Subscriptions to the Journal Online are $57 a year using PayPal. Click on the Subscribe button to purchase a subscription using your credit card. Forgotten group ofThe Marshallislanders Islands Journal —­­­ Friday, September 4, 2015 1 Problems affecting Kwaja- With the advent of the Nike- lein’s “Mid-Corridor” island- Zeus anti-ballistic missile test- ers have been put in the spot- ing program of the 1960s, the light by KADA’s new execu- US military decided for safety tive director. and security reasons to evacu- Carl Hacker, who recently ate the central two-thirds of 137Number of days passed took up his post at the Ebeye- islands bordering Kwajalein’s with no response from based Kwajalein Atoll Devel- vast lagoon to create a zone the Public Service opment Authority, issued a where dummy nuclear war- Commission to petitions report last week on the poor heads could be targeted. In for reinstatement of Mid-Corridor housing condi- 1965, Marshallese residents Julia Alfred submitted by tions on Ebeye. He is calling were relocated from the “Mid- Ministry of Health staff and Mid-Corridor islanders live in over-crowded for Compact funding to be di- Atoll Corridor” to Ebeye and Majuro traditional leaders conditions on Ebeye. Photo: Carl Hacker rected to improve living con- were provided with housing and residents. ditions for the approximately and the incentive of work at 700 people. Continued page 3 PAID ADVERTISEMENT Who has The Marshall Islands seen the ninja? ISSN: 0892 2096 Page 2 Friday, September 4, 2015 • Volume 46, Number 36 Miss MISSA $1 on All Majuro in a dire Mike position “Dire” — extremely serious or urgent; presaging disaster. GIFF JOHNSON lands residents depend, is going to run out The Marshall Islands has many chal- of money. A $4 million gap between rev- Photo: lenges on its table — from poor health and enue and benefit payments in 2013 jumped Stacey education indicators, to government agen- to $6 million last year, and is going to deBrum. cies that demand millions of dollars in sub- worsen this year and beyond. The reason? This weekend’s 23rd Budweiser All-Micronesia sidies annually and water/sewer systems More retirees getting monthly payments, Fishing Tournament, being hosted by the that are crumbling in Majuro and Ebeye. while a stagnant economy has produced no Marshalls Billfish Club, will feature 11 visit- But one trumps all others, according to a increase in workers, so no increase in tax ing teams and two from Majuro competing for dire warning that was put to RMI and US revenue. top honors and bragging rights, held currently officials meeting this week in Honolulu for “The retirement fund’s imminent bank- by Team Budweiser-Ambros. Teams will fish the annual JEMFAC meeting to approve ruptcy is no longer a question of why but Saturday and Sunday and weigh in fish from FY2016 Compact grant funding. when,” says MISSA in its audit report that 5:30pm nightly at Uliga Dock, where Miss All- The Graduate School USA presented its was given to Nitijela members last month. Micronesia Celine Bab-B Aliven (pictured) will Preliminary RMI Economic Review for “If this happens, the economic and social greet returning fishermen. She is the daughter FY2014 to Marshall Islands and US lead- repercussion will bring enormous finan- of local fisherman Bwiji Aliven and Domita ers, and it contains a warning that has noth- cial burden to almost every family in the Nemra and is now studying at CMI. ing to do with Compact funding. country — way beyond and more painful The message: The Social Security sys- than the 22 percent cut in benefits and two tem, on which thousands of Marshall Is- Continued page 2 Talk to us at [email protected] • Subscribe to the Journal Online at www.marshallislandsjournal.com 2 Friday, September 4, 2015 — The Marshall Islands Journal New board Ejjelok ninja! One hundred and twenty five parents Despite popular rumor cir- The rumor also surfaced on voted Amata Kabua II, Hemina Nysta culating around town of a social media and has been an and David deBrum (right) as the new masked man with a knife at- excuse some adults use to get Assumption School parent/teacher/as- tacking people, preferably kids off the streets at night. sociation officers last Tuesday night. women, there is no evidence To date, the hospital, po- DeBrum received a majority and was of this happening. The rumor lice authorities and schools at elected president while Kabua made originated two weeks ago which the ninja was supposed- vice president and Nysta secretary. from Rita and Delap with peo- ly sighted report no casualties Photo: Hilary Hosia ple telling different accounts. or Ninja activity. JEMFAC to hear MISSA warning From page 1 this week Wednesday (Honolulu date). percent