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March 27, 2008
President Tomeing’s Welcoming Remarks
On the Occasion of the Visit of U.S. Congressman Eni F. H. Faleomavaega
American Samoa Delegate to the U. S. Congress
Majuro
March 27, 2008
I am delighted to welcome a very special and long time friend of the Marshall Islands. I just wish to express my most sincere appreciation for your very generous thought to come to the Marshall Islands and to visit with us and to engage in a series of discussions on matters that are of great importance to the future of our people.
I am personally very glad that you are here now in person for it gives us a fitting occasion to thank you for your ever unflinching support and your unrestrained voice in support of our needs in every forum and hearing in the United States. You should know by now that we have nothing much to offer in return but our assurance that you have our utmost gratitude, appreciation and abiding friendship.
It does make a world of difference to us Pacific island people to know we have a friend in Washington we can rely on, safe in the knowledge that our interests and concerns are received and considered with dutiful care and consideration.
Following our pledge to the people of the Marshall Islands when we first assumed the reins of government, we are forging ahead with our “people first” focused agenda of national development.
I recognize that there are various issues in our economic relations with the United States which need to be reviewed and resolved, but I am confident that satisfactory solutions to these will be found as our two governments continue, as we have done in the past, to build greater levels of understanding and cooperation among ourselves.
We have a mutual and unique relationship which transcends even the structures of the Compact, flexible in its response and understanding in its scope.
It will be inattentive and indeed less than transparent of me if I fail to make some brief reference to the fact that we are not entirely unaffected by the need to resolve certain critical issues.
These were either left untouched by, or inadequately dealt with, or were eliminated under Compact II, as amended. Because they have direct and significant adverse impact on a large segment of our population and on our national ability to function effectively, we have no other choice but to accord them the proper consideration.
I am referring of course to issues such as additional funding for the victims of the nuclear testing program and compensation for loss of property, the status of the Nuclear Claims Tribunal, the removal of the full faith and credit provision in Compact II, as well as the much needed energy fund contained in Section 214 b under Compact I.
With regards to the victims of nuclear testing. I wish I could put this in less than frank language, Congressman, but the stark reality for us is that we have people suffering and dying as a result of this unfortunate event. We have islands or atolls where the possibility of their being ever restored to any modicum level of human or economic rehabilitation is non-existent.
You understand Congressman, that it is not altogether easy to reconcile the existence of these issues with the goal of self-sufficiency intended in the said Compact.
It has not been easy either for us, especially in the face of inadequate resources to launch, much as we wish to, a prompt and adequate response to meet the challenge of assisting the families of those who are being laid off as a result of USAKA transformation activities.
We shall do our very best to ensure that their lives are not substantially affected by these changes. We will respond to this challenge, and will act as is demanded of us.
As you know, this government is hardly more than 90 days old. We are a young government, manned by sincere, hard working, and willing individuals. Our ability to move forward is clearly affected by inadequacy of resources and new challenges either ignored by or unanticipated under Compact II, as amended. We are moving ahead, nevertheless, with our national agenda in the face of these constraints; we will not be sidetracked. However, we ask that we be given the tools to do the job.
On the positive side, however, I am happy to share with you the fact that I have sought and have obtained from Kwajalein landowners their approval for me to explore with the United States government a solution to the present impasse over a new Land Use Agreement.
Towards this end, I have received from the United States Ambassador to the Marshall Islands, Mr. Clyde Bishop, a firm assurance that he would indeed be happy to receive from us a set of proposals on the matter to be forwarded to Washington. I am deeply encouraged by this new development, and I am grateful to both the Ambassador and Kwajalein landowners for their accommodating outlook.
My government is now working towards this single purpose. My sincere hope is that representatives of our respective governments will soon be able to have the opportunity to sit down and reason together, look at the matter with an eye of fairness, and reach a mutually satisfactory solution.
My friend, I must admit that my first thoughts regarding this statement were that I should be quite formal and use all kinds of official language normally reserved for a stranger, someone from the cold north, wearing a formal dark suit and a heavy coat, and of a cultural background so different from us.
Then I realized that the subject of my thoughts was none other than a long time and dear friend of this country, as familiar with our islands and our concerns as we are, and hailing from a neighboring island himself just next door to us. In short, a fellow Pacific Islander. I am glad I threw that first draft into the bin.
Welcome once again, Eni.
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