MAJURO@ONLINE March 22, 2002
A SERIES OF NEW INFRASTRUCTURE IMPORVEMENT PROJECTS JOINTLY FUNDED BY THE RMI AND US GOVERNMENT ARE ON THE AGENDA FOR KAJUR/ASPA ON EBEYE ISLANDS. KAJUR IS EBEYE'S POWER COMPANY THAT IS BEING MANAGED BY THEAMERICAN SAMOA POWER AUTHORITY (ASPA). KAJUR/ASPA GENRAL MANAGER TUI FAA'FETAI SAID THAT A $3.8 MILLION US MARSHAL ISLANDS MATCHING GRANT WILL BE USED TO FUND:
MAJOR RENOVATINS TO EBEYE PUBLIC  ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
IMPROVE THE EXITING SEWAGE SYSTEM, INCLUDING REDIRECTING THE SEWAGE OUTFALL FROM THE LAGOON TO THE OCEAN
NEW REVERSE OSMOSIS WATER MAKING UNITS TO PRODUCE HIGHER QUANIES OF FRESH WATER
NEW FULE TANKS SO THAT KAJUR CAN DIRECTLY IMPORT AND STORE ITS OWNS FUEL.
FAA' FETAI EXPECTS THAT THESE PROJECTS WILL GET MOVING FROM MAY, WITH TEH SIGN AND BIDDING PHASES NOW IN PROGRESS. THE KEAY TOI ALL THESE NEW INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IS ONGOING MAINTENANCES, SAID FAA'FETAI. "WE'LL DO THE MAINTENANCE FOR A WHILE AND TEHN TURN IT OVER TO KWAJALEIN ATOLL LOCAL GOVERNMENT," HE SAID. KAJUR'S INVOLVEMENT IN EARLIER IMPROVEMENTS AT THE EBEYE PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, FIXING ROAD DRAINAGE PROBLEMS AND OTHER NON POWER-RELATED INFRASTRUCTURE "IS NOT SOMETHING WE WANT TO TAKE OVER, BUT WE WANT TO HELP AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE," FAA'FETAI SAID. WE SEE IT DETERIORATING AND WE TRY TO HELP." SINCE LATE 1999, EBEYE'S POWER COMPANY, KAJUR HAS BEEN UNDER THE MANAGEMNET OF THE AMERICAN SAMOA POWER AUTHORITY. THE RMI GOVERNMENT, KWAJALEIN ATOLL DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AND KAJUR JOINED IN APPROVING THE MANAGEMENT CONTRACT THAT WAS RENEWED FOR AN ADDITIONAL TWO YEAR TERM LATE LAST YEAR. ASPA ELECTRICAL ENGINEER TUSI FAA'FETAI, WHO IS GENERAL MANAGER OF THE EBYE PLANT, SAID THAT IT TOOK SOME TIME FOR KAJUR POWER PLANT WORKERS TO ADAPT TO ASPA'S MANAGEMENT. "WE'VE SEEN A BIG CHANGE IN WORK ATTITUDE AMONG KAJUR WORKERS," HE SAI," WE HAVE A VERY DEDICATED GROUP. THEY;VE BEEN VERY COOPERATIVE WITH THE NEW SYSTEM." ALTHOUG ASPA'S FIRST TWO YEARS WAS SPENT LARGELY FIGHTING FIRES. - GETTING POWER REGULARIZED AFTER YEARS WITH POWER OFF AS MUCH AS IT WAS ON, GETTING COLLECTIONS MOVING AGAIN-THE ASPA TEAM HAS BEEN FOCUSING MORE HEAVLIY ON TRAININ. TWO PROMISING KAJUR STAFF LATE LAST YEAR WERE SENT TO NEW ZEALAND TECHNICAL INSTITUTE FOR A TRAINING  PROGRAM. TWO MORE ARE EXPECTED TO HEAD OFF TO OREGON LATER THIS YEAR FOR A WATER AND SEWAGE-RELATED TRAINGING PROGRAM. ASPA RUNS WHAT IT CALLS A "BUDDY SYSTEM" THAT MATCHES ASPA AND KAJUR WORKERS TOGETHER FOR TRAINING, EITHER ON EBEYE OR IN AMERICAN SAMOA AT THE ASPA PLANT THERE, FAA'FETAI SAID THAT THE INTERIOR DEPARTEMEN HAS BEEN ASSISTING WITH FUNDING FOR VARIOUS MANINTENANCE RELATED TRAINING FOR KAJUR WORKERS.... "WE WILL STILL REQUIRE A SUBSIDY FOR CONTINGENCIES, BUT WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO MAKE THE OPERATION SUSTAINABLE." ...
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