Factors beyond control cause Marshalls Micro Games postponement
GIFF JOHNSON
Marshall Islands Correspondent
MAJURO, Marshall Islands — The decision March 16 to postpone the Micronesian Games is the latest development in the Marshall Islands where services and government projects in recent months have been routinely intermittent, delayed or are in limbo.
As the July 22 opening of the Micronesian Games began to loom large, it became increasingly clear in the past several weeks that two essential sports facilities under construction would likely not be completed in time. The facilities and other aspects of hosting requirements, including the country’s sports teams, were severely constrained by COVID and the Marshall Islands border being closed until August 2022.
High school sprinters use the new track and field for competition March 17 during Majuro Day sports activities. The facility is still under construction as can be seen by the viewing stand (at the back) that is still covered with scaffolding. Photo by Hilary Hosia
Pacific International Inc., which is building a world class track and field facility combined with a baseball field as well as a major renovation of the national gymnasium, could not get enough skilled workers imported to Majuro with the border closure — and even when it opened in August, it took time to ramp up the numbers of skilled workers in a country where thousands of islanders have migrated to the U.S. looking for better fortunes.
Equally, PII — and all private sector importers — have struggled with supply chain constraints in the wake of COVID and the war in Ukraine. Construction supplies and materials taking six to nine months more than the usual three- to-four-month lead-time is now a way of life for importers in the Marshalls.
The frosting on this cake was applied Feb. 1 when the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration grounded Asia Pacific Airlines — the sole cargo carrier for the Marshall Islands and other U.S.-affiliated islands in the region. The grounding as of this writing has been in effect for seven weeks and counting, with no indication how long it might continue. Meantime, cargo imports ground to a halt and essential equipment for the national gym and the sports field were no longer simply delayed: APA’s grounding means essentially only some mail can be delivered to the islands on United Airlines three regular weekly Island Hopper flights. But larger cargo is simply stuck.
Tony Muller, a parliament member for Majuro and chair of the Micronesian Games Organizing Committee, said March 17 that the Micronesian Games Council met virtually with Majuro-based organizers on March 14. “They wanted our assurance that before they commit funding for airline tickets that we are ready,” he said. “We couldn’t give them that assurance.”
The government’s cabinet was briefed March 16 and endorsed the recommendation to delay the Micronesian Games, Muller said. “We need to take our time and do it right,” said Muller, adding the target date is now April next year.
The same date, the cabinet endorsed a declaration of a State of Emergency over the Asia Pacific Airlines grounding. The decision to delay the Micronesian Games and the declaration of a State of Emergency, signed by President David Kabua March 16, were not issued publicly by the government on its Facebook pages, websites or government radio, leaving surprised athletes and local businesses to learn of these momentous decisions by word of mouth and social media.
The President’s declaration directs the cabinet-appointed Aviation Task Force to “find the best alternative for air freight and cargo service” in response to FAA’s grounding of APA. The grounding has not only disrupted delivery of mail, but threatens critically needed medicines and equipment for the Marshall Islands. In addition, twice-weekly export of fresh tuna for sashimi markets in the U.S. and Japan by the Marshall Islands Fishing Venture in Majuro have been halted, the President’s declaration said.
The APA grounding, Micronesian Games delay and the State of Emergency declaration are among a series of negative developments since January, including the European Union’s blacklisting of the Marshall Islands again for being what it said is a non-cooperative tax haven; the stalling of a government-World Bank plan to reform the beleaguered telecommunications situation; a power supply that is increasingly unstable with multiple planned, emergency and unplanned outages around Majuro each week; three days when the parliament had to call off its scheduled daily session for lack of a quorum; and the Compact of Free Association negotiations with the United States are in limbo due to widespread opposition and criticism among leaders of a memorandum of understanding signed in January by the U.S. and Marshall Islands chief negotiators.
On the Micronesian Games postponement, Muller said of preparations, “We gave it a serious shot. But it would be irresponsible to do it in these circumstances.” He added the reasons behind the postponement were mostly facilities. “Covid, Ukraine, APA,” he said. “One after another.” No one is to blame for the delay, he said, adding it was caused by these external forces.
