made
an expedition to a local site
called “Bridal Falls”, the site, was
where, few years ago, tragedy
struck: there Palauans in Pohnpei then for micro Games also
went on a trip to Bridal Falls.
Unfortunately, a flash flood developed and flushed three of the
Palauans away, they drowned.
The RMI visitors were aware
of this incident and kept it foremost in their minds. Little did
they know that they too, like the
Palauans, were fated to have a
unique experience at the Falls.
According to one of the RMI
team members who was part of
the party traveling to the Falls,
they paid $1 each to visit the
attraction. However, after the
group had begun swimming in
the falls area, one of the group
was approached by the Pohnpeian woman who was escorting them in the capacity of unofficial tour guide. She warned
that there was a possibility of
flash flood due to the fact that they
encountered a rainsquall while they
were on their way to the falls. The
RMI coaches were told and they decided to leave because of the possible danger. It was at this time, the
elderly landowner who collected the
money from the visitors came and
knelt down. She was wearing Pohnpei-style clothing and was chanting,
presumably in Pohnpeian. Then suddenly she reached out and grabbed
some green leaves and began chewing them, spitting the leaves out after
chewing. The Pohnpeian escort than
told the visitors it would be best to
leave. They all boarded their trucks
and were off, taking with them vivid
memories of the strange Pohnpeian
lady and her beautiful waterfall. The
incident was part of the experiences
the RMI visitors enjoyed while participating in the Micro Games in Pohnpei.
11
12
Friday, August 15, 2014 — The Marshall Islands Journal
Opinion pageS
Send letters to PO Box 14, Majuro, MH 96960 or email [email protected]
Import tax
vs VAT:
Who wins?
Is it realistic to expect that implementation of a Marshall Islands Consumption Tax is desirable or, even on a
basic level, doable?
As Nitijela gears up to conduct this August’s session,
five pieces of legislation relative to the introduction and
implementation of the so called ‘reform tax’ are in line
for consideration: Bill No. 1, addressing the mechanics of
MITC, No. 12, adjusting the import duty rate to zero, No.
13, setting out administrative provisions for the MICT
and MIET (Marshall Islands Excise Tax) and No. 15, to
set out the mechanics of MIET.
The tax reform office is apparently quite confident that
its measured approach (breaking the introduction and
development of necessary legislation into two phases, the
first phase which is being considered now) will provide a
more palatable block of reform and provide a foundation
for subsequent steps. This limiting of material for consideration is understood to recognize the complexity of the
overall conversion to a tax system that requires extensive
explanation. The so-called tax reform efforts have been
substantial, albeit of questionable effectiveness, as different segments of the communities affected identify points
of what they feel are undesirable aspects of a VAT: local
governments balk at giving over their constitutional right
to collect and appropriate taxes, businessmen claim they
fail to see how a VAT will in any way improve control
of smuggling, a worry that is felt strongest by businesses
which conduct their affairs honestly.
In addressing the concern about smuggling, tax reform
supporters say, for example, issuance of a stamp which
must be affixed to packages of cigarettes will ensure
compliance. However, this neglects the obvious fact that
counterfeit stamps will suddenly come into fashion, or
that the tax will be almost impossible to comply with
or enforce simply because cigarettes here are often sold
by the piece, and attaching a stamp, whether by rubber
stamp or by gluing on a printed paper emblem on each
‘piece’, would be of such extraordinary complication that
the use of stamps, if legislated, would beg for repeal.
The whole question of adopting a reform tax such as
VAT is obviously difficult to address: No one denies that
our current system is rife with problems. There is general
consensus that corruption abounds at present. Does this
mean VAT is not subject to corruption? No system of
taxation can survive a lack of willingness on the part of
authorities to enforce the law, and this applies both to
our import system of taxation and the proposed VAT. An
earlier attempt to implement a net profit tax proved to be
a disaster for the government. The net profit tax had to be
abandoned.
Does the proposed VAT have the ease of collecting of
a simple import tax at our border? Currently, consumers
have the tax passed on to them at the discretion of the
importer. No reporting or inconvenient record keeping is
entailed, and the government, ideally, gets its full share
of tax as long as it enforces collection. It is difficult to see
how a more complex cascading system could be desirable. The bottom line is the final argument; import tax
wins hands down.
Tobolar correction
On the cover photo story of last week’s August 8 edition, it stated the vessel that picked up the copra bag from
Jaluit with the 11-pound rock was the Tobolar. This is incorrect. The vessel was the MV Aemmon.
Tong calls for one regional voice
A most unique group has
recently been formed, a group of
such description it would be hard
to imagine any further enlargement
or membership.
It is the recent grouping of socalled small atoll nations, engendered in the efforts of Kiribati
President Anote Tong’s conviction
that if the already demonstrable
effects of climate change are not
halted or in some degree reversed,
then atoll nations may very well
sink into oblivion in the not too
distant future.
President Tong has formed this
exclusive cadre of four nations:
Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Maldives and Tuvalu. All four of these
atoll nations, he claims, are in
danger of what is happening now.
He wants the group to speak with
one voice, to join together, so that
the world, which for the most part
has no real awareness of the plight
of the atoll nations, can come to a
realization that without immediate
measures the catastrophe that has
been predicted will draw closer and
become a footnote of history.
The challenge is not whether to
act or not. The challenge, he says,
is to begin acting now.
Where to drink and smoke
One of the more problematic activities we have the honor of witnessing around town is the remarkable
so-called Kumit Coalition’s campaign
to control public consumption of
alcohol and to ‘bobrae’ smoking in
designated areas. Their efforts with
regard to both aspects of communal activism are commendable to
a point, but a troubling question
remains focused on the issue of legal
rights of troubling question remains
focused on the issue of legal rights of
individuals to follow their own path
to perdition, despite glaringly huge
amounts of common sense pointing
to the inadvisability of pursuing a
career in either drunkenness or lung
cancer. Both activities are legal and
both activities are major sources of
revenue for the government.
A main feature of Kumit’s remarkable campaign technique is the
positioning of roadside signs which
identify the beginning and the end
of various wetos. The signs alert the
public that the landowners of the
weto prohibit the use of alcohol on
the weto, a reasonable restriction that
invites approval. The temptation to
criticize work aimed to deter public drunkenness should be avoided:
while it may be lucrative for government coffers, abhorrent behavior such
as stumbling, loud calling, and fighting are not activities peace seeking
residents should be legally bound to
accept. Which brings us to the recommendation that police be alert to the
need to aggressively monitor locations where drinking is posted as not
acceptable. While individuals may
have the right to drink or not, and
to smoke or not, others have a say
where these activities are acceptable.
