MAJURO, Marshall Islands (Marshall Islands Journal): March 15, 2002 - The RMI has been receiving 25-30 percent less Compact of Free Association grant funding on a per capita basis than the Federated States of Micronesia, according to the RMI government.

While the FSM received grant assistance from the U.S. in 2000 amounting to $670 per person, the RMI received $499 - 25 percent less.

In 2003, the FSM will receive funding per person of $782, while the RMI will receive $551 per capita - a 30 percent difference.

The RMI is "seeking to achieve a level of funding fairness with the United States," according to a paper prepared by the RMI Compact Negotiation office.

"A comparison of RMI Compact funding over the last 15 years with that of the FSM shows extreme discrepancies in Title Two amounts."

If Kwajalein rental payments and nuclear test compensation is factored in, the money the RMI receives from the U.S. is slightly higher per capita than the FSM.

But RMI negotiators say that there should be equality, on a per capita basis, in grant funding - without including compensation or rental payments, which are a different category of funding that are not provided through "Title Two" grant funding, but in other sections of the Compact.