Topic: RMINews

Marshalls Sends Dance Groups to Festival

Traditional dance groups and bands will represent the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) at the ninth Festival of Pacific Arts hosted by the Republic of Palau, from July 22 to 31. The Ujae Jobwa Dancers, led by Irooj Senator Michael Kabua, is composed of over 21 dancers, singers, chanters and drummers. The Utrik Atoll Jebo Dancing Group is also scheduled to perform.

Government officials accompanying the delegation include RMI President Kessai H. Note, First Lady Mary Note, Foreign Affairs Minister Gerald and Jodi Zackios, Johnny Antolok, Christopher de Brum, and Clifford Jericho, according to the Alele, the RMI National Museum, which organizes and coordinates Marshalls participation for the Festival.

Remarks by Minister Gerald Zackios
on Behalf of the Marshall Islands
July 6, 2004
US Embassy, Majuro, Marshall Islands

His Excellency President Note,
Ambassador Morris, Colonel Brown and Mrs. Jane Brown, Traditional Leaders, Members of the Cabinet, Members of the Nitijela, Honorable Riley Alberttar, Mayor of Majuro, Distinguished Guests, Citizens of the United States, Friends, Students and Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great honor for me to say a few words on this beautiful evening on behalf of President Note and the people of the Marshall Islands, and to be among friends to celebrate two hundred twenty-eight years of independence for our good friend and ally, the United States of America.

Marshall Islands' Marine Project Wins Pretigious Conservation Award

A Marshall Islands Natural Resource Assessment Survey (NRAS) team member, Mandy Hengeveld, is in London, England, to accept the British Petroleum (BP) Conservation's Bronze Award of $7,500 on behalf of the NRAS project "Finding Napo: Conservation of Napoleon Wrasses and Rare Corals at Namu Atoll." The award-winning project aims to study the abundance, distribution and habitat preference of Napo's and Acropora corals at Namu Atoll in collaboration with the local government. NRAS fish ecologist, Maria Beger, of The Ecology Centre, University of Queensland, is the project leader of the survey scheduled for November through December of 2004.

US Embassy Majuro received a letter of condolence from Kessai H. Note, President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, on the death of President Reagan. The letter was immediately forwarded to the White House.

June 7, 2004
The people and government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands join me in extending our deepest sympathies to the family of late President Ronald Reagan, and to the people and government of the United States of America.

Slight Increase for Marshall Islands Consumer Price Index

Majuro's Consumer Price Index has remained steady during second quarter 2004, reports the Republic of the Marshall Islands Economic Policy, Planning and Statistics Office in its June report. There was a slight increase of 0.23% over the first quarter. Since the beginning of calendar year 2004, the CPI has increased by 0.5%.

The minimal increase came with a raise in food, appliance, fuel, and recreation costs, although balanced with a downturn in apparel and other goods. The EPPSO of the President's Office has been collecting and analyzing data since the formation of the new office in 2002, and the reconstruction of CPI in 2003. The greatest change, nearing 1%, occured in 4th Quarter of 2003. The past two quarters of 2004 have remained below 0.25%.

Marshall Islands President Gets Presidential Thanks and Tour

On Friday, President Kessai Note traveled to the Kaohsiung, the second largest city in Taiwan, the world's 3rd largest seaport and fisheries center, located 246 miles south of Taipei. There, the Republic of the Marshall Islands President, accompanied by his wife, First Lady Mary Note, and RMI Foreign Minister Gerald Zackios, were greeted by council speaker Tsai Chien-hsing and other councilors. While touring Ching Fu Shipbuilding Co., Note said that he will continue to work to strengthen fishery cooperation between Taiwan and Marshalls.

Earlier in the day, President Note was received by President Chen Shui-bian for a twenty-minute meeting at the Presidential Office in Taipei, according to the ROC government office.

Marshall Islands' "Pursuance of Excellence" Must be Matched with Resources
In the Republic of the Marshall Islands, no child should be able to take success for granted, and every child should be able to go as far as their God-given talents and hard work will take them, says Senator Mattlan Zackhras. The remarks were made last week at the College of Marshall Islands' Foundation Day. According to Senator Zackhras, who was appointed in January as RMI Minister of Public Works, the critical challenge is to "end this cycle of sub-standard education." He explained that creating a list of higher standards for Marshallese teachers and schools is not enough, but that the demand for accountability must be met with the needed resources to fulfill that demand. The entire text of Minister Zackhras' remarks follows:

Marshall Islands Visitors Authority Announces Delegation of Managerial Responsibilities

Ms. Dolores deBrum-Kattil will assume all managerial responsibilities for the Marshall Islands Visitors Authority (MIVA) beginning March 27, 2004. Ms. deBrum-Kattil will maintain Acting General Manager responsibilities until such time that the MIVA announces its new management. In a MIVA press release dated March 26, Mark Stege, who has been MIVA General Manager since September 2001, announced his soon departure from the Agency. "I shall remain working with the MIVA until the end of April, however please feel free to refer to Ms. deBrum-Kattil for any type of assistance," said GM Stege.