The Marshall Islands Journal
Phone: (692) 625-8143/6 • Fax: (692) 625-3136 • email: [email protected] • www.marshallislandsjournal.com
Editor.......................................................... Giff Johnson
Production/Advertising.........................Brett Schellhase
Advertising Manager.......................... Suzanne Chutaro
Advertising Assistant................................ Darren Lanki
Assistant Production Specialist....................Joelee Anni
Reporter/Photographer.................................Isaac Marty
Reporter/Photographer............................... Hilary Hosia
Wordsmith............................................ Karen Earnshaw
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JOURNAL, P.O. Box 14, Majuro, Marshall Islands MH 96960.
The Marshall Islands Journal —­­­Friday, August 15, 2014
Opinion pageS
Batkan’s waste mountain.
Waste problem not
as bad as you think
The perplexing problem of what to do
with Majuro’s considerable waste may
have a practical solution, a solution that on
surface appears irresponsible but taken in
view of the reality of the situation, may not
be too far off an ideal solution of the question of what to do with Majuro’s waste.
The solution may well be entitled “The
New York Waste Disposal Solution.”
New York, a city of eight-million, developed a waste disposal problem in the late
1920’s. Their solution to the problem was
to remove obviously deleterious harmful
waste manually, and then load the remaining bulk waste on barges which, when
filled, were towed out into the Atlantic
and dumped overboard. Years passed and
barges dumped. Years became decades and
no harmful effects were noted even though
the amount of the ‘waste’ was apparently
overwhelming, much larger than Majuro
could ever hope to produce.
The point here is that we ought to examine openly and honestly the option of
ocean disposal of our waste, both for the
positive and negative outcomes. Presorted
manually, the dumped waste may prove to
be effective fish aggregating sites, and may
even be a source of enriching the ocean areas wherein the dumping takes place.
A bold suggestion this ocean dumping? You bet. But remember, the ocean is
enormous and our available waste is squat
small. We are insignificant in terms of the
big picture.
(Note: The Journal invites comments
from readers on this topic.)
Copra may well be the
industry of the future
This is a non-secret plan published here
in the Journal as a way of obtaining support from real time Marshallese wishing to
both maintain and expand copra as an important segment of economic development
and to ensure that shenanigans such as
we observed recently from Jaluit, i.e., the
insertion of heavy rocks in copra bags to
increase weight of payment, be thwarted.
The solution to rid the industry of the
theft by deception is to simply avoid making copra in the outer islands. Tobolar will
pay for unhusked nuts at a fixed rate per
nut and arrange for shipping from outer
islands to Majuro where the nuts will
be completely processed in factory-like
conditions. This suggestion will not only
increase production of copra but will also
provide material (such as coconut shells)
for charcoal, for quality rope, and for local
cooking. At the same time, shipping of
unhusked nuts does away with the need
for copra bags (where the rock problem
thrives) and for time-consuming drying.
Outer islanders will have additional time
to cut down unproductive trees while
planting new stock. In as short time as
ten years (the Compact funding ends in 9)
trees planted now should be bearing.
Since 1870, the Marshall Islands have
benefited from the copra industry, an
industry that has literally nourished and
enriched these islands. Let’s prove we
are thankful for this fact and take steps
necessary to ensure that copra remains a
mainstay of our survival.
13
14
Friday, August 15, 2014 — The Marshall Islands Journal
The mental health department at Majuro Hospital has recently
been given a much-needed facelift, as these before and after shots
show. Right, visitors relax on the newly-refurbished porch.
Lack of facilities a problem
ISAAC MARTY
The health and well being of people with mental health issues is now
a focus for Ministry of Health and
the Marshall Islands Police Department (MIPD). Both parties met at the
University of the South Pacific center
recently and agreed to protect and
serve mentally ill and the community
at large.
There’s positive and negative impact about having mental patients in
or out of institutions, according to
Mental Health Counselor Adri Hicking. He explained patients will only
be admitted to Majuro hospital if
necessary. But the main problem is
there’s no unit to house the patients.
MIPD Captain Vincent Tani said
when dealing with people with mental issues the police bring them into
the station and keep them for up to
24 hours. Health assistants are then
called in to treat the individual and to
take over care management. “Mental
patients also have rights. But if they
are a danger to themselves or the
community the police will have to
step in,” said Tani.
When asked about how to determine if a person is mentally ill in
regards to criminal cases, he said a
doctor would come in to conduct an
evaluation and confirm the health
condition.
“Psychological disorder doesn’t
care who you are. You may be a doctor, lawyer, or whatever, you can also
get it,” said Hicking.
Different patient have different
situations, said Hicking. Some can
respond and interact more than others. Some may not want to take their
medication because they don’t like
it or they don’t know what to do. In
such a case, the family will have to
make a decision. “A patient can not
be forced to take pills. We have to
protect and respect them. They have
to benefit from our services. We want
them to get better and into living normal lives and maybe they can serve
the community,” said Hicking.
MOH Human Services Coordinator
Freddy Langrine said the RMI Public
Health Act has a very broad definition in regards to mental illness. He
said some time ago police would not
answer complaints about mental patients. “We don’t have the power to
restrain. So that’s why we need the
police support,” said Langrine. “The
goal is to bring back patients to good
health status and especially to get
them back into the community so they
can regain normal lives.”
Langrine confirmed that about six
patients have graduated with recognition from the program with local doctors confirming that they are now independent and can take care of themselves “well”. Some are now being
employed in different organizations.
The causes for mental instability include being born with it or developing
it during lifetime. Langrine and Hicking both confirmed that substance
abuse is a contributing factor. They
said more patients nowadays are being brought to Majuro from the outer
islands for treatment.
Facelift for key
MOH department
Mental Health Services is taking a new step to assist its clients. A new porch was built in front of the
mental health office (located behind Majuro hospital)
as shelter and safe environment for clients and visitors.
The new porch was blessed last Friday. Funding for
the project was part of US federal grants provided to
the health programs.
Health Secretary Julia Alfred stated that it was sad
to see clients out in the open trying to find a comfort
to rest from rain or shine. “These clients are people,
and they are just as important as anybody else,” she
said.
We’re providing a community to the clients, said
US health official Donna Hillman.
Hillman was on island for one week to review program activities and to help Ministry of Health officials
integrate substance abuse and mental health services.
She said the work was a success and she praised local
staff for their hard work and progress.
She told the Journal, Alfred is keen on adapting
programs to the Marshallese culture so they can be
more accessible.
