Congresswoman Uifaatali Amata expressed “shock and dismay” upon hearing of the devastating fire at the Nitijela building in Majuro, Marshall Islands, on Tuesday.
Uifaatali serves as Vice chairman of both the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific and the Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs—two main congressional committees with legislative responsibility regarding the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI).
“I was in that building just last year,” recalled Amata, “to attend the President’s annual message opening the session of the sitting of the Nitijela,” the Republic’s national legislative body. “Although the Nitijela is currently in session, I thank God the fire was at night and no one was hurt. I have made calls and understand that the building was total loss and will have to be reconstructed from the ground up.”
“The Marshalls are like a second home to me. I spent part of my youth on Majuro when my father was head of government, and through children produced by sibling marriage, the blood of the Marshalls runs through the veins of my family,” Amata continued. “So, this fire is personal to me and I will do all in my power to help the government in its restoration efforts.”
RMI President Hilda Heine is a longtime personal friend, and Amata said she will pledge to work for whatever assistance President Heine needs to get the property reconstructed. “I can only hope that any important papers that were stored in the building were digitized and can be retrieved electronically,” Amata added.
The Republic of the Marshall Islands is an independent country that has a Compact of Free Association (COFA) with the United States. The agreement gives the U.S. access to the islands with specific defense rights and responsibilities in exchange for guaranteed federal financial assistance. In addition, Marshallese citizens have the right of free entry into the U.S. and may relocate anywhere within the country.
Photo: Marshall Islands Journal
