By Giff Johnson
For Variety

MAJURO —Casten Nemra is the new Marshall Islands government’s Chief Secretary. His appointment Tuesday ends a nearly four-month period in which this top civil service job was vacant.
Nemra, who is 35 and has worked as in the Ministry of Finance since 2001, is the youngest Marshall Islander to be named to chief secretary. He was confirmed in the post by the Public Service Commission on Tuesday.
"This is not a one-man post," Nemra said in a brief interview on Wednesday. "Everyone has to work together (to make it work)."
He said his aim is "to improve service to the people. I want to implement policy in the most efficient and effective way. Areas that need to be improved, we’ll look at, and areas that are providing effective services we want to maintain."
Coordination among government ministries and agencies is the essential element to making it happen, he indicated.
His appointment follows a nearly four-month period in which various government ministry secretaries acted in the Chief Secretary position following the resignation of previous Chief Secretary Robert Muller last November.
On his return from the U.S. in 2001, Nemra became director of the Ministry of Finance’s Budget Office and the Office of International Development Assistance. In 2004, he moved up to be assistant secretary for customs and tax.
During his tenure as assistant secretary for customs and tax, Nemra has been credited with making significant improvements in customs administration and performance. He also has met with the Chamber of Commerce and local business leaders on a number of occasions while he’s been with Finance to address issues of concern to the business community and the government.
He has a B.A. in business administration from the University of Portland, and worked in the US until his return to Majuro in 2001.