Hillman flew out Friday and will be coming back
periodically.
Mental Health Counselor Adri Hicking confirmed
there are 54 active mental health cases, with 120 on
standby to see Dr. James Yaingeluo for diagnosis, and
50 graduates who were deemed “well”.
Mental Health is aiming to improve the quality of
its services. This includes another outreach to inmates
at Majuro jail. Henry Otu’afi, who’s working with inmates, said he has 15 clients and progress is slow.
The new porch at the clinic.
The Marshall Islands Journal —­­­Friday, August 15, 2014
Private sector
to steer trade
The desires and concerns
of the private sector of the
Marshall Islands will form
the foundation of RMI’s
trade negotiations is the
promise the Ministry of Resources and Development
Trade Office made at last
week’s Chamber of Commerce meeting.
Trade Chief Iva ReimerRoberto and R&D Trade
Advisor Radika Kumar
briefed the chamber on ongoing trade negotiations
particularly the Pacific
Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER).
The Australia/New Zealand sponsored PACER has
raised concern by local businesses for its
“one-size-fits-all” approach in dealing with
the Forum member countries.
On recapping recent overseas trade
meetings members of the Chamber have
attended, Pacific International, Inc., Chief
Executive Officer Jerry Kramer said point
blank regarding PACER that: “we are not
ready for it.” Kramer said if the RMI were
to agree to PACER, the RMI itself would be
required to revise its tax, labor and foreign
investment business laws.
There are also issues under the Compact of Free Association with the United
States, which RMI would need to reconcile
with the US under the most favored nation
clause before it could agree to trade terms
with third-party nations.
In terms of foreign business investment
Trade Chief Iva
Reimers-Roberto.
opportunities under PACER, Kramer suggests the RMI adopt a ‘positive list’ approach. That is, the RMI provide a list of
sectors, such as manufacturing, which it invites foreign businesses to invest in. Kumar
told the Chamber the “positive list” suggestion is along the same lines the RMI Trade
Office is in agreement with.
The PACER agreement focuses on the
sectors of labor, infrastructure, tourism
and telecommunications. Reimers-Roberto
agreed that while some of the terms in the
negotiations such as labor mobility into
Australia and New Zealand for seasonal
work are not a current interest for the Marshall Island because the RMI is currently at
an advantage with access to the US labor
market, she cautioned that consideration of
this privilege past 2023 be taken into account.
MIMRA boss happy
with new technology
The Marshall Islands and
Papua New Guinea have
joined to try out a new electronic fisheries catch data
system for its on-board observers to use.
Fisheries officials say it is
a “state-of-the-art electronic
catch documentation system” known as “eCDS.”
The eCDS engages the
use of near real-time data
input through the use of
Android tablets and satellite
transmitters and is expected
to revolutionize the quality, integrity, reliability, and
timeliness of critical fisheries information,
according to fisheries officials.
The World Wildlife Fund contributed
funding to purchase the equipment that is
being rolled out for PNG and RMI fisheries
observers.
Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority (MIMRA) Director Glen Joseph
(pictured above) heralded the new initiative. “The technology will give us tools to
enhance management of the
Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) Vessel Day
Scheme and be transformative in helping us achieve
sustainability in our tuna
fisheries,” Joseph said.
By using a tablet system
that incorporates clear data
entry standards and forms,
there is no longer a need
for additional personnel to
decipher and re-enter data
from handwritten paper observer log sheets that have
often resulted in misinterpretation and errors.
It also eliminates the potential of information being lost or damaged by storing
the information both locally on the tablet
as well as remotely through satellite transmission, unlike paper forms, which must
pass through several hands by mail before
reaching their final destination. There are
currently discussions being held with other
Pacific island nations to expand the initiative and use of the new technology.
15
16
Friday, August 15, 2014 — The Marshall Islands Journal
The Marshall Islands Journal —­­­Friday, August 15, 2014
17
18
Friday, August 15, 2014 — The Marshall Islands Journal
ROC donates set of key
equipment to the hospital
Republic of China (Taiwan) Ambassador Winston
Wen-yi Chen donated eight
boxes of medical equipment, medicine and medical supplies to Majuro hospital last month.
Dr. Kennar Briand, Chief
of Medical Staff, Acting
Hospital
Administrator
Ayako Yamaguchi-Eliou,
Pictured from left: Taiwan Ambassador
members of the ROC MoWinston Chen, Dr. Chien-wen Chen, Dr.
bile Medical Mission and
Kennar Briand, and Dr. Chih-hung Lai.
colleagues from the RMI
Ministry of Health, Majuro
hospital, staff of the ROC
Taiwan Health Center and ROC Embassy outside downtown Majuro in the future, inattended. Among the donated items, there cluding the outer islands. The total value of
was a portable ultrasound machine that the donation was approximately $35,000.
Ambassador Chen encouraged the RMI
can be used for anesthesiology, cardiology,
OB/GYN, radiology and critical care. This and ROC to work together more closely in
equipment enables Majuro medical profes- areas such as medicine, capacity building
sionals to provide more services to areas and others at the grassroots level.
Kakien in kemo
eonod bako ko
Kakien eo kin kemo eonod bako an RMI in, rej kio
kejerbale einwot juon lemlem in eiki kakien ko jet
kake an belaak in lalin, jen
juon kumi in kejebarok an
belaak in lalin bareinwot.
Juon jerbal in bobrae manman bako ilo Caribbean
“Marshall Islands ej
kan
rej kommane im eiki bedbed ion ejja kain makitkit
juon jikin eo im rebeltan eo
im jibarbar ko raar komman jen drouluul im kien ko
ie ej juon waanjonak ikijien
an Pacific Islands kein.
kejebarok bako ko,” AngeBritish Virgin Islands ear maron kean bwe malo
lo Villagomez ear ba, juon
ri kapeel ikijien bako, im
ko an ej juon jikin eo emo eonod bako ie, aolep kain
ej jerbal ippen Pew Founbako, nan jiban kejebarok bwe ri eonod ro im kio eidation eo ilo Washington,
etlok woraer ibelakin lalin, en bojrak aer eonod bako
DC, eo im ear bed Majuro
ijokan jikieer.
ilo ien kwelok ko an AsJikin ak Caribbean territory eo ej “kwalok bwe ene
sociation of Pacific Islands
jiddrik kein ewor ijo rellap kunaer nan menin mour ko
Legislatures ear ba.
ilo belaak in lalin,” Pew Charitable Trust shark pro“Kimij kejerbale (Kakgram official eo, Angelo Villagomez, ear ba. Lein ear
ien eo an RMI) nan kenono
kanuij makitkit im jerbal ippen RMI, Palau, FSM, im
kin kejebarok im kemo
jikin ko jet ilo belaak kein ikijien makitkit in bobrae
eonod bako ibelakin lalin.”
im kejebarok bako ko.
