NextFin news, The Marshall Islands' national parliament building, known as the Nitijela, was destroyed by a fire that broke out around midnight on Monday in Majuro, the capital city. The blaze gutted the parliamentary chamber, offices, library, and archives, leaving the structure unusable, according to officials and eyewitness reports.
Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine said on Wednesday that the Cabinet has endorsed a plan to fast-track the construction of a new parliament complex. The rebuilding effort is set to begin before the end of this year and will take priority over the construction of a new capital facility that was scheduled to start soon.
The fire started late Monday night and was fought by local firefighters who faced challenges due to limited firefighting resources and equipment. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire remains undetermined, partly because the Marshall Islands has limited fire inspection and firefighting capacity.
RNZ Pacific correspondent Giff Johnson, reporting from Majuro on Tuesday, confirmed that the fire destroyed the parliament chamber, offices, library, and all archives. The loss of these records and facilities has stunned the community and government officials.
The fire struck during a parliamentary sitting period when government officials were meeting to finalize the national budget. With the parliament building destroyed, lawmakers will need to find an alternative venue to continue their work.
Photographer and documentary filmmaker Chewy Lin, who arrived at the scene shortly after the fire started, described the building as a symbol of the Marshall Islands' independence and democracy. He noted the significance of the loss to the nation.
The Marshall Islands, with a population of approximately 42,000, is an independent Pacific island nation located between Australia and Hawaii. It maintains a Compact of Free Association with the United States, which is responsible for its security.
President Heine's announcement to prioritize rebuilding the parliament underscores the government's commitment to restoring its democratic institutions swiftly following the devastating fire.
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