Tribute to Joseph "Nijma" Lanwi, MISSA's longest serving Administrator
posted 1/05/06
Just recently, a distinguished person who was once considered as one of the pillars of the Marshall Islands Social Security Administration, passed away. Joseph Nijima Lanwi may have been gone forever, but he left a legacy that will never be forgotten, not only by his family and close friends, but by his former colleagues and the present management and staff of MISSA.
Nijima, as everyone calls him, was born on February 25, 1941 in Jabor, Jaluit. After finishing his elementary education at the Marshall Islands Intermediate School in 1959, he continued his secondary education at the Pacific Islands High School in Pohnpei until 1963. A year later, he attended the Honolulu Business College in Hawaii.
He started working as a Junior Accountant at the District Finance Department until 1964, then joined MIECO as a Senior Clerk, and then as an Accountant of KITCO in 1968.
His ambition to be a public servant was realized when he was appointed in 1970 as the RMI Representative to the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. During that time, the social security systems of the governments of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands were being administered by the Trust Territory Social Security System (TTSSS) based in Saipan.
Subsequently, the Trust Territory Social Security System split up and the four governments established their own independent social security systems. During this time, Nijima ensured that the right people received the benefits they were entitled to and was very instrumental in the transfer of records from the Trust Territory to MISSA.
In 1987, the Marshall Islands Social Security System was established and Joseph N. Lanwi was appointed by then President Amata Kabua as its first Administrator.
These are just a few of Nijima’s contributions to MISSA during his 11-year term:
- Significant legislative changes were pursued, developed and implemented, which resulted to the dramatic increases in social security contributions and consequently, long-awaited increases in benefit payments were realized.
- In 1989, the Administration completed the renovation of its Majuro office, expanding its size with the inclusion of a more comfortable waiting area for the members of the system, the addition of a conference room and other facilities
- MISSA’s computer system capabilities were upgraded and MISSA’s office in Ebeye was transferred to a more conducive location.
- The Administration placed the highest priority on the general improvement of basic services provided to the system’s members.
Revised accounting standards and valuation of assets were put in place upon the advice of MISSA’s financial consultants. - An outside legal counsel was also appointed, a move which assisted greatly in MISSA’s legislative efforts to sustain its benefit payments.
- It was also during the term of Joseph Lanwi when the Social Security Health Fund Act of 1991 was passed by the Nitijela, which directed MISSA to administer the Marshall Islands Social Security Health Fund. Its passage paved the way to improved medical benefits for the people of the Marshall Islands.
Joseph Lanwi’s separation from MISSA in 1997 ended his noble mission to serve the people of the Marshall Islands. But what he had started did not end there. The successes that have been realized at MISSA in recent years are just a continuation of Nijima’s dream of a better tomorrow for his countrymen.
WE SALUTE YOU, NIJMA!