Villagomez ear ba bwe Pa“Emoj am jinoe juon jerbal in kelewetak ilo belau, RMI im aolepen state
laak
kan an Caribbean, im ej loore ejja kain jerbal im
ko Federated States of Mijekjek
ko NGO ko ijin kab kien ko an Micronesia raar
cronesia rej kawepene kakkommane,”
lein ear ba.
ien in kemo eonod bako, im
“Ejja
einwot
kar jekjek ko im Micronesia Challenge
kio menin ej juon kakien
eo
ear
maron
kommane
im kelewetake jikin ko jet
eo ebin im kijnene ilo tuion
kaki ilo belaak in lalin, innem kio jerbal eo kin bako
turear in Pacific in ikijien
ko, ej maron keketak lal jiddrik ko jet bwe ren bareinbobrae eonod uul in bako
wot komman oktak ippaer.”
ko. Kakien ko jet rej kio
lemnak kaki ilo FSM Congress en, im remaron in kawepeni ilo jem- ien in – einwot ke FSM state ko, Palau, im
lok in lok year in, lein ear ba. Elane renaaj RMI – wawein eo in ej bwe port control ej
elle, innem enaaj laplok wot an mo eonod kilen naaj kojebwebweik menin. Bar juon
bako ilo FSM, im enaaj laplok wot nan alen lelok kile elap nan Marshall Islands:
kemo eonod im manman bako iloan 200 “Marshall Islands ej juon waan jonak emmile eo aer. Villagomez ear ba bwe kakien man kin lorlorjake kakien ko an port: Rej
ko raar rumwij ikijien an wor abonono jen kemlet bwe waan eonod ko ren em maan
waan eonod ko waer make, ijoke ej kot- wot ilo port eo, innem rej etale wa ko ilo
mene bwe enaaj maron wor mejlan iloan port eo, im ewor observer ro bareinwot ion
jilu year in aer lelok bwe ren loore.
aolepen purse seiner ko, im kakien ko relAk ilo ien in, tore eo wot enaaj elle kak- lap jonan bakkin ko ie nae ro rej rubi.
Caribbean ejino
bobrae eonod bako
The Marshall Islands Journal —­­­Friday, August 15, 2014
19
US: Jolok abonono an RMI
GIFF JOHNSON
Kien eo an US ear kajjitok lok
ippen juon federal court ilo San
Francisco bwe en jolok Marshall
Islands nuclear non-proliferation
lawsuit eo, kinke RMI ear likjab
in kwalok elane ealikkar an “wor
jorean nane” komman jen US, eo
im enaaj ekkar bwe juon US court
ilo America en wor an maron in
ronjake im komman jemlok ikijien
bareinwot.
Kien eo an US ear kelaajrak
emen melele ko rellap ilo kajjitok
eo an lok nan US federal district
court eo bwe en jolok Marshall
Islands lawsuit eo, im ear drelon
ilo jemlok in April eo. Ekkar nan
Justice Department eo, elaptata
jen US attorney ro emen im raar
bok eddo in kommane case in, raar
ba bwe wawein kein ekoba:
• Kajjitok eo an RMI nan Court
bwe en kean bwe United States
“ej wonmanlok wot im rube im
jab loor eddo ko an” iumin Article
VI, in Non-Proliferation Treaty eo
(NPT) ekoba karok eo bwe United
States en kur im jino kommane
kwelok ko ikijien kaietetlok kein
tarinae ko rej kejerbal nuclear ilo
aolep mwenan “ejjab maron in
wonlontak bedbed ion melele in
ikijien political question doctrine
eo.”
• Article VI in NPT eo, juon
eon ikijien komman kwelok ikotaan lal ko jen dron, ejjab maron
make jarjar lontak im jerbal, kin
menin ejjab maron jerbal einwot
juon wawein nan watok bwe juon
abnono en maron wonlontak, eo
im enaaj kemelim an komman abnono imaan juon federal court.
• Jikin ekajet eo ejjab jimwe im
jejjet
• Statute of limitations, laches
ak jemlok kitien ekkar nan kakien,
ak ebojrak kitien jen an kar wonlontak, ekoba itok limo ko an public rebed imaan im aurok lok jen
kajjitok in an ri abonono eo.
Ilo abonono eo an Kien eo an
RMI, ej ba bwe United States
erube eddo ko an iumin nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty eo, ilo an
likjab in kommane ien kwelok ko
‘Kien eo an US ej antoon bwe ilo
tore in jebed ie ilo abonono in,
bwe US ejjanin rube jabdrewot
iaan kallimur ko an iumin NonProliferation Treaty in.’ — Attorney
Laurie Ashton jen Keller Rohrback,
eo im ej jede ilo etan RMI ilo
abonono in imaan court ear ba.
Minister of
Foreign Affair
Tony deBrum.
US ej ba
ejjanin
rubrub an
kallimur
nan Majol
rejokkin wot juon ikijien kaietetlok kein tarinae ko rej kejerbal nuclear. RMI ekonan bwe US court
eo en kabine melele jab in, ekoba
karok bwe kien eo an US en jino
kommane ien kwelok kein ikijien
kaietetlok kein tarinae ko kejerbale nuclear, iloan wot juon year
elkin naaj komman jemlok eo ilo
abonono jab in.
Botaap kien eo an US ej ba bwe
“kajjitok in nan na mejlan ejjab
juon eo court emaron, ak ej aikuij
in kommane. Elane ri abonono ej
tomak bwe United States emoj
an rube menin eddo ko an iloan
kon in, innem ej aikuij in bukwot
uwaak eo ilo an kejerbal bujen
jemjera ko ikotaan juon lal nan
juon lal, ijelokin an kajjeon lelontak juon abonono imaan federal
court in.”
Attorney in US ro im rej jede ilo
etan RMI raar kwalok aer inebata
kin naan in iakwelel ko an kien eo
an US kin menin.
“Kien eo an US ej antoon bwe
ilo tore in jebed ie ilo abonono in,
bwe US ejjanin rube jabdrewot
iaan kallimur ko an iumin NonProliferation Treaty in,” attorney
Laurie Ashton jen Keller Rohrback, eo im ej jede ilo etan RMI
ilo abonono in imaan court ear ba.
