Let's Now Take A Closer Look…(4)

Tuesday June 3, 2008, Number 4

Let's Now Take A Closer Look…

...On June 3rd, (DC date) Foreign Minister deBrum and Ambassador Muller will travel to Milan from holding 2 meetings in Washington, DC after a week their. Their tickets including Arkansas, DC, Milan, NY and back to Majuro totals a whopping 18,000 dollars each.

…Well, it turns out a new deal between the RMI Government and lobbyist Hunter Johnston was signed last week by Foreign Minister Tony deBrum, Ambassadors Ben Graham and Phillip Muller with the Johnston Group.

…If you recall, the Johnston and Associates lobbying firm worked for the Kwajalein Negotiations Committee. In fact, in May of 2002, now Minister in Assistance to the President Christopher Loeak said that he was "delighted to have retained a world-class legislative affairs team in the U.S. to assist the KNC in its delicate discussions with the U.S. Government and the RMI regarding access to Kwajalein,"

…forward to May 2008, Johnston has delivered absolutely nothing to the people of Kwajalein.

…rewind back to January 4^th, 1999 when the RMI hired Jack Abramoff with a $50,000 retainer and a 450 thousand dollar bill. Who orchestrated the deal and the Wicked Witch of the West (WWW) plot? It is none other than the person who has labeled himself as the "architect" of the RMI-ROC relations. The Foreign Minister, along with Ambassadors Muller and Graham can now be labeled as the "architects" of this NEW "top-secret" deal.

…Our questions are (1) did this deal go through the proper bidding process; (2) did it go through the Attorney General, the Finance Office for approval; (3) did Cabinet approve this new contract?

…Although we know the dollar figures to this contract, will the government come out and be transparent about this or will it remain in the doors of an exclusive Washington Club.

…Our findings on these figures which include a sign-on bonus and lofty monthly fee will be revealed next week.

…Will Minister Loeak say he is "delighted to have retained a world-class legislative affairs team in the U.S. to assist the RMI in its delicate discussions with the U.S. Government and the RMI regarding access to Kwajalein,"?

...We won't be to surprised if Johnston doesn't deliver in the next few years!

…It's worth remembering that Tony deBrum formed a close personal bond with Jack Abramoff, and got him a contract with the RMI government. But when Jack was disgraced Tony insisted he had nothing to do with Jack!

…What will happen if this new contract blows up in the face of the Marshallese people? The truth should be told, and be told immediately.

...Remember when we told you we'd inform you more on the TWO TYPES OF CROOKS? Re-read the first few lines!

… Segueing on, the United States Air Force said it successfully tested a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile test launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base to an open-ocean site near Guam on Friday.

…The test confirms the Defense Department's capability for conducting long-range missile tests into the open ocean without use of Kwajalein, the traditional target for long-range ballistic missile launches.

…"This mission was different in the fact that our normal target area (Kwajalein) is pre-configured for our re-entry vehicle scoring," Yeates said. "To gather the data we needed in this new location, we joined with the Navy and one of their oceanographic vessels."

…On a different note, who is paying for Majuro street lights?

…we found out that the Guam Power Authority (GPA) is disconnecting its street lights because no one is paying for it, why not MEC?

…why is the RMI the only place on earth that subsidizes landowner's electricity bills? This practice was first introduced when the government was established in 1979 and something should be done to remedy this added burden on MEC. Now is the time to do something!

…if the fuel tanker from Korea does not arrive on schedule due to weather conditions in early June, Majuro will face its first backout or required power rationing to conserve the fuel in its tank farm.

…we learn that in Samoa, some government departments and ministries had their electricity supplies cut off because of unpaid bills.

…this is quoted from an email we received: "The President has announced that his administration will start visiting the out islands to talk with the people and find out what their needs are in which this will be the first in the history of the GRMI, literally to send government representatives to visit the out islands. So starting to implementing this, the President has started with the Kabinmeto. This is the first trip which you are accusing Mike to have the vessel stayed extra day so he could play riwut. This is really ridiculous to assume such thing when you don't know that when Iroj visits his people he just doesn't do a quick appearance and leave. There are manit and people would be uncomfortable if Mike would not spend a day with them. Not only Mike was on the trip but also the designated representatives of the President, they were; David Kabua and Kaiboke Kabua. Next trip will be Ratak ean."

…but wouldn't the people rather see their President visiting them? Here the problem belies, the President has been traveling non-stop!

This week in 2004…An historic telephone conversation between President Kessai H. Note and former Republic of China's President Chen Shui-Bian took place. President Chen called President Note to thank him for his attendance during his inauguration ceremony the previous month.