Marshall Islands Social Security Administration Back on Track, Says Report

The wayward course of the Marshall Islands Social Security Administration (MISSA), an agency unauditable and unaccountable for more than four years and mired in seemingly corrupt practices, has been corrected. A "clean bill of health" was issued in the organization's Quadrennial Report, of fiscal years of 2000 to 2003, recently presented to the Nitijela, the nation's parliament. "The appointment of MISSA’s Board of Directors by the Cabinet in early 2000 and their hire of a new management team enabled MISSA to ensure the accountability of its financial records, improve its financial condition, and effectively manage its operations and benefit programs," reported Ms. Saane K.Aho, Executive Administrator.

"MISSA has now earned the respect of an entire nation. As an organization, our mission for the future is simple: To continue to improve for the welfare of the people of the Marshall Islands," said MISSA Board Chairman Jack Niedenthal.

Marshall Islands Licenses Only One Adoption Agency

By approval of the Cabinet, the Central Adoption Authority of the Marshall Islands has announced that effective March 1, 2004, one U.S. adoption agency is licensed to facilitate international adoptions between the Marshall Islands and the United States.

This agency is Journeys of the Heart out of Hillsborough, Oregon. According to the RMI adoption advisor, the Journeys of the Heart agency and Susan Tompkins, executive director, have demonstrated a history of highest ethics, respect for the Marshallese culture, and utmost competence in dealing with complex international adoptions. It was the only agency among the applicants to be accredited under the Hague Convention.

New Online Scholarship Service for Marshall Islands' Students

The Marshall Islands Scholarship Grant and Loan Board has launched a website at www.rmischolarship.net.

According to Juliet J. Anitok, MISGLB Coordinator, the website is a milestone towards improving the delivery of services to students and the efficiency of the office. Students need not call or fax the scholarship office to receive the forms and information. All application forms, samples of completed applications, policies, deadlines etc. are available online and can be downloaded.

Marshall Islands President and Cabinet Sworn In


On January 12, Kessai H. Note was sworn in for his second term as President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The RMI's Head of State is elected from within the nation's parliament, the Nitijela, which consists of 33 elected senators from the 24 inhabited atolls and islands. President Note's United Democratic Party claimed the majority win in last November's national election.

The Nitijela chamber in the Capital building was filled to capacity with special guests and spectators. Some watched proceedings via a large-screen TV outside the chamber. Many foreign visitors attended the ceremony, including the Republic of China's (ROC) Minister of Foreign Affairs Eugene Chien.

Pearl Touring in the Marshall Islands, the Pearl of the Pacific

North of the equator in the central Pacific Ocean, the Southern Cross falls behind a shallow enclosed lagoon known as Jabonwod, literally “the fringing reef” in Marshallese. Franky Pedro, a Tuvaluan whose family migrated to the Marshall Islands in the 1960s, begins his day, and alongside his wife, Makko, the two appear like parents rather than supervisors to the three young men who work with them on this far-flung island. Their collective purpose: pearl farming.

Tie-breaker Vote or Straw Count for Marshall Islands Atoll Race

Ballots from the Marshall Islands' parliament race for Ailinglaplap will be recounted this weekend. Incumbent Senator Christopher Loeak, who also holds the traditional leader title of "Iroij," is tied with newcomer Katzuo Joribwij Katjang at 544 votes. There are two Nitijela seats for Ailinglaplap. Incumbent Senator Ruben Zackhras secured the first spot early on in the count with 754 votes. If the count remains tied following the recount, Loeak and Katjang will draw straws for the Senate seat.

First in Series: Enhanced Marshalls' 2002 Stats Report Released

Life style throughout the Marshall islands is generally simple and easy going, but "due to high wage earnings in non-traditional occupations, development of a cash based economy and the availability of imported western food, food habits have undergone a change for the worse," states the introductory chapter of the new Republic of the Marshall Islands' (RMI) 2002 Statistical Yearbook. The Economic Policy, Planning and Statistics Office (EPPSO) released its annual publication this week.

EPPSO notes that there is more information in the areas of health and education included this year in the 227-page report, as well as new data concerning the outer islands and NGO’s. The quality of the publication has been significantly enhanced by the inclusion of more analysis of data, states the report. In the next few weeks, Yokwe Online will be presenting a series of articles summarizing the 2002 statistical updates.