“Botaap mekarta, Kien eo an
US ej iakwelel bwe ejjelok wawein na mejlan emaron komman
jen jikin ekajet ikijien rubrub in
kon kein – emaron kinke rubrub
kein rejjab komman jorrean, ak
bolen kinke rubrub in kon kein
rej lelontak wot menin abonono
ko ikotaan kien nan kien, ak bolen
kinke Marshall Islands ej baj to ej
kab jede tok imaan jikin ekajet kin
rubrub in kon kein, mekarta eindrein, rubrub in kon kein rej aikuij
in wonlontak.
“Iakwelel kein im rekainebataik
koj, ilo lukkun mool rej kabin lok
wot bedbed in aolep kon ko ikotaan lal nan lal, eo im US ej juon
iaan bade ro iloan kon kein, im kajjitok bwe jikin ekajet en juloki,”
ejjab juon men emman.
Melele ko an US rej jimor kenono kin an jab maron komman
wawein in, ekoba ta wawein ko ilo
Unhappy with gov't service
The Journal received a call Monday afternoon complaining about the service, or
lack thereof, at the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Registrar’s Office.
According to caller Vivian Chong Gum
she and other citizens waited all afternoon
outside the IA office in frustration. She said
she arrived at 1pm and long after 3pm the
office remained locked. Over the course of
the three hours, as she waited before calling the Journal with her complaint, Chong
Gum said she counted up to 50 people who
arrived in search of copies of their records
only to leave in frustration.
“I went to the main IA office to complain
and still we are out here waiting,” she told
the Journal. “There are a lot of people here
from outer islands trying to sort out their
documents before they leave. The IA staff
were here and after they left for lunch we
didn’t see them again.”
kakien rej bobrae an jabdrewot US
court maron ronjake lawsuit in ej
wonlontak jen RMI.
“United States ejjab lal eo dreo
im ewor an kein tarinae ko rej kejerbal nuclear, jabdrewot lal ko jet
im ewor aer kein tarinae rot kein
renaaj erra nan bok kunaer ilo ien
kwelok ko an nuclear, kojjab jab
baj ba wot elane kain kwelok rot
kein enaaj komman bwe en bojrak
komman nuclear, ak kaietetlok
nuclear ko.”
US ej ba bwe RMI ekonan bwe
en komman juon jemlok eo im
enaaj komman bwe en “lale ta
bunten ne ko ej aikuij in naaj kommane ikijien kajjitok eo elap im ej
walok iumin kon in ak treaty jab
in.” Ilo ear kwalok jemlok ko an
US court ko, US ear ba, “Court eo
ejjelok an maron etale kain abonono rot in im komman jemlok kake.
“Eban jimwe im jejjet bwe juon
United States District Court en
kwalok ta an lemnak kin ta eo juon
iaan ra ko an Kien en kommane,
ak aikuij kommane,” ekkar nan
iakwelel ko lok imaan.
Justice Department eo ear ba
bwe “ebin nan lemnak elane ear
bar wor case en edrik lok jonan
aurok in nan an jikin ekajet eo maron komman mejlan, ijelokin eo
ebed imaan kio.”
Ilo aolepen iakwelel ko, US ear
kwalok kin elon jemlok lok imaan
im rej rie im erra kin melele ko
an, elaptata ikijien melele eo rej
ba “political doctrine” eo im ej
bobrae an jikin ekajet ko maron
kejerbal maron ko aer ne ej itok
nan abonono ko rejelet jemjera ko
ikotaan lal nan lal. “Ekanuij in allikar bwe jikin ekajet ejjab maron
kommane juon karok im jemlok
bwe United States en loore, ikijien
kon ko iloan juon kon ippen bar
juon lal,” uwaak eo ear ba.
Ej bareinwot ba bwe Compact
of Free Association eo make ej
kemo an wonlontak abonono jab
in an RMI, kinke “ejorrean” jen
an US komman makitkit in kaietetlok.
Nan ba bwe United States ej
“un eo bwe en wor jorrean ewalok
nane, ejjelok bedbed in, kin men
eo emool bwe United States emoj
an jino kommane eddo ko an, enwot an kemlet ilo Amended Compact of Free Association eo, ‘bwe
en kotorake RMI im armij ro ie,
jen jabdrewot jorrean in ankamjur im lanbelekimkimi ‘ejja ilo
nememe eo wot United States ej
kotorake armij ro an,’” US ear ba.
Melele ko an US rej ba bwe RMI
ear erra ilo NPT treaty eo ilo 1995,
im ear jab abonono nae US iloan
year ko jiljino imaantata elkin im
ekka an etal ilo wawein rot in.
Botaap elane tore in komman
abonono ejjab bobrae an maron
wonlontak abonono in an RMI,
innem juon jemlok eo im enaaj
rie lok RMI “enaaj oktak jen itok
limo ko an public, einwot ke enaaj
maron komman kabanban ippen
Executive Branch eo, ilo mwenan
ko rejelet bujen jemjera ikotaan lal
nan lal, im kab jarin in tarinae, eo
im kenono ko ikijien bunten ne ko
rejimwe im rekkar ikijien kaietetlok kein tarinae kein rej wonmanlok wot im komman,” US ear ba.
Mool ilo ien kwelok in lal, ikijien NPT eo, emoj karoke nan
2015 ilo United Nations eo ilo
New York, im einwot ilo aolep
ien, jibarbar im kotobar ko iumin
Article VI renaaj unin kenono ko
ibwiljin elon lal ko ilo kon in.”
RMI ej aikuij in kadrelon juon
an uwaak nae melele kein an US
ilo naaj jemlok in allon in, mokta
jen an komman ien ronjake jab in
imaan juon US judge.
20
Friday, August 15, 2014 — The Marshall Islands Journal
Fresh treats for everyone
Since its opening
day on December
6, 2012, the
Majuro local
food market next
to the Marshall
Islands Resort has
made it possible
for commuters
and tourists
to enjoy fresh
fruits and local
dishes. Thank you
MALGov, ROC
and, of course, the
ever determined
likatus of Laura.