increase in the tax rate proposed under Currently, MISSA has $287 million in cur- Bill No. 43.” rent and future benefit payment liabilities and Tax revenue dropping Despite Bill 43 being on the table with an investment fund of $65 million, which Nitijela, it has languished and is not even list- means MISSA has less than 25 percent of what Lack of performance in government tax revenue. “In FY2013, there were it needs to meet these retirement obligations. ed in the status table of “bills before parlia- agencies and a stagnant economy is 11,054 reported wage earners who paid The gap between contributions and benefits ment” on the Nitijela website. making MISSA’s financial problems their taxes,” MISSA said. “As of the will jump from $4 million in 2013 to $16 mil- A recent MISSA financial analysis prepared worse. end of FY2014, it dropped to 9,664” — lion by 2025, when the fund will be wiped out. for the RMI Cabinet on the status of Social Se- “Fiscally ailing state owned enter- a 13 percent drop. curity and options to improve long-term sus- “As a result, the Social Security fund de- prises, government agencies and local MISSA points out that its off-shore tainability said clearly: “The current system clines at an increasing rate until all reserves government units owing millions of investments have produced solid re- design was put into place when expected ben- are exhausted in 2025,” said the Graduate dollars to MISSA remain in arrears in turns over the past several years, which efit payments were a fraction of the expected School USA report. Investment revenue can- their payments,” said MISSA’s report in helps. But investment returns alone will contributions. The goal was that, by the time not solve MISSA’s financial problem, experts the latest audit to Nitijela. not solve MISSA’s ailment, which re- the benefit payments exceeded contributions, say. A series of reforms, included in Bill 43, Despite the RMI government and quires legislative action. system assets would be built up enough so that have been recommended to the RMI govern- “top private employers” paying their MISSA is now averaging $1.6 mil- investment income would make up the differ- ment for action to shift the retirement system taxes as required, tax revenue will stay lion monthly payments to its beneficia- ence. Due to a maturing group of beneficiaries to long-run viability. flat — or may go down — “due to the ries. “All of them will be expecting that and a decreasing workforce, the current design “The Social Security problem is the most country’s stagnant economic and very MISSA will pay them on time,” MISSA is no longer sustainable.” dire facing the RMI and requires immediate high unemployment rate,” said MISSA. said. “But there lies a difficult question This information is part of the Graduate attention if system collapse is to be avoided,” The report says out-migration to the — how long can MISSA ensure unin- School USA’s report to the JEMFAC meeting said the Graduate School USA report. US is negatively impacting MISSA terrupted benefit payments?” The Marshall Islands Journal —­­­ Friday, September 4, 2015 3 Baker to set up food bank Tuna captain keen SHIPPING NEWS to put food on tables Two Marshall Islands ves- sels have been undergoing An American fishing boat captain is planning to set up a dry dock services in Fiji. “food bank” in Majuro to assist local schools and families The MV Tobolar was in need. scheduled to complete its dry Captain Mike Baker, a seven-year veteran of commer- docking earlier this week, and cial tuna fishing in the western Pacific, is moving forward is expected to depart Fiji for with plans to establish a food bank. “A lot of families don’t Majuro this Friday. have food to put on the table,” Baker said. “According to the captain, He has already talked to US purse seiner companies and they should start their journey Majuro Mayor Mudge Samuel about the plan and said he’s back on Friday, which will received an enthusiastic response. Currently, he’s looking take eight or nine days,” said for a downtown area location to set up operations. He sees Ports Authority Chairman Al- the possible donations from fishing companies as an op- son Kelen. portunity for a small-scale canning operation to generate The MV Aemman still has canned tuna for the community food bank to provide to work do to so it is likely to be schools and families in need. in Fiji for at least two more He is hoping to engage the people in the community and weeks. The vessels are at Fiji churches in supporting the effort, and plans to set up bins Ships & Heavy Industries in various locations to collect donations of canned goods. Ltd. “If you’re buying groceries, buy a couple of extra cans and donate them,” he said.