Language Commission Act 1983 compiled by Dirk H.R. Spennemann

Table of Contents

1. Section 1. Short Title
2. Section 2. Reserved
3. Section 3. The Commission
4. Section 4. Functions of the Commission
5. Section 5. Staff, etc.
6. Section 6. Assistance and cooperation.
7. Section 7. Finance.
8. Section 8. Reports.

to establish a Republic of the Marshall Islands Language Commission, to encourage the preservation, development and use of the Marshallese Language.

Section 1. Short Title

This Act may be cited as the "Republic of the Marshall Islands Language Commission Act 1983".

Section 2. Reserved

Section 3. The Commission

(1) A Republic of the Marshall Islands Language Commission is hereby established.

(2) The Commission shall consist of a Chairman and such other members as the Cabinet appoints, with the concurrence of the Nitijela expressed by resolution.

(3) The members of the Commission shall be persons well versed in the Marshallese language and culture, and may include also persons with specialized knowledge of the science of linguistics or with experience elsewhere of the type of work that the Commission is established to do.

(4) The Commission shall determine its own procedure.

(5) The compensation of the members of the Commission shall be specifically provided by Act.

Section 4. Functions of the Commission

(1) The functions of the Commission are:

(a) to investigate methods of preserving, developing and encouraging the use of the Marshallese language, and to report on such matters to the Cabinet and to the Nitijela through the Minister;

(b) to recommend action to be taken by the Government of the Marshall Islands or by any other person, organization or authority for the preservation, development and use of the Marshallese language;

(c) to device and, so far as it can, implement an educational program on the Marshallese language, and of the need for, and the methods of, its preservation, development and use;

(d) to sponsor and approve standards for uniform spelling of Marshallese words and phrases;

(e) to prepare and publish, or to assist in the preparation and publication of, dictionaries and other works on the Marshallese language;

(f) with the approval of a joint committee of the Nitijela and the Council of Iroij, to adopt and publish lists of new words, phrases and grammatical forms that appear to it to be required or desirable for the development and use of the Marshallese language; and

(g) any other functions that are necessary or desirable for the achieving the purpose of this Act.

(2) The Commission may cooperate with, and seek assistance from, universities and other institutions and persons interested in the functions of the Commission and the achievement of the purposes of this Act.

(3) The Commission, with the approval of the Cabinet, may solicit and accept grants, donations and other aid from any source for the purposes of this Act.

(4) Grants, donations or aid made or given subject to conditions, or for certain purposes, may be spent or used only in accordance with those conditions or for those purposes.

Section 5. Staff, etc.

(1) There shall be a Secretary to the Commission, and such staff as the Commission needs to perform its functions.

(2) The Secretary and the staff of the Commission shall be members of the Public Service, on either full-time secondment, as arrangement between the Minister and the Commission.

(3) Out of money lawfully available for the purpose, or by arrangement with the Minister, the Commission may obtain the services of specialists and consultants on aspects of its works.

Section 6. Assistance and cooperation.

It is the national duty of the Government of the Marshall Islands(in particular the Ministry of Education), of the news media, of local governments, of private and public organizations and authorities, and of the people generally to cooperate with the and assist the Commission in its works.

Section 7. Finance.

(1) A Marshallese Language Trust Fund is hereby established for the specific purposes of this Act.

(2) The Fund is a Fund other than Marshallese Islands General Fund, within the meaning and for the purposes of Article VIII, Section 3(2) of the Constitution of the Marshall Islands.

(3) There Shall be paid into the Fund:

(a) any grants, donations or aid in cash made or given for the purposes of this Act, in accordance with Section with 4(3) of this Act;

(b) any other amounts received for the purposes of the Commission or of this Act; and

(c) any amount appropriated by the Nitijela for the purpose.

(4) Money may be paid out of the Fund only:

(a) for the purposes of the Commission and of this Act; and

(b) with the authority of the Secretary of Finance, who shall first satisfy himself that the payment is in accordance with this Act.

(5) A delegation under Article VIII, Section 5(1) of the Constitution of the Marshall Islands to expend money out of the Fund is given to the Secretary of Finance.

(6) The Secretary of Finance shall maintain proper accounts and records of the Fund, and the accounts to be laid before the Nitijela by the Minister of Finance under Article VIII, Section 5(4) of the Constitution of the Marshall Islands shall include accounts relating to the Fund

Section 8. Reports.

(1) Any report under Section 4(1) of this Act shall be presented by the Minister to the Nitijela, together with his comments or the comments of the Cabinet on it.

(2) the Commission shall, at least once in each year, at such time as is fixed by the Minister, submit to the Minister, for presentation to the Nitijela, a report on progress in the preservation, development and use of the Marshallese language and on measures likely to ensure respect for it, and generally on the operations of the Commission and the administration of this Act, with such recommendations (if any), as it thinks proper.

(3) The Commission may at any other time, and shall if so directed by the Nitijela or the Minister, submit to the Minister a report on all or any aspects of the matters referred to in Subsection (2) of this Section.

(4) The Minister may present to the Nitijela any report under Subsection (3) of this Section, and shall do so if the report was directed by the Nitijela.

Bibliographic citation for this document

URL: http://marshall.csu.edu.au/Marshalls/html/RMILAW/Language_Commission_Act.html

CONTACT:

Dirk H.R. Spennemann, Institute of Land, Water and Society, Charles Sturt University, P.O.Box 789, Albury NSW 2640, Australia.

e-mail: dspennemann@csu.edu.au