Photo: Selina
Leem
Game ko renaj
komman ilo Yap
Etke Pohnpei, Palau,
im kab CNMI emoj dre
aer host Micro Game ko
ruo katten – ak Marshall
Islands ejjanin maron host
nan ien ikkure kein juon
shall Islands ejjanin host,
katten? Kinke kien ko an
ekoba bwe ilo Majuro
ijokein rej kejemoj elap
‘Ilo juon lal
ejjelok jikin ikkure ko, ak
jaan nan komman jikin ikeo im elon
ejjab wor itok limo jen
kure ko, innem wawein in
kien nan kejemoj jaan nan
ej komman bwe ren maron
kain aban im
kalek imon ikkure ko.
host nan ao, basketball/
naninmij ko
Ilo juon lal eo im elon
volleyball, track im field,
kain
aban im naninmij ko
softball im baseball barerej walok jen
rej walok jen tonal, enin
inwot.
tonal, enin
ej melele eo elap in bwe
Ilo ien Micronesian
kien eo iolap en kejemoj
Game ko rej kab jemlok
ej melele eo
ak lelok jaan nan kalek im
lok, RMI ear luuj nan Yap
elap in bwe
kajutak imon ikkure ko:
ilo elon wawein ko jen
Marshall Islands ear kean
kien eo iolap
juon wot. Volleyball team
kin juon idrin ikijien ejeo an Yap ear kanuij in bin
en kejemoj
mour itok wot jen naninim raar maron kaluji kora
ak lelok jaan
mij in tonal. Kin menin
ro ilo Team RMI, ekoba
elane jenaaj kejemoj jaan
bwe Yap ear maron in anjo
nan kalek im
nan ekkal imon ikkure
kajjitok eo an ion eo an
kajutak imon
ko enaaj juon wawein eo
RMI ikijien host nan Micro
emman nan rejan armij
Game ko ilo naaj 2018.
ikkure ko.’
bwe ren kokmanmanelok
Mekarta ear wor an
ejmour ko aer ilo aer naaj
Marshall Islands National
kortokjen iaal ko rebellok
Olympic Committee eo
im bidodo lok aer maron bok kunaer – im
(NOC) kajjitok ilo raan in Sunday eo, ilo
ien kwelok eo an Micro Games Council eo wawein in enaaj bareinwot jiban komman
bwe Aelon Kein en eliktata maron in bok
ilo Pohnpei, Yap ear etal weppen eo nane
eddo ak host nan ien ikkure kein kenono
bwe en bok eddo in im kommane ien ikkaki.
kure ko an 2018. Menin ej ejja wawein eo
Botaap elane kien eo iolap ejjab
in ear bar walok jino jen 2002 eo maantak:
kejemoj ak kabbok tok jaan nan kalek
Jonoul ruo year ko remotlok, Pohnpei ear
im kajutak imon ikkure ko jen kio im
kommane Game ko, im ejja kar RMI im
Yap raar bar jiae nan bok eddo in host nan wonmanlok mae 2018, innem NOC eo
2006 eo. Yap raar kelete ilo 2002 eo kinke ad enaaj bar bed ilo ejja jekjek in ilo ien
ikkure ko renaaj komman ilo Yap, elane
ear wor kadede an jikin ikkure.
enaaj jakelok kajjitok nan bok eddo in
Enanin ke wor jikin ikkure ak imon
kommane ikkure ko an 2022. RMI ej
ikkure ko Marshall Islands emoj dre an
aikuij in kwalok nan aolepen belaak kein
kaleki jen kar tore in im NOC ear koman Micronesia bwe ebojak in bok eddo im
man kajjitok nan host Micro Game ko an
host nan ien ikkure kein, im iaal eo ej nan
2006 eo? Etke ebin an NOC eo kajjeon in
jino wawein in im ejaak im kejemoj jaan
komman bwe lal ko jet ren jiban – mene
nan ekkal imon ikkure ko bareinwot.
aolep rekanuij in jela bwe ej baj to, Mar-
The Marshall Islands Journal —­­­Friday, August 15, 2014
21
From left Bank of Marshall
Islands President Patrick
Chen, Lobaster Labaun,
Second Labuan, Stacy
James, Arina James, Sr. Lumine Beckmann and Kakom
Paul. Photo Hilary Hosia.
Bank of MI
awards new
scholarships
Public school students from Majuro and Jaluit
were awarded Bank of Marshall Islands scholarships to attend private schools recently.
Lopazter Labaun and Stacy James of Majuro
were awarded a full-year’s tuition to attend Seventh Day Adventist School.
Meanwhile on Jaluit Elementary School Students Danny Jerus and Scott Isaac will now be
attend St. Joseph Elementary School. On hand
to receive on behalf of Danny and Scott was Sr.
Lumine Beckmann.
BOMI has issued out nine scholarships for
low-income students for the coming school year
— five of which went to Ebeye students who will
attend Queen of Peace Elementary.
Students awarded the BOMI scholarship will
have to maintain good grades and submit their
report card to BOMI through the school year.
Along with tuition, the scholarship also covers
reasonable school fees such testing and transfer fees and school uniforms.
ISAAC MARTY
A four-week training
in the US Virgin Islands
has gotten two College
of the Marshall Islands
(CMI) students all fired
up about the potential for
agriculture development
for the Marshall Islands.
CMI students Roger
Muller and Malia Nii,
who recently returned
from the training paid
for through the US Department of Agriculture’s
Caribbean and Pacifi c
Islands (CariPac) Land
Grant programs, presented on the potential of
agriculture development
for
Majuro and in particular
hydroponics.
CariPac is a consortium
formed of all Land Grant
institutions
in
insular
areas. It looks at how
to provide food and agriCMI students
culture education.
Roger Muller
“The population is ever
and Malia Nii.
increasing but [the food]
resources we have currently are not enough,”
said Muller, adding that
there are a number of
ways to develop agriculture in Majuro.
One of the leading
development methods
Muller recommends is
hydroponics.
He said it is used worldwide keen on running a bigger project
and he favors hydroponics be- and taking it to a whole new level.
cause crops “grow faster and it
This possibility of a brighter and
uses less space” as opposed to greener Majuro may well be in
growing in the ground.
sight with funding from CMI and
Muller and Nii have been run- other donors to back their project.
ning a small hydroponics project
Their objective now is to begin
at CMI and so far it has proved growing food crops such as cabeffective.
bages, tomatoes, cucumbers, letWith their enhanced knowledge tuce, and sweet potatoes, which
and skills in agriculture, the pair is they’ve brought cuttings of.
Muller is a business major at
CMI and Nii is in Liberal Arts. Despite the different fields, they both
want to include agriculture to their
pursuit for higher education.
Their interest began following
another trip they took last year
to Saipan for agriculture training,
which sparked their initial interest
in this field.
Sudoku
'The population is ever increasing but [the
food] resources we have currently are not
enough.' – Roger Muller
22
Friday, August 15, 2014 — The Marshall Islands Journal
What we were saying way back when
Alumni call
off potluck
Journal 8/15/1975
P1 Micronesia garners two
silver medals in SPG Games
Saipan — The fifth South Pacific
Games, which started on Guam August 1, have ended.
