PACIFIC ISLANDS REPORT

Pacific Islands Development Program/East-West Center
With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies/University of Hawai‘i

By Jack Niedenthal

MAJURO, Marshall Islands (Yokwe Online,Nov. 17) - Election excitement has reached unprecedented levels for the people living here in the Marshall Islands as the future of the RMI will be decided today.

Citizens will elect new parliament members on November 17. The governing body then chooses a president.

Senators, mayors and council members are on the ballot.

The last campaign day before the election, on Saturday, was like a carnival in Majuro.

The UDP held a huge rally beside Ace Hardware and Uliga where people could hardly find a place to stand.

The Aelon Kein Ar party held a rally across from Payless at the Weather Station and the grass infield was filled with cars covered with campaign signs and election posters.

Bands played at both locations, with people dancing and enjoying refreshments provided by both political parties.

Majuro experienced traffic jams like never before.

Both rallies lasted until close to midnight.

The recently approved Compact of Free Association with the United States has generated particular interest in the elections.

A candidates debate held at CMI last night caused traffic to back up in both directions for about a mile.

Hundreds of ballots have poured into the Majuro post office from absentee voters in the United States so the out-of-country vote will have an impact on this election.

Monday in the Marshall Islands will be a holiday, as this time around election day just happened to fall on November 17, which was also the birthday of late President Amata Kabua and is now celebrated each year in the RMI as "President's Day."

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