Posted on: Monday, January 26, 2004

Lingle to keep pushing for more compact aid

By B.J. Reyes
Associated Press

While Hawai'i didn't get as much money as it wanted from the federal government to provide services for Micronesian and Marshallese immigrants, that won't deter the state from continuing to push for more aid in the future, Gov. Linda Lingle says.

"In politics, we deal with it all the time — you don't get everything you want all the time," Lingle said.

Lingle was speaking of the federal government's allocation of $30 million to be divided among Hawai'i, Guam, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands to provide social services for Micronesian and Marshallese immigrants who arrive on their shores under the Compacts of Free Association.

The compacts allow Micronesians and Marshallese to freely come to the United States and its territories. They recognize the island nations' independence and set forth a financial and tactical relationship between their governments and the United States.

Upon renewal, the compacts were amended to include $30 million for Hawai'i and the other territories. Guam received $14.2 million, based on the number of immigrants who live there. Hawai'i received $10.5 million.

The distribution formula caused a rift between the Department of the Interior and Hawai'i's congressional delegation, which led to the cancellation of a planned ceremony last week to announce the grants.

"I don't think anybody felt they got enough," Lingle said at a news conference Friday, flanked by Northern Marianas Gov. Juan Babauta and American Samoa Gov. Togiola Tulafono.

Hawai'i officials say the state spends about $32 million a year providing services for a population of about 7,000 Marshallese, and a slightly smaller number of Micronesians.