The ten-day games, marred by mud
and rain, were completed Sunday
(Aug 10), and the athletes representing fourteen islands nations and territories have started to return home.
At the end of the games, Micronesia — participating for the first time —
earned only two medals, both silver,
thereby finishing second to the last.
Nauru got the least number of medals in the games, with only on bronze
medal.
The two Micronesian silver medals
came from Augustine Augon of Saipan
and the Micronesian softball team.
P1 “Absolutely not true” - Jack
The reasons behind a decision last
week on the part of the Constitutional
Convention Marshalls delegate Hemos
Jack not to participate in the convention were given this week to the Independent in Majuro by former delegate
Jack himself.
“My main reason for not attending
is that my Iroij (traditional chiefs) are
not represented in the convention and
I would be ashamed to attend and
speak on Marshallese affairs without
them being represented,” said Jack.
He added that he actually did not resign from the convention but said that
he could not attend for “Marshallese
reasons.”
P3 Special Announcement
Norman Mathew, General Manager,
is please to announce that Majuro’s favorite chef Eofilo De Jesus, will now be
preparing his famous dishes, including
curried chicken, steak, and sashimi at
the new remodeled Whitney Bros Restaurant located in Ajidrik center. Plan
to stop in soon.
Journal 8/15/1986
P1 More then ever before
The Marshalls population boom is
really showing up in the record num-
ber of elementary students trying to
get into a limited number of available
spaces in high schools.
While the number of students taking the high school entrance exam
increased dramatically from 810 in
1985 to more than 900 this year, there
is no change in the nuber of students
who will be accepted into public high
schools.
P3 Photo Caption: New Post
Andrew Bilimon has just been appointed to take over a vacant Public
Service Commission post. He moves
from the Planning office, where he had
worked for more than one year.
P10
RRE Ace Hardware Advertisement
Building material.
Cement blocks: 4” … .75¢; 6”…
.95¢; 8” … $1.25
Journal 8/15/1997
P1 Airport ultimatum
Majuro – Airport landowners rejected the government’s counter lease offer this week, putting future operations
of Majuro international airport in question.
Landowner spokesperson Marie
Maddison told the Journal Wednesday this week that the landowner who
owns the property where the Mobil
station and airport terminal are located
cannot agree to the conditions that the
government placed on its offer, and
will communicate their rejection of the
proposal to the Cabinet in a letter later
this week…
P5 Around Town
To all Coop School Alumni who are
waiting to hear more about August 16th
Potluck party; forget it! It ain’t gonna
happen. — The 1997 failed proposed
potluck party coordinating committee,
Katty, Brenda and Deborah.
P6 Coming along
The PII McConnell Dowell fresh water line project is approaching town.:
last we saw ‘em, they were already
past Rairok elementary having completed installation of the 14-inch Rita
pipe from the airport genesis.
The Marshall Islands Journal —­­­Friday, August 15, 2014
Alfred: Tax
will solve
compliance
Mayor Mudge Samuel’s
Op-ed in the August 1 issue of the Journal misses the
“bigger picture” on RMI’s
tax reform program by a long shot. As claimed by Mayor
Samuel, I had gone on record saying that enacting a VAT
system will allow the Marshall Islands to satisfy compliance with free trade agreements (emphasis on plural form).
While this is absolutely true, I had never said and I totally disagree that PACER should serve as the main driver of
the tax reform program for RMI as implied in the Mayor’s
editorial. As designed, the tax reform program is driven by
internal needs and aspirations for a fairer and more buoyant tax system. It is not driven by external requirements as
suggested by Mayor Samuel. A quick look at the TRAM
report will attest to this.
I’ve seen from the ongoing debate over the tax reform
program that not a single person participating in this debate disagrees that there’s a real need for RMI to address
the structural loopholes in the current tax system that are
fueling tax evasion, smuggling, and other tax evils. No one
participating in this debate will disagree that the current
tax system does not provide a level playing field for businesses, especially for honest businesses who pay their fair
share of taxes.
It is also clear from academic and technical literature
that tax systems similar to our current one — having multiple consumer tax systems coexisting alongside each other and levying varying rates — create distortions and imperfections in the market. The proposed reform program
not only provides corrective measures for these but it also
provides relief from potential hardship. So it baffles me
that the Mayor would not appreciate the real benefit that
the reform program can bring to Majuro.
Citing Jerry Kramer’s response in the July 25 edition
of the Journal, Mayor Samuel claims that RMI will lose
30 percent of the revenue it currently collects if the Consumption Tax was to be implemented and RMI becomes
party to the PACER Agreement. There definitely is a need
to validate the accuracy of what everyone is saying here.
To start off, Mayor Mudge Samuel is misquoting Jerry
Kramer. Kramer had simply referenced a misleading paragraph from a webpage by AFTIN (Australian Fair Trade
and Investment Network). AFTIN’s website misrepresented a study done by IMF on trade liberalization and trade
tax revenue.
So between all those misquoting, misleading, and misrepresenting, suddenly appears a projection that we will
lose 30 percent of currently collected revenue under the
Consumption Tax. The logic and math behind this doesn’t
add up.
We have done our own projections and can show that
under the tax reform program RMI stands to gain additional revenue of .04 percent (about $1.8 million) of what
it’s collecting under the current system, purely improvement in compliance and broadening of the base. That 30
percent loss in revenue referenced by Mayor Samuel is
simply incorrect, resulting from misinterpreting technical
reports and misquoting technical sources.
We have a severe problem with tax compliance and our
tax base continues to shrink. The proposed Consumption
Tax provides the solutions needed to resolve these. If there
are any serious issues with the reform program, let’s discuss them seriously and openly instead of spending valuable time on issues that are secondary to the reform program. The plethora of misquotations and misrepresentations over the past three weeks is a clear testament of the
tax opponents misfiring with their reasoning against the
tax reform.
May the good lord protect RMI from tax evaders, keeping their advice away from our political leaders and development partners.
Alfred Alfred, Jr., Secretary of Finance
23
Farewell
fire sale?
Owners of CelphoGrafix
are currently contesting a
deportation order in the
High Court. While the
store is locked as a consequence of RMI Immigration’s removal notice,
that hasn’t stopped use of
the front of the store for
sales of goods.
LETTER TO
THE EDITOR
Photo: Hilary Hosia.
Ewor
jiban
SELINA LEEM
“Enwot ne menin eban
bojrak,” Aluka Rakin,
director eo an Youth to
Youth in Health/Jodrikdrik nan Jodrikdrik ilo
Ejmour, ear ba, ikijien
jorrean ko rej walok jen
kilaba ak lukluk buru.
