Courage is what the OEK needs

By Kambes Kesolei

Most of the Eighth OEK members did not win their seats as a culmination of years of cultivating mental strength and developing their policy making skills and or defeating incumbents along the way. They won as a result of the opportunity presented by the referendum in 2004 that forced the seasoned veterans to retire. The reapportionment commission aided by adding four more seats to the Senate, raising the total number of seats to thirteen. All together the current term has 29 members, including six holdovers and 23 new faces. Thus, putting into motion the law of unintended consequences.

Bai Ra Medideriik (House of Empty)

By Santy Asanuma

An impressive ancient Bai once stood in the north of Palau but it was screamingly clear that it was not being used at all. Nobody showed up at the bai and no activity really took place inside this particular bai to earn the obvious name and its widespread reputation of being empty. Even primitive Palauans had some sense on the return of resources being invested in relation to the frequency of its usage. This expectation is still the same in Wall Street world of investment today. In this thinking, people whether in the ancient past or modern finance centers of the world today are held responsible to take care of resources (money, materials, food).

A disinterested public is the biggest threat

By Kambes Kesolei

Last Thursday in his press briefing President Toribiong announced an important victory and good news to the great relief of all. The good news is the U.S Congress approved the DOI budget, and therefore, the extension of the financial assistance worth $18 million to Palau for another year. Say what you will, but there can be no denying that this news may have saved plenty faces as tough budget choices that await leaders, have been postponed for another day.

Chosm Er A Itekokongei (Tree of Yes)

By Santy Asanuma

This is a skill even considered as a gift of a certain lineage in Palau for securing a yes or positive answer from the other party they are pursuing. Mostly it was used in getting approvals for romantic proposals. After short research only the very old and few members of the Palau Society of Historians still recall this adage which was usually used for good cause and luck. I heard it as a young boy and it has always stayed in my memory. The fact that this ancient saying, “Chosm Er A Itekokongei,” implied that all will be okay and in our favor made it very appealing to me. This was a valuable gift once a upon a time because Palauans are known to be unimpressionable (ng diak el beot el bo le mechas a rengrir) and not easily convinced to follow other people.

Weighing the competing priorities

By Kambes Kesolei

The inauguration of the new government on January 15 was marked by an unusual episode that was brief in which others who witnessed it jokingly said it portends of what is to come of the 8^th government of the republic. It happened right after the oath-taking, photo-op, and lunch procession. A packed cloud of heavy rain showers started to form unexpectedly with a powerful gale that disjointed the tents, tore the roof cover, overturned chairs and left the center stage where the elected leaders sat moments before look like a war path.

Festival of Dangerous Ideas (US vs. Compact Islands)

By Santy Asanuma

Palauans do not take ideas well. Ideas as simple as one may think are what fuel life to move forward.  Without ideas life as we know it may not have any sense or direction to it. A “mechas” once told me her assessment of our modern government system, “don’t underestimate the power of a stupid person because he/she can vote for leaders of a country.” This statement means many things to me but one meaning is that ideas can come from anyone regardless of how educated or not. Today a priest in church said, “if you want to be first you have to serve others…you have to lower yourself.” Not an easy idea to follow though.

Open Comment 001

For a trial period, feel free to post your thoughts in the comment section below. Comments posted will be held in moderation until approved by the blog Administrator.

If  Open Comment is successful it will be made regular feature of the blog or could lead to development of a sister blog with open comments.

You can also email me with your comments and suggestions – alekokau@gmail(dot)com.

Kambes Kesolei

Administrator, A Le Ko Kau Forum

Taxpayers’ funded junket to Philippines

By Kambes Kesolei

What are the commitments as a representative of the people?

The data provided by the 2009 Household Income Survey raise questions of those who ought to be the ones most aware of the plight of their own people and whether they are doing enough to improve the lives of their citizens.

Palau’s quality of life declining

By Kambes Kesolei

What was lost among the good news during the media briefing on September 30 at the old Olbiil Era Kelulau, was the disturbing piece of information from Minister of Justice John C. Gibbons who reported that of all the theft cases recorded by the police in a recent one week period in September, 80 percent involve stolen food items.

Gabriela Lives On for Freedom

By Santy Asanuma

In 1996 I saw the South Pacific “down under” as it commonly referred to for the first time. Being identified as a community activist by raising social consciousness in my “Whatanow” Column, I was privileged to be invited to attend a CEPAC CCJD conference in Melbourne, Australia to address regional issues on social injustice. As a conference for Catholic bishops of the Pacific and Asia, the main attendants were bishops. This was holier experience than I will ever come close to in this lifetime. While dinning with the bishops one night, we were served fried ice cream an unlikely combination and a first experience for most of us.