Photo: Hilary Hosia
A state of emergency has been declared for the people of Kili Island in the Marshall Islands due to a shortage of food and fuel - but help is on its way.
This declaration was authorised by Cabinet last week.
It runs for 90 days from the start date, unless terminated or extended under the Disaster Risk Management Act.
The state of emergency was declared because of mismanagement of a trust fund that covered expenses.
As a result of the previous local government administration bankrupting the Bikini Resettlement Trust Fund, there is no operations funding for the Kili-Bikini-Ejit local government which represents the nuclear test-exiled people of Bikini Atoll.
This means no funding for Kili Island, home of hundreds of displaced Bikinians, who rely on deliveries of food and fuel for the power plant for their daily needs.
Last week, new Finance Minister David Paul said Cabinet was going to declare a state of emergency so that it could free up funds that could be used to immediately dispatch food for the population, and fuel so the power plant can resume operations on Kili.
The trust fund paid for salaries, power plant operations and scholarships for students. But the administration wiped out a US$70 million Trust Fund in several years.
It means that the local government has had no money so the power plant hasn't been running for months; no power for people, no power for refrigerators or freezers, for air conditioners.
The island had no money for the entirety of 2023.
But the people on Kili Island are expected to soon have power again.
President Hilda Heina was sworn into office on Tuesday and by Saturday a ship was loaded with fuel for the power plant.
Now that the island has fuel that can start up the power plant again, people will have electricity.
Within a couple of days of President Heine showing up on the island and declaring the state of emergency, people they will see results.
President Heine led a delegation on a one-day trip on Friday.
"Our administration has prioritized the needs of Kili Island as part of my ongoing mission to visit all neighboring islands," she said.
She has declared a State of Emergency to seek assistance from other development partners, and said the Government will provide assistance this week.
Meanwhile, a second national government state of emergency declaration is also anticipated to focus on Majuro's ongoing power crisis, which saw extended and repeated power outages this month.