“Ej juon wawein eo im
jej aikuij in lukkun lale.
Ejjab bojrak an walok,
elaptata ippen jodrikdrik
ro.”
Ruo iaan likao ro im
raar make bok mour
ko aer raan ko lok, raar
kanuij in komman inebata ippen jukjuk in bed,
einwot ke kain jorrean
rot in rejjab maron jela
enaaj walok naat.
Rakin ej kio bukwot
kilen nan komman bwe
jodrikdrik ro ilo YTYIH
ren make enjake ke ewor
tokjaer.
“Kimij kenono nan
er, kajjitok ippaer ta ne
kwoj lemnake, ak kajjeon ba, kimij komman
bwe ren enjake ke rej
mottam kinke elon wot
iaan jodrikdrik ro rej enjake ippaer make ke rej
make lok iaer. Innem kin
lemnak rot in, rej inebata
kinke ejjelok en ej kea
kake er im lale er.”
Rakin ej rejan ro ilo
baamle ko bwe ren kenono im kile dron kinke
aolep men ren bed wot
ilo juon wot mwenan.
“Naan ko an juon jodrikdrik rej kwalok kin
ta kalmenlokijen ko an.
Rej kokalle elane rej
inebata ak monono ak
men kein jimor. Ronjake
er im kalimjek im kile er
bareinwot.”
24
Friday, August 15, 2014 — The Marshall Islands Journal
Sea level victims granted NZ residency
High tide
flooding
at Tuvalu.
In an historic development, this week, a Tuvaluan family living in New Zealand has been
granted residency status in that country due to a
claim that climate change has affected them due
to unprecedented sea level rise in their home islands.
According to Radio Australia, this is the first
recorded case of climate change being accepted
as part of the deliberation on reaching an im-
migration decision. In speaking with Aucklandbased immigration attorney, Carol Curtis, the lack
of adequate drinking water availability in Tuvalu
and its possible effect on the young children in
the applying family was taken into consideration
in granting the residency application.
The fact that the family had extensive additional family connections in New Zealand was also
contributive to the granting of residency status.
Please don’t drink & drive!
The Marshall Islands Journal —­­­Friday, August 15, 2014
25
ri-majol ro rej jerbal elle jen joñan awa...
who do we blame?
LEFT COLUMN. Marshallese cashier: Who can help me with my problem? I
work hard and get nothing. RighT COLUMN. Foreigner: You’re Marshallese...
I’m a foreinger...therefore you get less pay. Sun: Smells like rotten fish in Majuro.
Habits / Rimajol ro ilo amerika
LEFT. Father (Disciplining his son): Now you’ll know never to do it again.
Son: Waaahhh! RIGHT. American Police: Bojrak! Bak liklak jen ajiri ne!
Father: Oh my! It’s different here from the Marshall Islands. Son: Yeah! Ñai
iakwe America!
Son: Mom, I’m hungry. Mother (drunk): I want more. I should sell my daughter
so that I can get more money and go to bingo.
Customer: Taxi! Taxi on the left: Jab mokaj... me first... oops... jolok bõd! Taxi
on the right: Warrar, jerammon rainin! Police Officer: There wouldn’t have been
an accident if it weren’t for your selfishness. Talk is cheap, I gotta ticket you.
Strong women
Left (At Shoreline). Guy at the right: Bring another four! Guy at the left:
Kwe le mõmmaan! Right. Wife: Why did you lie sand say you won’t go
drinking? Guy in the middle: What? Is this the result of Bill 93? Guy at the left:
Oh man, I guess we’re no longer strong men.
an ajeded measles ilo fsm
Doctor: Itok itok... metak, tõbrak. Baj juon! Patient (thinking): Ta, nitõl ro ne?
26
Friday, August 15, 2014 — The Marshall Islands Journal
The Marshall Islands Journal —­­­Friday, August 15, 2014
27
28
Friday, August 15, 2014 — The Marshall Islands Journal
Send your hysterical and insightful Are
You Awares? to [email protected]
THAT Jaluit representative and Cabinet
Minister Rien Morris
was extremely interested in last week’s front
page of the Journal,
which featured a Tobolar employee holding a
large rock (from Jaluit)
capable of ruining the
copra plant’s equipment?
THAT sea otters hold
hands when they sleep to
keep from drifting apart?
THAT blind people smile even though
they’ve never seen anyone else smile?
Photo: Isaac Marty
THAT grocery stores
use four checkouts unless they’re really busy ...
then they use one?
THAT
the
voices of Mickey
Mouse and Minnie Mouse got
married in real
life?
THAT Sweden has a rab- like algebra... for example, have
bit show jumping competition you ever looked at your X and
called Kaninhoppning?
wondered Y?
THAT Google, the periodic
THAT last week another
table, the structure of our DNA, World’s Oldest Man died and we
and “Yesterday” by the Beatles think this is beginning to look
are all ideas that were conceived suspicious?
in dreams?
THAT it may now be time to
THAT a Wisconsin forklift stop be focussing on Goldilocks
operator for a Miller beer distrib- and more on why Mama and
utor was fired when a picture was Papa bear don’t sleep in the same
published in a newspaper show- bed any more?
ing him drinking a Bud Light?
THAT it’s pretty useless askTHAT ears of corn always ing for directions from a starfish?
have an even number of rows of
THAT if you want to freak out
kernels?
your neighbors, name your wifi
THAT you can tell the sex of ‘FBI Surveillance Van’?
a horse by its teeth as most males
THAT it’s pretty interesthave 40 while females have 36?
ing how all the ‘intelligent life
THAT the number 4 is the finding instruments’ are pointed
only number that has the same away from earth?
number of letters in its name as
THAT of all the martial arts,
its meaning?
karaoke inflicts the most pain?
THAT kids these days don’t
THAT gambling addiction hoknow how good they have it ... tlines would do so much better if
Back in the day we had to shrink every fifth caller was a winner?
and wear out our own damn LeTHAT anything unrelated to
vis?
elephants is irrelephant?
THAT if you can see exactly
THAT it’s a humbling mosix years into the future chances ment when you realize your dog
are you have 2020 vision?
or cat has actually trained you to
THAT don’t worry about do something?
someone carrying a torch for
THAT you know it’s going
you, but do be concerned if she to be a bad day if your horohas a gas can in her other hand?
scope starts with ‘are you sitting
THAT relationships are a lot down’?
ARE YOU
AWARE?