Marshall Islands fast-tracks parliament reconstruction
Majuro—Two months after a devastating fire that had razed the parliament building, the Marshall Islands promptly picked up the pieces, kicking off the reconstruction of the government chamber known as “Nitijela.” Although we felt sorrow and anxiety when the house burned down two months ago, let us thank the Lord that we can now rebuild the house, which was old,” President Hilda Heine said during the Oct. 8 groundbreaking ceremony for the reconstruction of the Nitijela building.
The fire consumed the parliamentary building on Aug. 26, destroying official documents and historical resources stashed in the library archives, sources said.
Tuvalu launches undersea cable
Funafuti—Tuvalu has launched the Vaka Submarine Internet Cable, opening a new chapter in the nation’s drive for connectivity. With the new cable breaking Tuvalu’s decades of isolation and limited access to markets and services, the government announced free internet service nationwide, with plans to double data plans and eventually provide its citizens with permanent free internet access.
Nauru’s passport-for-sale scheme gaining grounds
Yaren—Nauru’s citizenship-by-investment program has started attracting more foreigners seeking alternative home countries amid global conflicts, according to an official from the Pacific island nation.
Cook Islands’ seabed must be studied first
Avarua—The Cook Islands’ seabed may be rich in minerals, but it is not ripe for mining until it is thoroughly studied, the Cook Islands News reported, citing an ocean scientist.
PH medical team slated to visit Pohnpei
A team from the Philippines’ Quirino Memorial Medical Center will deploy to Pohnpei State Hospital in November, following the successful twoweek OBGYN mission to Chuuk State in 2024. The Pohnpei deployment will include ENT specialists, internal medicine doctors and specialized nursing staff to enhance medical services at the facility.