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Pacific Islands Report
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Posted on Sep 12 2000
Bikini’s senator dies in car crash
MAJURO, Marshall Islands — Bikinian Senator Henchi Balos, 54, died at 3:00 a.m. Sunday following an automobile accident Saturday night.
He was elected to the first Nitijela (legislature) in 1979, when the constitutional government of the Marshall Islands was formed, and he served as the first and only senator representing the Bikini people until his death.
During his 21 years in the governing body, he served as Minister to the President (Amata Kabua), Minister of Health and Minister of Finance. He was a key participant in most of the Bikinian nuclear claims negotiations with the U.S.
Niue gov’t ignores teachers’ demands
ALOFI, Niue — Unfazed by talks of protests, Premier Sani Lakatani said the government will not give in to teachers’ demands for pay increases because other requests from public servants will follow.
Parents of students at Niue’s only high school have planned a protest march in support of the 10 teachers involved.
The teachers went on strike three weeks ago after demanding that their annual salaries of $14,000 be increased by an additional $2,000.
Minister of Education Young Vivian has threatened to fire the striking teachers if they don’t return to work.
Hereniko honored a UH
HONOLULU, Hawaii — The University of Hawaii has presented a Presidential Citation for Meritorious Teaching to Vilsoni Hereniko, Associate Professor, Center for Pacific Islands Studies, School of Hawaiian, Asian and Pacific studies.
The citation recognizes faculty members who have made significant contributions to teaching and student learning.
Professor Hereniko, who comes from Rotuma in the Fiji Islands, was praised for “originality, freshness and excitement” in his teaching style.
The Presidential Citation was awarded to Professor Hereniko at a university-wide convocation. He was one of six UH faculty to receive the award for the year 2000.
